Republican state lawmakers, frustrated by what they see as a Democratic march toward higher taxes in Connecticut, unveiled their own budget on Tuesday that doesn’t increase taxes and instead calls for cutting 2,700 state jobs, merging state agencies and eliminating taxpayer-funded political campaigns, The Associated Press reports.
Leaders of the GOP, the minority party in the General Assembly, said everyday people are still struggling with the faltering economy and the Democratic governor and Democratic lawmakers who control the legislature have been unwilling to make the sacrifices necessary to cover the estimated $3.5 billion deficit for the new fiscal year beginning July 1.
The Republican budget calls for $36.4 billion in spending over two years while Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s proposal would spend nearly $40 billion. Release of the GOP plan comes as the two Democratic-controlled legislative budget committees are expected to vote on their suggested changes to Malloy’s tax and spending plans in the coming days. Democratic leaders of the Finance Revenue and Bonding Committee said Monday they’re very close to reaching a deal with Malloy on a revised tax plan.
Some highlights of the GOP budget include consolidating 36 state agencies into nine, eliminating duplicative managerial positions, eliminating vacant positions, imposing a hiring freeze, adding 20 Medicaid fraud agents to stepping up fraud control efforts, creating a tax amnesty program to recoup $25 million in back taxes, eliminating separate legislative commissions on women and various minority groups, closing seven rest areas and two ferries and shuttering the New Britain motor vehicles office.
The plan also suggests future privatization of state services, such as the operation of Connecticut’s parks.
