The state House of Representatives stood poised this afternoon to adopt a plan to eliminate most of the $371 million deficit projected for this fiscal year.

Speaker Christopher G. Donovan, D-Meriden, and House Minority Leader Lawrence F. Cafero, R-Norwalk, both said most of their respective caucus’ are expected to vote in favor of the plan, which relies largely on spending cuts, raids on special trust funds and other accounts, and additional federal grants.

The bill, which would head next to a Senate vote, tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, would eliminate $323.2 million of this fiscal year’s deficit. The measure was negotiated with Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s office, and the Republican governor is expected to sign the bill.

The plan does not include earlier proposals to boost the estate tax or restore a levy on hospital gross revenues.

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Keith M. PhaneufState Budget Reporter

kphaneuf@ctmirror.org

Keith has spent most of his 31 years as a reporter specializing in state government finances, analyzing such topics as income tax equity, waste in government and the complex funding systems behind Connecticut’s transportation and social services networks. He has been the state finances reporter at CT Mirror since it launched in 2010. Prior to joining CT Mirror Keith was State Capitol bureau chief for The Journal Inquirer of Manchester, a reporter for the Day of New London, and a former contributing writer to The New York Times. Keith is a graduate of and a former journalism instructor at the University of Connecticut.

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