With less than three weeks to go in the Connecticut legislative session, Democrats say they are close to a budget deal with Governor Ned Lamont.
The deal will stick to the state’s bipartisan fiscal guardrails supported by Lamont and the Republicans, according to House Speaker Matt Ritter.
The agreement will close a $3-400 million hole in the second year of the state’s biennial budget. And it would do so without adjusting the fiscal guardrails.
“It’s really hard to do wholesale stuff in the second year of the budget. It really should be in the first year that you make major policy changes,” Ritter said.
Some Democrats and social advocacy groups called for changes to the guardrails at the beginning of the session.
However, several priority sectors will get increased funding.
“I think higher ed will be in good shape. I think nonprofits would be content. They are not going to love it, but we are thinking about them as well,” Ritter said.
The state’s nonprofit social service providers would probably get a 2.5% increase. They were seeking a 7% increase.
