Republican legislative leaders blasted their Democratic colleagues and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy last week for making late appointments to a panel charged with fixing the state spending cap. The panel still hasn’t met, even though its statutory deadline to begin work was Feb. 27.
constitutional spending cap
Posted inMoney, Politics
Griebel: Rushing CT’s transportation ‘lockbox’ is a mistake
State officials will move forward Tuesday with new constitutional language to protect transportation spending, despite warnings Monday from one of Connecticut’s staunchest “lockbox” advocates that a hurried approach could lead to trouble.
Posted inHealth, Money, Politics
CT deficit plan taps many special funds and one-time sources
While the General Assembly is expected to adopt a plan in special session Tuesday to close most or all of this fiscal year’s budget deficit, restore some funds for hospitals and finance modest business tax breaks, almost 40 percent of the plan diverts resources from specialized funds and various one-time sources.
Posted inMoney, Politics
AG declares constitutional spending cap unenforceable
Connecticut’s constitutional spending cap, often a major weapon in political and policy fights, carries no legal authority because of the legislature’s failure to formally implement the measure, Attorney General George Jepsen said Tuesday in a legal opinion.
Posted inMoney
Appropriations budget may finally spark a spending cap debate
When it comes to state finances, the constitutional spending cap has been the elephant in the room for the past decade. But the leaders of the legislature’s Appropriations Committee took the first step Monday to force a debate on a broken budget mechanism that increasingly promotes fiscal maneuvering, hefty borrowing, secrecy, and forfeiture of federal dollars.
Posted inEducation, Health, Money
Budget panel would blow by spending cap to restore social service, education funds
The legislature’s budget-writing panel recommended adding $514 million in spending to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s plan — and embraced a radical new interpretation of the constitutional spending cap — primarily to bolster human services and education.
Posted inMoney, Politics
On the state spending cap, Malloy and GOP have checkered past
While Gov. Dannel P. Malloy portrayed the spending cap Thursday as an unavoidable constraint on the next state budget, governors and legislators from both parties have skirted that constraint repeatedly for a decade.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Malloy says tough budget choices in the legislature’s hands now
EAST HARTFORD – Despite recent arguments that his new state budget proposal is out of balance and over the constitutional spending cap, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said Wednesday he wouldn’t propose more spending cuts or otherwise adjust his plan.
Posted inMoney, Politics
More cuts needed? Malloy budget bursts spending cap
Unless Gov. Dannel P. Malloy softens his position on the constitutional spending cap, legislators already reeling from deep proposed cuts could be scrambling to make at least $100 million more per year.