Connecticut's budget office is working with state agencies to prepare for a possible shutdown of the federal government. In a letter last week to agency heads, Office of Policy and Management Secretary Benjamin Barnes said if Congress fails to reach a budget deal, there could be "significant impact" on staff and programs that rely on federal funding.
The state might have to pay the salaries of state employees working on federal programs, and cover the federal share of entitlement programs like Medicaid. Barnes asked agency chiefs to provide an assessment of potential impacts and contingency plans by Tuesday.
In astatement this weekend, Governor Malloy said threatening the U.S. economy to, in essence, deny affordable health coverage to millions of Americans is unconscionable.
