The state Senate bucked a national trend of forgoing tax increases early Tuesday and instead passed a two-year, $40.1 billion budget that attempts to tackle the state’s deficit with a combination of cuts, labor savings and wide-ranging tax hikes, The Associated Press reports.
The Democrat-controlled Senate passed the deal reached between legislative leadership and Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy with a 19-17 vote around 3:10 a.m., nearly 11 hours after debate on the bill had begun.
After voting as a group against a steady stream of amendments from the minority Republicans, three Democrats — Sens. Ed Meyer of Guilford, Gayle Slossberg of Milford and Joan Hartley of Waterbury — broke ranks and joined the GOP in opposing the package.
The House of Representatives, also controlled by Democrats, is scheduled to take up the same budget bill on Tuesday afternoon.
