Some of the bills passed by Connecticut lawmakers in committee this week challenge Governor Ned Lamont’s control of state finances, which could lead to testy budget negotiations with the governor in coming days.
The Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee passed a bill that would create a 2% capital gains surcharge. Lamont vowed to oppose any wealth tax on millionaires.
The committee also passed a bill that would give the General Assembly control over the state bond commission. State lawmakers say they want to take Connecticut’s credit card away from the governor. It passed with an overwhelming bipartisan support.
Senator John Fonfara, co-chair of the committee, says the bill is necessary because past governors used their authority over the state bond commission unfairly.
“Members would go home and celebrate that we earmarked something in the bond act. Ten years later, they didn’t get it, but they were still telling their constituents that they got something in the bond act. It’s useless if it doesn’t make it to the light of day.”
The Lamont administration accuses lawmakers of allowing politics to interfere with sound fiscal policy.
Connecticut’s bond commission approves about $1.6 billion worth of borrowing a year. Lamont wants the state to go on a debt diet that would reduce that by about $600 million a year.
If the bills win approval in the General Assembly, Lamont could still veto them.
