Fasano: Governor’s Budget Exceeds State Spending Cap by Over $100 Million

Hartford – State Senator Len Fasano (R-North Haven), Senate Minority Leader, released the following statement regarding the Office of Policy and Management’s miscalculation uncovered in the governor’s FY2016-2017 budget proposal.

“The governor has sold his budget as being under the state’s spending cap. We knew immediately after receiving it that it was actually over the cap and now, by OPM’s secretary’s own admission, the cap has been exceeded by $54 million. This, coupled with the $47 million spending cap gimmick exposed in the Appropriations Committee meeting by Senator Kane last week, results in the budget presented by the governor being over the cap by $101 million.

“The spending cap was overwhelmingly ratified by the state taxpayers to prevent against spending growth that is above what they can afford. If this isn’t a red flag, I don’t know what is. The state has a substantial spending problem.

“This same budget also raises taxes on individuals by over $103 million. Clearly, our spending cap cannot support this level of additional spending.”