Connecticut Republican leaders aren’t happy their Democratic counterparts have voted to leave the budget for fiscal year 2025 untouched this session.
Instead of amending the biennium budget passed last year, Democrats passed a budget stabilization plan in the form of a bill.
Republicans have asked Attorney General William Tong to assess whether the bill violates the state constitution.
“Democrats didn't do their job on the budget, they've left the hard decisions up to the governor,” said House Republican leader Vincent Candelora (R- North Branford). “And what they primarily did is put their footprint on a controversial piece of legislation.”
The bill allocates $370 million in funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. ARPA funds must be assigned for use by the end of this year and spent by the end of 2026, according to federal guidelines.
Candelora said Democrats ignored budget rules — and that Republicans “showed more courage” by being willing to open the budget and make the cuts in the legislature.
“We wanted to do our job of providing a balanced budget and keeping the promise of fully funding special education for our residents,” Candelora said. “I think the Democrats passed a lot of different initiatives, but they really punted on the job of crafting a budget that doesn't leave it up to one individual now to make the cuts.”
Gov. Ned Lamont is now responsible for choosing where to make around $30 million worth of cuts to comply with the spending cap.
“We're looking for an adult in the room, and I think we've just found one,” Candelora said. “The governor now is going to have to be that adult over the next couple of months to make these cuts and balance the budget. And the children around him can't cry about it.”
