State Senator David Cappiello, R-Danbury and State Representatives Mary Ann Carson, R-New Fairfield and Janice Giegler R-Danbury voted against the proposed state budget package that would have increased state spending by $353 million over Governor John G. Rowland’s proposal and required new tax increases of about $700 million. Governor Rowland vetoed the bill on Friday, May 16.

The vetoed budget was approved in a 87-57 vote in the House on May 14 and in a 20-16 vote in the Senate the following day. It would have increased state spending by 4.25 percent in Fiscal Year 2003-2004 and by 4.9 percent in FY 2004-2005.

The proposal would have also added wide-ranging tax increases to those that were already approved by the Legislature this year as part of the deficit reduction package. It would cost the average Connecticut family approximately $900 in increased taxes each year, which adds up to the highest tax hike in the state’s history.

“There are many other ways out there to come to a balanced budget other than hiking up taxes to unreasonable levels, which this budget did. Raising taxes to this extent is the worst thing we as a legislature can do to families and businesses alike in this struggling economy,” said Senator Cappiello. “We need to consider structural changes in the budget, rather than depending on the tax and spend mentality that some legislators cannot seem to break away from.”

“Since June 2002, the state has increased taxes by more than $900 million,” said Representative Carson. “In addition to this proposal not being balanced, if it had become law, we would have seen more than $1.5 billion in new taxes in one year’s time without making any serious attempts to reduce spending. I’m hopeful new negotiations will begin this week so the Legislature can consider a balanced budget plan before the we adjourn on June 4.”