Excepts from the Article as it appears in Westport News.

 

WESTPORT — Now that the 2019 legislative session is over halfway done, the Westport News checked-in with Westport’s voices in Hartford to see what they’ve done in the legislature thus far on behalf of town residents.

Tony Hwang, R-28

Senator Tony Hwang also represents a portion of Westport in the state senate and reported he’s been focused on crafting a sustainable and realistic state budget.

New Governor Ned Lamont’s ideas for generating revenue in light of an overwhelming budget deficit will largely harm residents at the local level, Hwang said.

Hwang criticized Lamont’s proposal to transfer 25 percent of the teachers pension liability from the state to municipalities, saying the move would results in local property tax increases.

“We need a budget that works and respects the overwrought and overtaxed middle class in communities that feel burdened by local, state, and federal property taxes,” Hwang said.

Proposals from the governor and other legislators to put new taxes on a whole range of services from legal and accounting work to greens fees for playing golf only add to Connecticut’s reputation as an overtaxed state, Hwang said.

“We are using all kinds of mechanisms to raise revenue because we’ve not made any dramatic cuts to government spending,” Hwang said, adding elected officials needs to recognize the state’s budget problem and make challenging decisions to rectify Connecticut’s financial health.