budget

Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine has proposed a $4 billion budget for 2025 to address staffing shortages, enhance the county’s cybersecurity and information technology infrastructure, manage rising health care costs and hire additional police officers.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has approved a $19.3 billion budget for next year for several projects to improve transportation along the Long Island Rail Road.

The budget increases spending by about 5%, and was the final proposal from outgoing Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said he is prepared for a tough budget fight as he returns to Washington this week. The U.S. Senate expects to vote on a short-term spending bill this month to avoid an October government shutdown.

President Joe Biden’s budget proposal would help protect tens of thousands of Connecticut jobs at Pratt & Whitney as well as its suppliers by supporting the modernization of the F135 engines for fighter jets.

Commuter rail ridership is still far below than before the pandemic, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is running out of the emergency federal aid that it received.

Final budget negotiations between Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont and legislative leaders are expected to begin on Tuesday. The governor is optimistic a deal will soon be reached.

The agreement includes some changes to the state’s bail reform laws, the renewal of a popular pandemic-era rule that allows restaurants to serve alcoholic drinks to go, and a temporary halt to the state’s gasoline taxes.

It is focused on addressing the social and economic cost of COVID-19, said state Senator Cathy Osten, co-chair of the committee.

Senate Deputy Majority Leader Mike Gianaris confirmed changes to the state's landmark 2019 criminal justice reforms are close to being settled.