Posted on 02/03/2009 3:35:31 AM PST by XR7
In the face of a worsening financial crisis, Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell warned residents on Monday about the implications of the state’s growing budget deficit, pledging that instead of raising taxes to balance the state’s budget, she will slash government spending.
In an unprecedented television address, the governor said the coming months will test the resilience of Connecticut residents, forcing everyone — including New Haven residents and local officials — to make difficult choices. “To be sure, there will be times of trial and tears in the weeks and months ahead,” Rell said, warning that “some of the cuts will be painful.”
Two days before she is scheduled to release her budget for the upcoming two fiscal years, the governor requested time from all the local television networks to address the state, a move she attributed to the severity of the economic turmoil. It was Rell’s first such speech since she took office in 2004.
In her speech, the governor compared the forthcoming cuts to those made by families across Connecticut.
“My budget does what your family budget does,” Rell said. “It pays for those things that we must have, and it sets aside those things that are nice to have but that we cannot afford to pay for right now. Families are making these same tough decisions every day — finding ways to cut back. State government must do the same.”
State Comptroller Nancy Wyman on Monday estimated the budget deficit for the fiscal year ending June 30 at a record $1.1 billion, or nearly 6 percent of the state’s $18.4 billion budget. The governor estimated that the state faces budget shortfalls of as much as $8 billion over the next two years.
As a result, Rell said her budget “calls for sacrifice,” and while she cautioned that such sacrifice won’t be easy, she pledged that all the cuts she will propose are necessary. But the governor did not go into detail on what those cuts will entail, and in telephone interviews, Democratic lawmakers were unanimous in their concerns about the possible consequences of her cutbacks.
“I was left wanting more,” state Sen. Toni Harp of New Haven said. “If it is a slash-and-burn type of budget, I am concerned about what it will take for the legislature to pass a budget that the governor would be willing to sign. I am wondering how we get out of here without raising revenue of sorts — even if we get all of the money from the proposed federal economic stimulus.”
Questions remain regarding the final outcome of the stimulus plan, which last week passed the U.S. House of Representatives over unanimous Republican dissent. At a news conference in New Haven on Monday, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro said the stimulus would provide $6 billion in federal money to the state of Connecticut over the next two years.
“Ultimately, our success depends on looking beyond Democratic or Republican labels to get this done,” DeLauro told reporters. “My hope is that the Senate will come together — both sides of the aisle — and pass a bill that we can have on President Barack Obama’s desk by the end of next week.”
Nicholas Perna, a lecturer in the Department of Economics and a member of Rell’s economic advisory board, said that if the stimulus passes, it will be a boon to the state’s budget and could prevent cuts to some social services. Indeed, DeLauro said the state and federal governments must avoid cuts to vital community services at all costs.
“We have a responsibility to do everything we can to prevent further cuts to social services,” she said, “because this is the time when people can least afford to pay for these services.”
Speaking at the news conference with DeLauro, Perna said that if state lawmakers know federal money is coming, they can plan for it in the state’s budget and avoid cutting certain services. But in her television address, Rell cautioned against relying on Washington to solve all of the state’s problems.
“We cannot control what happens on Wall Street or in Washington,” she said. “But we can direct what actions we take here.”
Derek Slap, a spokesman for the state Senate Democrats, said Democratic leaders are adopting an open-minded consideration of the budget process.
“They feel the budget has got to take a balanced approach — you cannot balance it on the backs of the middle class,” he said. “Democrats are going to hold it up to the light and make sure it passes muster.”
Slap added that Democratic leaders see it impossible to successfully balance the budget without raising taxes...
Rest of article here: http://yaledailynews.com/articles/comments/27454
Democratic leaders see it impossible to successfully balance the budget without raising taxes.
Of course, the socialists are still in control. Don't forget that. They will destroy our country yet.
she sure isn’t stupid - she knows the dems control the legislature, and that this scheme will fail, so she loses nothing by staking out this position. she knows that she will lose,but she’ll get kudos for losing.
we’ll see just how much she fights the dems to find out just how much she beleives in her plan.
last night’s much heralded speech was little more than a pep talk and “woe is me”.
Government always works in the same manner whenever the economy falls - raise taxes, squeeze more out of the productive workers, cut little if anything. when the economy goes back up claim credit for increased revenue that you can spend on new programs for the non productive - that will need to be maintained during the next slowdown, and the cycle repeats itself only with a bigger government for the working class to support.
This is from the Onion, right...?
I’ll believe it when I see it
Rell is a RINO squared
She has only dems to deal with in the house and senate, and a willing accomplice in the state party organ, otherwise known as The Hartford Courant or New Haven Register
I just heard om WTIC Tom Monahan reporting most likely they will raise taxes. Nothing said about spending cuts or laying off state employees.
ping.
Rich state with lots of rich Demwits cuts spending to avoid raising taxes. Film at 11.
Don't think so, because the Yalies who wrote it don't want to associate the GOP with anything that a lot of voters may prefer.
:’)
New Hampshire legislature puts Fed Gov on Notice
NH Public Records | 2009 | New Hampshire legislators
Posted on 02/03/2009 2:32:55 PM PST by Jack Black
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2177709/posts
bttt
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.