Senator McLachlan and Republicans Offer No Tax Increase Alternative to Malloy’s $1.9 Billion Tax Increase

April 19, 2011
Republican Press Conference on No Tax Increase budget at Legislative Office Building in Hartford.

Republican Press Conference on No Tax Increase budget at Legislative Office Building in Hartford.

State Senator Michael McLachlan (R- Danbury) and Republican state legislators today unveiled a no-tax increase balanced budget proposal [PDF] .

By focusing on core government functions, eliminating waste and creating efficiencies, the Republican Alternative Budget significantly reduces the size and cost of government while protecting the social safety net and preserving state aid to municipalities.

Alternative Budget Presentation“Republicans are providing the tough medicine Connecticut needs to emerge from this fiscal crisis,” Senator McLachlan said. “State government is broke because our government leaders have a spending addiction. The Republican plan significantly reduces government spending by eliminating government waste and redundancy. We balance the budget by not raising taxes. This is a common sense solution which paves the way for economic recovery and will help make living and working in Connecticut affordable again.”

Highlights of the Republican Alternative Budget include:

  • No new taxes on any business, individual, employer, service or good.
  • More than $1.5 billion in spending cuts from Gov. Malloy’s plan.
  • Preservation of municipal aid at current levels for all towns and cities.
  • Enhanced Medicaid fraud detection to save an estimated $224 million.
  • More than $46 million in savings through agency consolidations.
  • Streamlining government through attrition and reductions to the 54,000 member state workforce.
  • No borrowing for state operating expenses.
  • Full restoration of the $500 property tax credit cut by Gov. Malloy.
  • The pre-payment of $200 million in the state’s highest cost debt, allowing greater flexibility in budgeting throughout state agencies.
  • Restoration of the sales tax free week to help Connecticut consumers support household budgets.
  • Elimination of longevity payments for state employees.

Read Alternative Budget line-by-line >>
Complete presentation of Alternative Budget >>