By Senator Rob Kane
When the General Assembly met in special
session last week to vote on legislation to implement
Connecticut’s two-year $37.6 billion tax and
spend package, I know many people believed that the
state budget debate was finally over.
Considering how long budget deliberations
have been going on, who could blame them? But, the
reality is that Governor M. Jodi Rell quickly vetoed
one of the budget implementer bills passed last week.
And, even before the General Assembly met to act on
the budget implementing legislation, State Comptroller
Nancy Wyman predicted a $500 million deficit. As Senate
Republican Leader John McKinney said during our recent
budget deliberations, “This is like watching
a bad movie over and over and over again.”
Early last month, I voted against the
biennial budget because I believe it will cost our
state more jobs and, consequently, drive both families
and businesses out of Connecticut. I believe it is
unconscionable to burden our state – especially
in this difficult economic climate – with a
budget that raises taxes by approximately $1 billion
and calls for borrowing approximately $2 billion.
Of the five bills we acted upon during the recent
budget implementer session, I voted in favor of just
one – the bill we passed to give school districts
another year before requiring them to conduct in-school
suspensions, instead of sending suspended students
home. As I have said before, I would rather repeal
the in-school suspension law than simply delay it.
However, giving towns and cities an extra year to
figure out how they are going to pay for staff and
find space for in-school suspensions is better than
nothing.
Meanwhile, I welcomed Governor Rell’s
decision to veto one of the bills that details general
government spending because, among other provisions,
it would have exempted the Judicial Branch from budget
cuts that are being required of other state agencies.
In explaining her decision to veto this bill, Governor
Rell also said that she cannot accept budget implementing
language that “sets incredibly ambitious spending
reduction targets and then ties the hands of my Administration
in trying to reach them.”
The bottom line is that we are still
enduring a national recession that affects every business
and family in our state. Connecticut’s taxpayers
– that is, businesses and families – cannot
afford to pay for big government spending and, rightfully,
expects the General Assembly to do what they are forced
to do: cut back on expenses. Instead, the budget adopted
by the General Assembly increases taxes on businesses
and the state’s wealthiest residents, raises
a wide variety of state fees, and borrows a lot of
money that we will eventually have to repay –
with interest.
At this point, I very much doubt that
Connecticut residents will ever enjoy the half percent
decrease in the sales tax promised them beginning
next year if tax revenues do not fall too far below
expectations. Considering that we are already facing
the possibility of a $500 million deficit, it seems
likely that Connecticut residents will be deprived
of even that small break. I will keep you informed
as the situation unfolds.
Meanwhile, I will continue to support re-inventing
state government so that it is smaller, more efficient,
and more cost-effective. As always, I welcome opportunities
to discuss issues that affect our state. If you have
any questions or concerns about our new state laws,
please contact my legislative office in Hartford at
1-800-842-1421, or e-mail me at Rob.Kane@cga.ct.gov.
