Connecticut does not need to choose between respecting its Constitution and enacting fiscally responsible budgets. It can and should do both.
Alex Knopp
Posted inCT Viewpoints
The bond lock impermissibly delegates legislative authority to bondholders
The bond lock is invalid because there is no provision in the state constitution authorizing the legislature to delegate budgeting power to other entities.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
The guardrails impermissibly bind future legislatures
The 2017 legislative history of CT’s statutory budget guardrails proves indisputably that they were enacted with the intent to bind future legislatures.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
The guardrails violate the majority vote rule
The CT Constitution does not authorize the General Assembly to deny a majority of the House and Senate the right to amend budget laws– except for the limited circumstance of the constitutional state spending cap.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
The CT Constitution’s text does not authorize the guardrails
Is there any provision in the state constitution that either explicitly or by implication authorizes the General Assembly to enact the guardrails? No,
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Are CT’s budget guardrails constitutional?
Our constitution empowers our elected representatives to assume an active lawmaking role rather than to acquiesce to the passive role imposed by the Guardrails.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Use local media for state advertising
We can help reverse the decline of local news by supporting a bill to direct state advertising revenue to local outlets.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Ban foreign money from CT referenda
We must ensure that our statewide referendum on Nov. 8 over whether to ratify a state constitutional amendment does not become a target of anti-democratic foreign actors.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Connecticut must go big to rescue small business and safeguard rainy day fund
“Going Big” is the economic revival strategy that Connecticut needs to rescue our state’s small businesses, especially family-owned restaurants, mom-and-pop food services, family-operated motels, bars and other segments of the locally-owned hospitality sector. Fortunately, there is a legislative device available for bold action. In a “normal” year, this budget device may have prevented legislators from […]