Sen. Fasano: Gov. Lamont Concedes That There’s No $450 M Deal With State Unions

Sen. Fasano: Gov. Lamont Concedes That There’s No

$450,000,000 Deal With State Employee Unions

“Democrat lawmakers – and CT taxpayers – were misled by Gov. Lamont.”

HARTFORD – Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano (R-North Haven) today issued the following statement in reaction to Gov. Ned Lamont and the governor’s budget chief Melissa McCaw regarding concerns Fasano has raised about how more than $450,000,000 in state employee savings is accounted for in the still unsigned state budget bill.

“Gov. Lamont and his budget chief today conceded that there is no deal with state employee unions to achieve the $450 million in savings in the budget bill.  The governor admitted that he has just begun to have conversations with state employee unions about this nearly half a billion dollars in supposed savings.

“Did Gov. Lamont not think it was important to let the legislature know this fact prior to their budget vote last week?  Democrat lawmakers who voted ‘yes’ believed this was a done deal.  From what the governor said today, it is abundantly clear that it is not a done deal.

“It was alarming to see both the governor and his budget chief’s uncertainty in answering key questions about whether union approval or legislative approval is necessary. However, just like in 2017, the legislature needs to vote on any contract that changes the state’s financial obligations and has a budgetary impact.

“Democrat lawmakers – and Connecticut taxpayers – were misled by Gov. Lamont.

“Gov. Lamont should veto this unbalanced budget because it violates the Connecticut Constitution.”