The Senate unanimously approved a plan Tuesday evening to cover the $317 million state deficit in the current fiscal year — albeit by draining most of Connecticut’s modest emergency reserve.
2017 State Budget
Posted inMoney, Politics
Squabbling CT leaders say they’ll craft a budget — eventually
After two weeks of friction, legislative leaders and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy say detailed budget negotiations will begin Wednesday, but probably too late to adopt a final plan before the regular session ends on June 7.
Posted inEducation, Health, Money
Advocates: Disabled children stranded in CT hospital ERs
Insufficient services, a complex funding system and deep state budget cuts have increasingly stranded developmentally disabled children in hospital emergency departments over the past year, often for weeks at a time, two state advocates told legislators Thursday.
Posted inEnergy & Environment, Money, Politics
Time dwindling to ease current CT budget deficit
While Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is urging legislators to act quickly to at least mitigate the deficit in the current fiscal year, Senate Republicans unveiled a plan Wednesday to avert proposed cuts in municipalities, hospitals and state parks.
Posted inMoney
It’s official: Malloy, unions have tentative concessions framework
After two days of leaks and speculation, state employee union leaders and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy struck a tentative framework to recommend a $1.5 billion concessions framework to member unions.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Concessions draw Democrats’ praise, Republicans’ skepticism
Top Democrats in the House and Senate praised the deal and said trying to close a $5.1 billion deficit in the next budget without the $1.5 billion in potential savings from concessions would be the worst-case scenario. But their GOP counterparts had a very different perspective.
Posted inMoney
Concessions deal would hit CT workers and retirees
The tentative concessions deal Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and employee unions were closing in on Monday would double pension contributions for most workers, create a hybrid pension/defined-contribution plan for future workers, and curtail health care benefits for existing retirees.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Concession deal sets today’s crisis against tomorrow’s
If Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and state-employee unions strike a tentative concessions deal this week, the governor and legislators face a crucial balancing test — setting today’s dire budget crisis against bigger problems that await tomorrow.
Posted inHealth
Healthcare union ad protests ongoing state layoffs
The state’s largest healthcare workers’ union launched a new online ad Monday to protest the latest layoffs ordered by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.
Posted inMoney, Politics
GOP House, Senate divided over budget politics, tactics
House and Senate Republicans parted ways Tuesday, at least temporarily, over how to frame the GOP’s approach to resolving the mammoth deficit looming over the next state budget. Should they match Democrats in releasing their alternative? Or release nothing until Republicans and Democrats see each other’s plans?
Posted inMoney
Democrats will push legalizing pot as part of budget fix
Senate and House Democrats will recommend the legalization, licensing and taxation of marijuana sales in Connecticut to help balance the next state budget, sources close to the caucuses told The Mirror.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Senate GOP not ready to share CT budget fix with the public
Unlike Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and three of the legislative caucuses, the Senate Republican Caucus is reluctant to share its latest proposal to balance the next state budget with the public immediately upon completion.
Posted inEducation, Money, Politics
Malloy would cut local aid deeply to offset eroding CT tax receipts
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has recommended more than $700 million in cuts to municipal aid to help compensate for a $1.5 billion projected decline in state income tax receipts over the next two years.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Senate Democrats make new and old pitch for CT budget reform
Senate Democrats unveiled a new plan Thursday to stabilize future state budgets years from now, offering a plan similar to one enacted into law just two years ago. The benefits might nor arrive for many years.
Posted inMoney, Politics
House leaders wary of withholding $19M pledged to towns
Leaders from both parties in the House of Representatives said they are wary of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s proposal to withhold $19 million in outstanding municipal aid to help close a last-minute state budget deficit.