Governor M. Jodi Rell Monday announced she has vetoed House Bill 7101, An Act Concerning the Estate and Gift Tax, and Senate Bill 2101, An Act Concerning a Deficit Mitigation Plan for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2010, calling both bills "...further examples of the Democrat-controlled Legislature’s refusal to confront the reality of the state’s financial crisis by cutting spending. Because the majority party in the Legislature is unable to make the needed cuts, Governor Rell said she is submitting legislation expanding the authority of Governors to make rescissions."
The Governor has also submitted proposed legislation to increase her rescission authority essentially signifying that if the Democrats will not resolve the deficit through cuts to bring the budget into balance, then she is willing to do so if given the authority. Under existing law, a Governor can make rescissions when a budget deficit exists that is greater than 1 percent of the General Fund. Current rescission authority is limited to up to 3 percent of the total appropriation from any fund or 5 percent of any appropriation.
Governor Rell is proposing that a Governor’s rescission authority be increased incrementally:
* Up to 6 percent of the total appropriation from any fund or 10 percent of any appropriation when a deficit of 3 percent or more exists
* Up to 10 percent of the total appropriation from any fund or 15 percent of any appropriation when a deficit of 5 percent or more exists
Unless the Democrats are able to successfully override the Governor's veto, all cuts in the Deficit Mitigation Plan previously submitted by the Governor, are back on the table.
More than 1,000 union and community activists with Better Choices for Connecticut gathered at the State Capitol on March 25 to urge the Governor and Legislature to stop budget cuts, enact fair taxes and help Connecticut overcome the economic crisis.
Rally emcee, Shawn Lang of the CT AIDS Resource Coalition said “if these cuts go through, more and more Connecticut residents will fall through a safety net already rife with holes.”
Lindsey Matthews, whose son George lives at a group home for people with developmental disabilities, thanked his 1199 union care-givers. “The people who help feed, bathe and clothe him every day do it because I can’t be there. I can’t imagine what life would be like for our family without this critical service and we’re just one family out of thousands.”
The Better Choices plan includes raising income taxes on the state’s wealthiest residents making over $200,000 per year, as well as closing corporate tax loopholes. Governor Jodi Rell has proposed a budget based almost entirely on cuts to services and layoffs of state workers. Nobel Prize economists say that reducing public spending in an economic crisis, when services are needed the most, would send the economy into a further downward spiral. Some estimate that Rell’s budget could cost the state from 30,000 to 50,000 jobs.
Peoples Center signs read: No Cuts - No Layoffs - TAX the RICH
More information at: www.betterchoicesforCT.org.
