Sen. Berthel Applauds Bipartisan Five-Year Extension of Republican Fiscal Guardrails

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 9, 2023

Sen. Berthel Applauds Bipartisan Five-Year Extension of Republican Fiscal Guardrails

Senate, House extend fiscal budget controls championed by Republican lawmakers in 2017, leading the way to present $3.3 billion CT budget surplus

HARTFORD – Chief Deputy Senate Republican Leader Eric Berthel (R-Watertown), ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, today applauded the General Assembly’s extension of budget controls enacted in 2017 as a result of legislative Republicans’ effort to control state spending and bolster the then-deficient state rainy day fund. The extension of these “fiscal guardrails” through 2028 earned bipartisan support in both legislative chambers, although the new agreement originally included a 10-year extension.

The agreement was part of an omnibus bill that included four unrelated measures addressing school lunch funding and a clean hydrogen program grant, special education funding, adjustments to the state’s “Bottle Bill” and the management of state employee candidate lists.

Senator Berthel said, “Thanks to the steadfast commitment of Connecticut legislative Republicans, our state is now another step down the path toward fiscal stability. The 2017 budget compromise was a crucial turning point, as it established necessary fiscal guardrails that have become the foundation of responsible budgeting. These principles were so effective that they have gained widespread support across the aisle, and we are proud to have been at the forefront of this movement.

“By extending these principles for another five years, we must be vigilant and willing to make the necessary sacrifices so that we remain on the proper fiscal course. Regrettably, the Majority did not follow-through with their initial agreement for a decade-long extension. Nonetheless, the perfect must not outweigh the good. I’m pleased that Connecticut Democrats recognized the benefits of our approach. Over the next five years, continued fiscal discipline will not only improve our financial future, but also provide much-needed relief to Connecticut families who deserve to keep more of their hard-earned money.”

Read the complete bill here.

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