State agency overtime expenses continue to rise, according to a new report, but overall salary costs remain below those of a decade ago.
Office of Fiscal Analysis
Some lawmakers want to raid the rainy day fund. Not so fast, analysts say.
Nonpartisan analysts reminded lawmakers Wednesday that the next recession could be right around the corner.
Prepared food tax will hit consumers harder than lawmakers thought
A controversial tax hike on prepared foods will rake in $158 million over next two years.
GOP, Dems both lack solution to CT’s cycle of budget deficits
Neither Republican nor Democratic legislators’ latest budget plans would spare Connecticut from grappling with another massive budget deficit two years from now, according to nonpartisan analysts.
Nonpartisan analysts: CT budget is $78M in deficit
The state budget is running a deficit — albeit a small one — the legislature’s nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis reported Thursday. But it could have big political repercussions.
GOP leader urges nonpartisan analysts to weigh in on CT budget controversy
The top Republican in the state Senate urged nonpartisan fiscal analysts Tuesday to complete their own assessment of the current state budget as soon as possible.
Report: State agencies cut overtime costs by $37 million in FY16
Updated at 3:48 p.m.
After releasing an initial report last month showing significant savings in overtime costs, the legislature’s nonpartisan fiscal analysts announced Tuesday that state agencies spent about $37.1 million less on overtime in the fiscal year that ended in June than in the year before.
Gutting legislature’s program review staff makes no sense
Out of left field on May 4, the legislature’s bipartisan efficiency committee, Program Review & Investigations, took a direct hit of 50 percent of its personnel in the negotiated budget. The committee staff was not previously targeted by the Democratic, Republican, or governor’s proposed budget cut lists — the evisceration appeared overnight. Now, for the sake of saving $750,000, the state is destroying the very committee that saved taxpayers $89.5 million in FY 2010 and $111.9 million in 2011. How could anyone think this a logical decision?
Early report shows state cut overtime costs by $33 million
The savings are a 13.9 percent reduction from the previous fiscal year. In total, 25 state agencies reduced overtime pay.
School bus seat belt funding goes unused except to reduce deficits
It’s been six years since legislators overwhelmingly approved a tax incentive and license fees to encourage schools to buy school buses equipped with seat belts. But not a single school district has used the program, and much of the money put aside has gone to offset state deficits.
Lembo reports $220M deficit, confirms eroding tax receipts
State Comptroller Kevin P. Lembo certified a $220 million deficit Tuesday for the current fiscal year, a report that largely echoes last week’s warning from the legislature’s nonpartisan analysts about eroding state income tax receipts.
CT finances take another big hit as projected revenues plunge
Connecticut’s finances were dealt a major blow Thursday when nonpartisan analysts downgraded projected income tax receipts by hundreds of millions of dollars for this fiscal year and next.
Red ink awaiting CT lawmakers outstrips rainy day fund by almost $175M
The red ink legislators and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy must deal with beginning next week now outstrips Connecticut’s emergency reserves by almost $175 million, based on a new deficit forecast released late Monday.
Federal budget deal helps CT defense industry, state budget
Washington – One of Rep. John Boehner’s final acts as Speaker of the House this week was to negotiate a budget deal with the White House that will help Connecticut’s defense industry by boosting Pentagon spending and save the state government about $65 million in health care expenses for low-income residents and state retirees.
Questions about the last recession complicate CT’s budget woes
As Connecticut officials try to balance the state budget, they grapple with a question many other states and the federal government still can’t answer: How much damage was done to the economy during the last recession?