Fasano, Witkos: “Actions speak louder than words”

Hartford – Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano (R-North Haven) and Senate Minority Leader Pro Tempore Kevin Witkos (R-Canton) released the following statement regarding the governor’s transportation plan and his recent statements in support of pursuing a transportation lockbox in the legislature’s special session.

“Republicans have been fighting for a lockbox to protect state transportation funding for years. We have watched repeatedly as Governor Malloy raided funds away from transportation in the past. We want to believe the governor when he expresses repeated support for a lock box, and more specifically for a constitutional amendment, as first proposed by Republicans. But actions speak louder than words. While the governor has celebrated the transportation aspect of this budget, he glosses over the fact that his plan actually diverts over $370 million away from transportation over the next two years. This budget implements the exact behavior a lockbox aims to prevent.

“While the governor points to a rosier picture down the road 10 years, we have to look at the here and the now too. If the governor is diverting from the Special Transportation Fund now, how can we believe he is truly seriously about preventing himself and others from doing the same thing in the future?”

“Republicans will continue to support efforts to seriously protect transportation funding. We also need to make sure whatever lock we use is unbreakable.”