© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY · WNPR
WPKT · WRLI-FM · WEDW-FM · Public Files Contact
ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Democratic Connecticut House Leaders Have A Budget; Governor Is Unimpressed

Connecticut House Democrats said they've come up with a two-year budget proposal that could be ready for a vote on July 18.

But Governor Dannel Malloy said he hasn't seen any budget proposals, and criticized the legislature for not passing a spending plan before the end of June.

The eleventh-hour, $40 billion, two-year plan would increase the state's 6.35 percent sales tax to 6.99 percent to help maintain funding to cities and towns. It would also provide municipalities with additional ways to generate local revenue and restore the local property tax credit against the personal income tax.

Democratic House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz spoke on Thursday.

“Really happy to announce that we are putting forward a two-year budget to address the many fiscal situations we're fighting in our state, but also investing in our municipalities, our hospitals, workforce development,” he said.

Aresimowicz seemed OK with Malloy in charge for the next few weeks until he can get his budget voted on.
 
“The governor will run the show,” he said. “We're fairly comfortable in his ability. He's the duly-elected governor of the state of Connecticut. He will not do anything to permanently damage the state. And we'll be in in less than three weeks to vote on a budget.”

But shortly after, Malloy said the budget put forth by House Democrats focuses on raising revenue, when it should instead cut spending.

"I've had enough," Malloy said. "We have a choice before us. We can either confront our challenges with urgency, or we can go home without trying."

Watch Malloy's statement below, via CT-N.

The proposal was being offered up Thursday as lawmakers grappled over whether to pass Malloy's three-month, stop-gap budget before the fiscal year ends on Friday.

Malloy expressed doubt that a budget could be passed by mid-July, and urged Connecticut residents to call their legislators and ask them why they haven't acted.

This report includes information from The Associated Press.

Jeff Cohen started in newspapers in 2001 and joined Connecticut Public in 2010, where he worked as a reporter and fill-in host. In 2017, he was named news director. Then, in 2022, he became a senior enterprise reporter.
David finds and tells stories about education and learning for WNPR radio and its website. He also teaches journalism and media literacy to high school students, and he starts the year with the lesson: “Conflicts of interest: Real or perceived? Both matter.” He thinks he has a sense of humor, and he also finds writing in the third person awkward, but he does it anyway.

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.

Related Content