Democrats Won't Meet With Malloy About Budget

Hartford Courant ^

[matt04]

With two weeks left in the legislative session – and Connecticut facing a potential $922 million deficit next year -- the state budget talks have hit a stalemate as Democrats are refusing to meet with Gov. Dannel P. Malloy over personal and policy clashes.

Democrats have harshly criticized Malloy's revised budget, which calls for deep cuts in educational cost-sharing funds and even no educational funding for wealthy communities like Greenwich and Madison. Some consider Malloy's cuts on education and the hospitals to be dead on arrival because they lack support from both Democrats and Republicans. Communities like West Hartford and Simsbury would see educational cuts, but they would not be slashed to zero like Greenwich.

Rank-and-file Democrats say that no final budget deals can be completed until the traditional April 15 tax collections are counted, which is not expected until April 29. Many legislators do not want to vote on incomplete numbers – partly because the estimates have been proven wrong on a consistent basis for many months. For years, lawmakers have never voted on the final budget deal until receiving the all-important income-tax numbers.

The difference this year is that Malloy went public with a revised budget in mid-April – something that was never done under Republican Governors John G. Rowland and M. Jodi Rell. Instead, those negotiations were held behind closed doors, and the budget was completed at the end of the legislative session.

Malloy's move upset many Democrats as he called for cutting high-priority items like education and hospitals that amount to "non-starters,'' House Speaker Brendan Sharkey said.

[matt04]

So, the people who caused the problem are throwing a temper tantrum when the consequences of their decisions come to light. Got it.

[Gay State Conservative]

I love the fact that other states are trying to lure Yale out of Connecticut because the state's threatening to tax them up the bleep bleep.Without Yale the state would consist of nothing but Greenwich...Darien...New Canaan...

AND BRIDGEPORT

[vette6387]

It is a sight for sore eyes to see RATs eating each other in public. Connecticut is another of those states where the RATs have run out of other people's money. The only thing left here is some judge to declare that the state has to spend the money, even though it doesn't have it!

[USCG SimTech]

Cutting kids and the sick instead of union contracts and pet projects Obama told him to take the lead on.

[Brilliant]

Which state will go bust first: Illinois or Connecticut?

[matt04]

My money is on IL with CT following closely behind. Last I looked IL has a dug them selves a hole in the billions, while CC is almost a billion.

[I want the USA back]

Good thing malloy is a democrat or they’d be accusing him of hurting kids and sick people, throwing the elderly out in the streets and making them eat dog food.

[matt04]

Let’s not forget, CT has a Busway! That’s got tot be worth something, right?

[napscoordinator]

I would still say Illinois. Connecticut has problems but nothing like Illinois.

[CGASMIA68]

Was at a function last Sunday attened by State of Ct workers all in a hubbub about lay offs.I told a few of them ya’ll voted for this Ahole now reap what ya sow..
No one said a word but these a-holes in Ct will never learn which is why the state is on its way down the crapper

[CGASMIA68]

YET

[FreedomPoster]

Don’t forget Electric Boat in Groton. The Ohio Class replacements are funded.