A coalition of Connecticut advocates wants a significant portion of this year’s $2.5 billion budget surplus allocated to offset recent federal funding cuts to social service programs.
“Working families in Connecticut need resources and policies that prioritize us, our neighborhoods, our children’s schools and our healthcare,” said Leslie Blatteau, the head of a teachers’ union in New Haven and a member of Connecticut for All, the coalition of unions, nonprofit organizations and lawmakers.
The advocates want more state spending on social services to deal with an urgent need to offset federal cuts to social safety net programs.
That’s why they are urging Gov. Ned Lamont and state lawmakers to redirect the state’s surplus money before an early November deadline, after which the funds are legally directed to be used to pay down pension debt, she said.
“If lawmakers and the governor fail to act quickly before November, those billions of dollars will go to Wall Street instead of going to the communities that need them most,” said Blatteau.
Lawmakers are likely to consider proposals to redirect the money in a special session before the end of the month. Lamont has yet to commit to supporting the move.
Connecticut has a $2.5 billion budget surplus this year — its second largest in history.
