| Senator John A. Kissel (R-Enfield)
early this morning cast his vote in opposition to the
budget proposal estimated to raise taxes $1.2 billion
dollars.
“While there were portions of this budget I was
very happy about,” said Sen. Kissel,
“I could not vote for a plan that would actually
increase total state spending from this year’s
level at a time when every household is cutting back
and we are already running one of the highest per capita
budget deficits in the country. I certainly don’t
want to see the safety net of social services that so
many folks in Connecticut rely on damaged, but we also
need to live within our means.”
The budget that passed at 2:30 am this morning increases
the income tax on single filers making above $500,000
and joint filers making about $1,000,000, the cigarette
tax from $2 per pack to $3 per pack, and raises, often
doubles, dozens of fees. The bill also purports to reduce
the sales tax from 6% to 5.5%, but only if monthly revenue
estimates are met.
“I was pleased to see funding for Dial-A-Ride
and Family Resource Centers preserved as those are two
services many of my constituents rely on and they carry
relatively small fiscal notes. I also proposed raising
reimbursement rates by 5% for adult day centers like
Enfield Adult Day Center and the Felician Sisters Adult
Day Care this year, and that desperately needed adjustment
was included. That said, above and beyond the tax and
fee increases the budget sets us up for a hard day of
reckoning in 2012. The majority borrowed over $900 million
to pay for last fiscal year’s deficit but the
bonds don’t start having to be paid for until
2012, with a huge interest rate. The Federal stimulus
won’t be there in 2012. The Rainy Day Fund is
being totally wiped out. We’ll be $4 billion in
the red come 2012 before we spend one dollar on vital
program. That’s irresponsible. There are still
many areas of cuts I had hoped our majority party would
visit, but unfortunately, they weren’t able to
actually shrink government. We’ve been postponing
difficult financial decisions for far too long and with
each year our options get worse and worse.”
The budget, which passed both the House and Senate
in the early morning hours, will be before Governor
Rell for her signature. She has not indicated whether
she will sign the bill or just allow it to become law,
but she is not expected to veto it.
“I was hoping that given this difficult recession
we would use this as an opportunity to reinvent a more
affordable state government. Someday we’ll have
to do that, but this year the majority just kicked the
can down the road, and that’s why, on balance,
I could not support this budget.” Senator
Kissel concluded.
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