Contributed
State Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria.
After 8 weeks of procrastinating, the House Democrat Caucus released a budget plan that will reduce municipal funding by $120 million, raise taxes by $1 billion, and will cost businesses millions.
Whether it’s the House Democrat plan to repeat their historic tax increases or the governor’s plan to zero out education funding to 85 municipalities, neither will end the years of budget deficits nor spur economic growth.
By waiting months to even release a budget plan and letting the governor run the state through executive orders, municipal leaders and education administrators are, in some cases, being forced to start school late, lay off teachers, and cut beneficial programs.
In Seymour, First Selectman Kurt Miller had to freeze town spending. In Beacon Falls, First Selectman Christopher Bielik and Region 16 Superintendent Michael Yamin recently sent out a letter with Prospect Mayor Robert Chatfield to parents, staff and community members telling them they are preparing for the worst and to contact their legislators to urge them to pass a state budget.
The good news is that I understand the urgency of passing a budget, which is why since January my Republican colleagues and I crafted four-no-tax increase budget proposals and were ready to vote on a budget before the end of the fiscal year. But the bad news is Democrat leaders blatantly rejected our vetted budget proposals and ignored our calls to vote on a budget to prevent the governor from running the state’s finances.
Over and over again Republicans proved that by prioritizing spending and reducing the size of government our municipalities would continue to receive the support they need and taxpayers would receive much-needed relief. But, Democrats remain on the same course that put us in the situation we face today.
We need to move in a new direction, a direction that will provide taxpayers with relief while prioritizing our spending without jeopardizing our children’s education. We can find a way to do this in the next budget we pass, and we need to do this now before the governor is able to strip our towns of critical funding.
The writer is a Republican who represents parts of Derby, Seymour and Beacon Falls in the state legislature.
