Connecticut House Democrats want to increase state funding for public education by tapping into a $500 million energy tax rebate fund proposed by Governor Ned Lamont.
His caucus wants to use between $120 and $150 million from Lamont’s proposed energy rebate fund to create a property-tax stabilization grant, said Speaker Matt Ritter, at a news briefing at the state Legislative Office Building in Hartford on Monday.
That would allow cities and towns to cover the higher costs of public education without increasing local property taxes, according to Ritter.
“So, we would be paying for these funds for municipalities out of that $500 million. It is outside of cap considerations,” he said.
That means lawmakers would not have to adjust the state’s budget to pay for an increase to the foundation of the state’s education cost-sharing formula, which has not gone up since 2013.
“We think it is sustainable. We think we can bring it back next year and keep our municipalities at the same place, if not higher, in the biennial budget,” Ritter said.
The $500 million fund is from the state’s budget surplus. Lamont had proposed using it for a one-time $200 per-person energy rebate.
Both Democrats and Republicans have offered plans to spend the surplus.
