Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s administration isn’t projecting any troubles for the current state budget, but the legislature’s nonpartisan analysts have identified almost $84 million in potential problems.

The Office of Fiscal Analysis reported “deficiencies” or potential cost-overruns in five areas.

Nearly half of the deficiencies, about $40 million, are in the Department of Social Services.

Another $27 million involve health care for state employees and retirees. Comptroller Kevin Lembo warned last May that a shortfall in this area was likely because of a projected surge in retirements among state prison guards.

The Democratic governor’s drew criticism from Republican legislators last week when his budget office said there wasn’t sufficient evidence to report any deficiencies – the first time in at least nine years an administration had made that claim this far into the fiscal year.

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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