Ridgefield State Representatives John Frey and Jan Giegler joined their fellow Republicans in the state legislature in introducing an alternative budget plan Thursday.
The plan, which would eliminate the gimmicks in budgets introduced by Governor Malloy and legislative Democrats, manages to stay safely under the constitutional spending cap while restoring vital transportation funds, providing tax relief to state residents, and increasing aid to municipalities.
“A budget that is balanced with smoke and mirrors and financial gimmicks is not truly balanced,” said Mr. Frey, commenting on the Republicans’ proposal. “While some falsely boast about a temporary slight surplus in the current fiscal year, we already know the current path leads to billion dollar deficits in the out years, which almost certainly means higher taxes. Adding new spending and resorting to using off-budget funds just makes that inevitable shortfall worse – that’s why it is so important for us to offer this alternative.”
“Providing open and honest alternatives to the tax-and-spend policies of the Governor and Democrat majority is the responsible thing to do and I’m proud the Republican caucus once again proposed a budget that doesn’t rely on accounting gimmicks to balance,” Ms. Giegler said. “The Republican budget also provides more aid to towns lost under the Democrat plan which reduces Municipal Revenue Sharing Account funds. Our plan saves $15 million compared to both the Governor and Democrat majority proposed budgets.”
While cutting spending overall, the alternative budget plan offers increases in critical program funding, such as:
- Restoring the funding raided from the Special Transportation Fund
- Fully funding the teachers’ healthcare plan
- Maintaining primary care provider reimbursement rates
- Adding much needed staff to the Department of Social Services
- Increasing funding for mental health
- Increasing funding for vocational education and apprenticeship programs
The plan would also eliminate the $55 tax rebate proposed by Governor Malloy, widely decried as an election year ploy, and cancel the implementation of the lottery game Keno, which was inserted into the budget to fill a revenue gap.
The alternative budget also details what the Republicans would do with the excess revenue brought into the state treasury by a number of one-time revenues and borrowing last year. The suggested uses include reducing long-term liabilities by making debt payments skipped over the last two years and putting $100 million into the underfunded state employee pension fund. The Republican plan would also use the revenue to have the sales tax exemptions on non-prescription drugs and clothing and footwear under $50 restored, and would pay off the interest portion of a loan from the federal government that has been charged to business as a special tax.
With less than a month left in the legislative session, Mr. Frey said that this alternative budget proposal would “return the state to honest, transparent budgeting and help bring Connecticut to a more sound fiscal footing” and reduce state spending.
State Rep. John Frey represents the 111th District in Ridgefield. State Rep. Jan Giegler represents the 138th District in Ridgefield, Danbury, and New Fairfield.