“While I believe there is quite a lot to be happy about with respect to Governor Rell’s budget proposals, there is also some disappointment,” said Senator Freedman, who attended Governor Rell’s budget address to the General Assembly on the February 6th opening day of the 2008 Legislative Session.

On the plus side, Senator Freedman said she supports the Governor’s proposal to divide the existing state Department of Transportation into a state Department of Highways and a state Department of Public Transportation, Aviation, and Ports.

“The very important job of building and maintaining our roads and bridges is enough work for one agency. At the same time we’re doing that, the state also needs to concentrate its efforts on mass transit, aviation and our waterways. It makes sense to assign these different, equally important, tasks to separate agencies,” said Senator Freedman.

On the negative side, Senator Freedman said she is very disappointed that the Governor is not calling for an increase in state funding for private providers.

“For a long time, the state has taken for granted the continued existence of private providers who offer much needed social services and operate group homes for some of Connecticut’s most vulnerable citizens. These organizations, and the people who work for them, depend on state funding – and we do not provide nearly enough. What happens to the people who depend on these private providers when they start to go out of business? What happens when the state is forced to assume responsibility for these vulnerable people,” said Senator Freedman.

Senator Freedman said she supports much of what Governor Rell said during her budget address to the General Assembly, including her proposals to: retain state ownership of the Seaside property in southeastern Connecticut; hire 100 more state troopers over the next five years for traffic enforcement; expand DNA collection from some convicts and those charged with certain types of crimes; and strengthening penalties for certain types of burglary crimes; and creating a new program in the vocational-technical high schools to prepare students for jobs in “green technology”.

“I am pleased that Governor Rell is committed to controlling spending and taxing, especially now when Connecticut and the country may be facing difficult economic times. At the same time, she is proposing initiatives for addressing the issues that are most important to us, including public safety and transportation. I look forward to working with the Governor, and legislators, in the weeks ahead,” said Senator Freedman.