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CT coalition urges lawmakers to adjust fiscal guardrails

Rob Baril, president of SEIU-1199 New England, at a Connecticut for All coalition news conference at the state Legislative Office Building in Hartford on Tuesday
Ebong Udoma
/
WSHU
Rob Baril, president of SEIU-1199 New England, at a Connecticut for All coalition news conference at the state Legislative Office Building in Hartford on Tuesday

A coalition of Connecticut labor, community and faith groups want state lawmakers to adjust the state’s fiscal guardrails this year to allow for more spending on public education, health care and housing.

The state’s fiscal guardrails, which have been in place since 2018, have created $12.5 billion in budget surpluses by cutting back on much-needed public spending, according to members of the Connecticut for All coalition, who spoke at a news conference at the state Legislative Office Building in Hartford on Tuesday.

“What are we talking about? Lack of availability of child care, lack of availability of mental health and addiction treatment beds, lack of living wages for publicly funded workers,” said Rob Baril, president of SEIU-1199 New England, a union that represents healthcare workers in Connecticut.

“I think when they see the number of legislators who have concern, and when they listen to what it is that we are saying as opposed to telling us what we are saying, I think you’ll find that there is an appetite for what we are saying,” said Senator Gary Winfield of New Haven, who supports the coalition’s demand.

The coalition wants the guardrails adjusted so that the state can spend $2.5 billion more on education, health care, housing and other social services in the next budget.

Gov. Ned Lamont has said he’s against adjusting the fiscal guardrails. He will present his next two-year budget proposal to lawmakers in February.

As WSHU Public Radio’s award-winning senior political reporter, Ebong Udoma draws on his extensive tenure to delve deep into state politics during a major election year.