Three candidates running for Connecticut governor gave three different visions of how they would work with the state’s nonprofit community if they were to win in November. The candidates made their pitches at the annual conference of the CT Community Nonprofit Alliance in Hartford.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ned Lamont promised the room full of nonprofit providers that he would maintain state funding for their agencies despite Connecticut facing a possible $4 billion budget deficit.
“I’m not in a great position to tell you that we are going to be raising a lot of new monies here. But at least I can say I’m going to hold the line and incrementally do better than we have over the last eight years.”
Oz Griebel, a former Republican who’s running for governor as an independent, says he would seek help from the private sector.
“How do we take advantage of other private sector entities, whether it be the United Way, whether it be major corporations, whether it be small businesses, where are their opportunities for us to work together? Cause this notion that money is going to fall out of that Capitol building is just not realistic.”
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Stefanowski was represented by his running mate for lieutenant governor, Joe Markley. Markley told the providers that a Republican administration would not increase funding. Instead they’d focus on privatizing state social service agencies and getting rid of many of the regulations that affect not-for-profits.
“One thing I think we can do when money is tight is to be more flexible in regulation. It’s a matter of working with the providers to try and identify the barriers to the provision of services. And the things that drive costs up.”
Private nonprofit social service agencies receive $1.4 billion or seven percent of the state’s general fund. That’s down from the 10 percent of the general fund they received in 2002.
