On Monday Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy presented state legislative leaders with a detailed spending plan that he would implement if lawmakers fail to reach a budget agreement before the beginning of the next fiscal year on July 1.
He says it’s an austerity budget.
Malloy also offered a proposal for a quarterly mini-budget that would need legislative approval. He says that might be a better alternative for lawmakers, short of adopting a balanced two-year budget.
“This mini-budget cuts spending across the government. But also adopts some revenue changes that were proposed by Democrats and Republicans and allows for more broad-based spending reductions. Further it implements tools that will help municipalities, particularly those that are financially distressed.”
Democratic and Republican legislative leaders say they are still working on trying to reach a budget deal before the June 30 deadline. At issue is agreeing on how to close a projected $5 billion deficit in the state’s next two-year $40 billion budget.
Malloy says Democratic and Republican lawmakers are yet to produce a budget plan he would be prepared to sign into law.