Balanced, No-Tax-Increase Budget

Hartford, CT – In response to a massive budget deficit for the next two years and a Democratic budget proposal which would raise taxes by more than $3 billion, State Senator Michael McLachlan (R-Danbury) today joined with fellow Senate and House Republican legislators in Hartford in unveiling a balanced, no tax increase budget proposal for the Fiscal Years 2010-2011. The alternative proposal also avoids cuts to municipal aid by maintaining funding at 2007 levels – including Education Cost Sharing (ECS) funding.

“Keeping Connecticut family and business friendly is essential to protecting and enhancing our economic viability as a state,” said Senator McLachlan. “A budget filled with tax hikes like that offered by Majority Democrats is not the way to keep people here. The Republican alternative closes the gap by instead, trimming the fat in Hartford. Yes, there are some tough, emotional cuts in this proposal but this is a time when we must do some very serious belt-tightening in order to avoid more pain down the road.”

Some highlights of the Republican alternative include:

• Early retirement to save more than $285 million;
• State worker concessions for salary, health care and pension benefits that save $662 million;
• Folding 16 agencies into three and implementing a hiring freeze to reduce overhead costs;
• Overhauling the higher education bureaucracy that duplicates services and drives up tuition for families struggling to pay for college;
• Preserving school and municipal aid;
• Using the Rainy Day Fund for what it was intended – fiscal distress;
• Imposing $900 million in hard cuts;
• Restoring $25 million in municipal aid cut by Democrats and the $500 property tax credit for families earning as little as $46,000;
• Engaging private companies that can perform duties such as state park maintenance;