State Senator Sam Caligiuri (R-16) today called for
Governor M. Jodi Rell to veto the biennial $37.6 billion
state budget that gained final legislative approval
very early Tuesday morning.
“Connecticut is at an absolutely
critical crossroads in its history. Allowing this extremely
expensive and irresponsible budget to become law –
a state budget that will surely result in driving both
businesses and families out of state – is the
wrong thing to do. I understand Governor Rell’s
frustration and her desire to finally get a budget in
place two months into the fiscal year. However, I think
it is worth our while to ask that she sign a third executive
order to keep the state running, and bring everyone
back to the negotiating table to try again for a budget
that benefits, not harms, our state,” said Senator
Caligiuri.
During the budget debate on the floor
of the State Senate, Senator Caligiuri noted that Connecticut
citizens never would have predicted 50 years ago that
his hometown, Waterbury, and other cities in the state
would decline from their positions as centers of economic
prosperity to cities on the brink of financial disaster
over the course of just a few years.
“The short-term decision to raise
taxes to solve pressing fiscal problems had disastrous,
long-term effects on these cities. Businesses closed
and families moved out, creating even more problems
that these cities continue to deal with today. Allowing
this budget to become law has the potential of causing
the same problems across our state,” said Senator
Caligiuri.
Senator Caligiuri said that families
and businesses struggling to survive a recession that
has already caused a great deal of pain and resulted
in the loss of a great many jobs cannot afford the tax
and fee increases called for by the newly adopted state
budget.
“We have two choices. We either
cut spending back to a level that we can afford and
does not require any new or additional taxes, or we
raise taxes. This budget requires us to make the wrong
choice – to raise taxes. We will drive businesses
and families out of state and we will destroy the state
we love. We have the opportunity to learn from the mistakes
made by some of our finest cities, and reject this state
budget,” said Senator Caligiuri.
“I respectfully ask that Governor
Rell do the extremely difficult, but right thing for
our state, and veto this state budget,” said Senator
Caligiuri.
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