Nonpartisan analysts tracking $84M in potential cost overruns in state budget

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.