Legislature Must Face Reality

Editorial as it appeared in the Hartford Courant on February 20, 2011

Now that Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has proposed a budget, it is incumbent on the General Assembly to actually pass a budget.

The Democratically controlled legislature has virtually the same leadership that was in charge the past two years, when it managed to avoid any rendezvous with reality.

In seeming disregard of the pain experienced by Connecticut residents and businesses, the legislature has a deeply rooted aversion to controlling spending. Instead, it has spent, taxed and borrowed more and more.

What will the Democratic leaders and their overwhelming majorities do with this budget?

The governor’s reliance on more than $3 billion in additional taxes over the next two years can ill be absorbed by our beleaguered citizens and businesses. It is uncertain that the governor will achieve the $2 billion in savings he seeks from state employees. Of greater concern is the prospect that, rather than amending the governor’s budget to include additional painful spending reductions, the legislature will instead raise taxes more than the governor proposes and reduce spending less.

The surest way for this to happen is for Connecticut residents to remain silent. Your legislators need to know that the time is now to take the bitter medicine our state desperately needs for a healthy recovery.

Andrew Roraback of Goshen, a Republican, represents the 30th Senate District.