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Could Public Hearings in Connecticut Be a Thing of the Past?

Connecticut Senate Republicans
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Creative Commons
Earlier this month, Gov. Malloy proposed removing line-item control of the budget from legislators.

Advocates are urging Connecticut lawmakers not to allow the governor to move to a system of block grants to government agencies. They worry this new way of dealing with the budget might eliminate public hearings.

People who work with those with disabilities, who provide meals on wheels, who fight substance abuse, or provide any one of a host of other human services needs are familiar with the annual trek to the State Capitol to speak out in support of state funding for their program.

The time-honored process continued last week as the powerful Appropriations Committee held public hearings on many aspects of the budget currently proposed by Governor Dannel Malloy. Its supporters say such advocacy is an essential part of the democratic process, allowing lawmakers to amend the budget in the light of testimony from the real world. 

But earlier this month, Malloy proposed to remove line-item control of the budget from legislators, instead providing commissioners of each department with discretion on how to deploy tax dollars.

At Thursday’s public hearing before the Human Services subcommittee, speaker after speaker urged legislators to oppose the change.

Deb Polun works for the Community Health Center Association. "It’s really democracy in action," she told the lawmakers. "I don’t want to see that this process be taken away and moved into the executive branch. We love the executive branch, but we know that there’s not as much direct contact with the constituents as you have."

So what is the future for public hearings?

GianCarl Casa, the spokesman for the Office of Policy and Management, told WNPR in an emailed statement:

The Governor has been clear that giving commissioners more flexibility comes with increased accountability and transparency. Agencies will make more information more readily available in a timely manner. In such a system the role of legislative-session hearings by the Appropriations Committee and its subcommittees remains significant. Agencies are now describing their core missions and their strategies for meeting those core responsibilities. Legislators would, each year, help craft those and in succeeding years review the degree to which those core responsibilities are being met. The new economic reality means not only hard decisions, but increased cooperation between the executive and legislative branches. Public input into the budget making process is an important part of that.

Harriet Jones is Managing Editor for Connecticut Public Radio, overseeing the coverage of daily stories from our busy newsroom.

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