| Senator Rob Kane (R-32) said the
General Assembly should act as soon as possible to address
the state government’s budget deficit, and applauded
Governor M. Jodi Rell’s decision to use her authority
to immediately cut spending.
“Right now, we expect to fall approximately $300
million short of the $17.073 billion the General Assembly
originally budgeted for this fiscal year. Worse, both
the Governor’s budget office and the legislature’s
nonpartisan budget office fear the deficit will grow
to more than $2 billion over the next two fiscal years.
The Governor is doing what she can on her own to minimize
the damage, but the legislature has to step in and help.
As other Republicans have said, we should not put off
doing something about this until the next legislative
session in January,” said Senator Kane.
Senator Kane noted that Governor Rell has already used
her authority to make $181 million in budget cuts, and
to order a hiring freeze and a travel ban. Also, Senate
Minority Leader John McKinney and House Minority Lawrence
Cafero recently hosted an informational forum to give
legislators and the public the chance to hear from the
state’s government budget experts about the scope
of the fiscal problems.
“State government can learn a lot from families
and small businesses when it comes to making do with
less money. Whatever the reason for their financial
problems, they usually realize that the only responsible
way to deal with an unwelcome downturn in finances is
to cut spending. State government has to do the same,”
said Senator Kane.
Senator Kane said that responsibly resolving the state’s
budget crisis will require the General Assembly to make
difficult decisions.
“I believe that the legislature and the Governor
can work together to identify ways to cut spending that,
while painful, would not threaten public safety or necessary
government programs and services. The two things we
should not do are raid the
state’s $1.4 billion Rainy Day Fund or raise taxes.
First, there is not enough in the Rainy Day Fund to
cover the projected $2 billion deficit, and spending
our savings does nothing to address our need to reform
the state’s spending habits. Secondly, neither
our citizens nor our businesses can afford higher taxes
– and it would be unconscionable to demand that
they pay more money to fill state government coffers
because the people they elect refuse to make tough choices
with respect to state spending,” said Senator
Kane.
Senator Kane said he is interested in hearing how his
constituents believe the General Assembly should address
the state’s budget deficit, and urged them to
contact him as legislative office in Hartford by calling
1-800-842-1421, or via e-mail to Rob.Kane@cga.ct.gov.
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