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Focus Is on Budget in State Legislature
By State Rep. John S. Kovaleski, Torrington
The Connecticut State Legislature recently convened for the 2002 session. As I'm sure most people realize, most of our lives revolve around money in one way or another; the legislature is no different. As recently as a year ago, the state was overflowing with a surplus; today we are facing substantial deficits for this fiscal year ending in June and for next year as well. A recession and layoffs, a downturn in the stock market and the pall of September 11 have certainly changed the outlook.
The demands of Connecticut's citizens for continued financial support for a variety of worthy causes exceed our ability to pay. Health care costs are up dramatically; insurance coverage for many working families is unaffordable; prescription drug costs for the elderly and disabled are soaring; the plight of those in need of mental health assistance goes unmet; homelessness is on the increase; job training requirements grow; our children need to be educated; and our cities and towns face more financial needs. The list appears endless, and then you add fiascoes such as Enron and the terrible $220 million deal made by the Connecticut Resource Recovery Agency (CRRA). It all costs money.
The State (and our cities and towns) must enact an annual balanced budget. (The federal government is not held to this requirement!) The Governor's budget proposal submitted in early February included a number of cuts to services that we had previously supported in the last legislative session. Most notably, it includes a large cut in the Educational Cost Sharing grant, which goes to local towns to help pay for educational costs. Without a restoration of these funds, local towns will have to bear a larger financial burden, meaning property taxes will be increased. We will be fighting to restore aid to our cities and towns.
In a move to raise additional revenue, the legislature, with the support of the Governor, is about to enact a substantial increase in the price of cigarettes. This has two beneficial effects: it would raise revenues (about $130 million in the next fiscal year), and the high price will motivate people to stop smoking and, hopefully, deter young people from starting to smoke, thereby reducing future health care costs.
The legislature's hopper of new bills is filled with many new and old ideas, but, as I said at the outset of this article, they invariably involve money. Balancing the budget in this legislative session is going to entail some difficult decisions. I urge you to let me, other members of the General Assembly and the Governor know your views on this subject.
Rep. Kovaleski represents Connecticut’s 65th District.
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