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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Dems mostly pleased, GOP ‘shocked' as state budget deal solidifies
State legislators clashed Monday over the final version of the state's two-year budget that was hailed by Democrats for providing additional money for Medicaid, nonprofit organizations, special education, and the working poor. The plan calls for sending checks of $250 to about 85,000 lower-income households who already qualify for the earned income tax credit for the working poor. The money will be directed to the neediest families with children; budget negotiators dropped a previous Democratic plan that would have provided a child tax credit for families earning as much as $200,000 per year. The massive, 693-page document pays for everything from dental care for prison inmates to pay raises of 3.5% for Superior Court judges and others whose salaries are tied to the judges. Lawmakers were preparing to vote as early as Monday night on the two-year, $55.8 billion package. The debate did not start until 4:45 p.m. and was continuing Monday night. House Speaker Matt Ritter of Hartford said Democrats are broadly pleased with the final compromises made in recent days with Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont. 'People are very happy to make the investments in child care that we're making, to have the child tax credit through the EITC program … to do the massive amounts of Medicaid funding we're doing, $20 million [in the first year] and $45 million,' Ritter said. 'People are really, really happy. A lot of people never thought we'd get to this point. It's a reminder that if you just keep going, if you keep negotiating, if you keep coming up with ideas, you can solve even the most difficult of problems. But Republicans had a sharply different view, blasting the budget as a bloated document that did not closely follow the fiscal guardrails that were adopted in 2017 by the legislature and have been credited with restoring the state's fiscal health in recent years. House Republican leader Vincent Candelora of North Branford quoted the phrase, traditionally credited to the French philosopher Voltaire, that the perfect should not be the enemy of the good. 'This budget is neither perfect nor good for the state of Connecticut,' Candelora told reporters Monday. 'This budget eviscerates all of our fiscal guardrails. They are destroying the volatility cap. It is creating a gimmick in the first year to get around the spending cap. Finally, we are devoting the surplus and the revenue cap permanently to an off-budget early childhood account. … In the long run, it is setting up the state of Connecticut for failure and tax increases. … I am shocked that the governor would agree to this budget.' Democrats, though, said flatly that the budget remains under the spending cap in both years, as required by state law. Candelora said Democrats are not setting aside enough money to pay down pension liabilities because some of the money will be earmarked for other programs like the early childhood endowment fund that is expected to receive $200 million this year. 'They are acting as if we are never going to see another recession for the rest of our lives,' Candelora told reporters at the state Capitol. Rep. Tammy Nuccio of Tolland, the ranking House Republican on the budget committee, said the state is coming off the 'sugar high' of billions in federal money from the coronavirus pandemic and is now finding it difficult to pay for multiple programs. Even with the spending cap, the state is able to increase spending by about $1 billion next year to $27 billion, up from $26 billion. A longtime accountant and financial analyst for large insurance companies like Cigna and Aetna, Nuccio said the breakneck pace of the legislative session, where staff members literally work through the night to cobble together documents at the last minute, is not common outside the Capitol building. 'In the real world, this doesn't happen,' Nuccio said on the House floor. 'They dropped a 700-page document at 4 o'clock in the morning. … We've gotta read it in less than 12 hours.' Republicans and the Connecticut Business and Industry Association were also concerned that the budget includes Lamont's proposed change to the 'unitary' tax that they said would lead to tax increases for large, multi-state corporations like Electric Boat, Wal-Mart, Raytheon, Amazon, Home Depot, Lowe's, AT&T, Verizon, and the parent company of Sikorsky helicopters, among others. Amazon is now the fifth-largest employer in the state, and the unitary tax would hit about 20 major corporations, officials said. The tax has not been mentioned much at the state Capitol in recent years, but Fairfield-based General Electric Co. cited the tax among the reasons that the company decided to move its headquarters to Boston during the tenure of then-Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. But Lamont and his team are in frequent contact with top business leaders, and he said after the initial proposal was released that the leaders had not raised major objections. Despite criticisms, Lamont's chief spokesman, Rob Blanchard, said Connecticut is in much better fiscal shape than some other states. 'This biennium budget makes smart investments in our future, our communities and schools, all while prioritizing affordability, holding the line on taxes, and keeping us on a sound fiscal path,' Blanchard said. 'More importantly, it averts the mistakes of the past by making significant payments on our pension liabilities, preserves the strength of our fiscal guardrails and continues to grow our historic $4.1 billion Rainy Day fund—all of which will guard against economic headwinds. While other states are cutting services, raising taxes or wishing for a Rainy Day fund as robust as our fund, Connecticut has worked hard to turn things around economically and maintain the progress that avoids those tough choices.' Rep. Maria Horn, a Litchfield County Democrat who represents multiple towns, said the state is operating under various constraints that make budgeting difficult. 'We cannot do everything,' Horn said, adding that choices were made to help the most vulnerable citizens. Republicans and hospitals were also concerned about an increase in the hospital tax that is designed to raise an additional $375 million in the first year and $400 million in the second year. They argued that the money is dependent on Connecticut receiving a waiver from the federal government, but the state has not received the waiver yet. 'It's really a hope and a prayer,' Candelora said. The Connecticut Hospital Association, whose lobbyists testify on multiple bills, said the budget would not be good for hospitals. 'The tax increase on hospitals and proposed cuts to healthcare providers contained in this budget will be devastating for hospitals, their workforce, and their patients,' the association said. 'This tax increase is far greater than what Governor Lamont proposed earlier this year. It will leave hospitals facing a staggering cut of hundreds of millions of dollars, while the state uses federal dollars to balance its budget without any action to increase Medicaid reimbursement for care provided to patients in hospitals. These policies will move Connecticut backward in our collaborative efforts to make healthcare more affordable and accessible.' Lawmakers were also concerned about a narrowly written provision that they believe could benefit only one company in the state. In order to obtain tax credits for research and development, the company must be 'a single member limited liability company that has more than three thousand employees in this state and is engaged in manufacturing, with expertise in mechatronics, alignment and sensor technology and optical fabrication.' Chris DiPentima, the president of CBIA, said the provision was designed to help ASML Wilton, a major company in Fairfield County. The company's website says it specializes 'in mechatronics, alignment and sensor technology,' which is exactly the language mentioned in the budget. DiPentima, though, says the research and development tax credits need to be expanded to much smaller companies like in Massachusetts, where companies with as few as five employees can earn the credits. Despite statements by various leaders that they had crafted a 'no-tax-increase budget,' DiPentima said that characterization is incorrect. 'There are business tax increases,' he told The Courant on Monday. 'We're losing sight of the importance of the business community to Connecticut's economy. … I've got major concerns with the work-around on the spending cap.' He added, 'This is the first time in five years where we've had business tax increases and a changing of the guardrails. … Is Connecticut losing its fiscal discipline again? That's this question mark. Are we going to get back to fiscal discipline?' Democrats have been pushing for years for a child tax credit, and their latest proposal called for a permanent, refundable credit of $150 per child for a maximum of three children, or $450 per year. That represented a sharp drop from an original proposal of $600 per child for an overall total of $1,800 per year. With various pressing needs on the tax and spending sides of the complicated state budget, lawmakers say they are often unable to award as much tax relief as they would like. The overall plan would have saved families a combined $82.7 million per year, but the idea was dropped as being too expensive and helping too many families at higher income levels. Lawmakers also dropped Lamont's proposal for an increase in the popular property tax credit to $350, up from $300, per tax filer. Lamont's proposal was expected to help 800,000 tax filers, officials said, as the income eligibility would have increased, an issue that had restricted the credit in the past. Nonprofit organizations, including those who hold contracts to perform various services that otherwise would be performed by state employees, were pleased with a funding increase in the second year. 'The budget is not everything we requested, but in the context of this year's discussions about budget restrictions, we are grateful for their choice to support programs that will improve thousands of lives and even save some,' said Gian Carl Casa, a former top state budget official who now leads the statewide nonprofit alliance. 'Rank-and-file lawmakers, including progressives, moderates and members of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, responded by making it clear that the people served by community nonprofits are a priority.' The nonprofits are expecting to receive $76 million in the second year, plus an additional $30 million for non-developmental disability providers. The deal also calls for an additional $66 million union settlement for providers and an additional $15 million for Medicaid rates above the appropriations committee total, officials said. 'Is this a perfect budget? No,' said Rep. Toni Walker, a longtime New Haven Democrat who co-chairs the legislature's budget committee. 'But we have a situation where we have a spending cap problem and a revenue problem.' Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Conn. State Police contract: House approves raises for troopers
The Connecticut State Capitol on Jan. 7, 2025. (Photo by Shahrzad Rasekh/CT Mirror) HARTFORD, Conn. — The House of Representatives on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a proposal that would grant Connecticut State Police troopers a 2.5% general wage hike and a step increase next fiscal year. The proposal, which is also expected to win approval in the Senate, passed 134-12 in the Democratic-controlled House, enjoying bipartisan support despite objections from GOP leaders. Legislators from both parties have lamented a state police force that's now about 25% smaller than the 1,200-plus troopers who served Connecticut prior to 2010. Democrats said the raises, which would affect an estimated 885 troopers, are essential to recruitment efforts. But both House Minority Leader Vincent J. Candelora, R-North Branford, and Rep. Tammy Nuccio, R-Tolland, argued against the raises. 'We're facing a collision course with a rather ugly truth' — that state employee compensation is becoming unsustainable, said Nuccio, who is the ranking House Republican on the Appropriations Committee. Nearly all unionized workers have received a 2.5% general wage hike and a step, which typically adds another 2 percentage points to the raise, each fiscal year since 2021-22. Gov. Ned Lamont's administration, which negotiated the wage deal with the troopers, also is bargaining new contracts with all other major state employee unions. And it would be difficult for state officials to convince labor arbiters that Connecticut could not afford effective 4.5% annual increases for other state employees if the legislature approves one for troopers. The House GOP proposed a $54.4 billion biennial budget earlier this month that counts on more than $300 million in savings over the next two fiscal years by freezing pay for all workers. Candelora said troopers earn an average of $116,000 per year in base pay, but compensation rises to $175,000 per year once overtime is considered. 'There's no amount of pay that's going to be able to recruit more officers,' he said. The solution, Candelora added, involves criminal justice reforms that give officers greater legal protection when performing searches or pulling over motorists on the highway. 'What they really need is our support,' he said. 'They need real criminal justice reform.' Despite Nuccio and Candelora's arguments, 35 of the 47 Republicans who cast ballots in Tuesday's joined 99 Democrats in supporting the raises. Andrew Matthews, executive director of the state police union and a former president, noted before a legislative panel earlier this month that union concessions packages have weakened retirement benefits for troopers. Before 2011, a trooper was eligible for a hazardous duty pension based on the three highest annual salaries of a minimum 20 years of service. Now Connecticut requires 25 years of service that offers a hybrid pension/401(k) benefit calculated on average wages over the entire 25-year span. But Matthews also said workers deserve the raises in the deal and more. 'It's a dangerous job,' he said at the time, adding that 26 troopers have died in the line of duty and that post-traumatic stress injuries are 'a real thing' many troopers face. The legislature's nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis estimated the agreement would cost state government nearly $4.1 million next fiscal year. Municipalities that participate in the resident state trooper program would collectively incur an added cost of $301,675 next fiscal year, nonpartisan analysts estimated. This article first appeared on CT Mirror and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Guns: CT House approves bill to make lawsuits easier to file and gun permits harder to get
State legislators clashed Wednesday before approving a controversial bill that would make it easier to file civil lawsuits against gun manufacturers and make it harder for some residents to obtain a pistol permit. After more than two hours of debate over the Second Amendment and liability in the state House of Representatives, the measure passed by 100 to 46 with five Republicans in favor and five moderate Democrats against. House Republican leader Vincent Candelora of North Branford said the bill has multiple flaws in allowing more lawsuits against firearms manufacturers, marketers, distributors and retailers. 'Generally, the concern is that this is probably a trial lawyer's dream,' Candelora told reporters outside the historic Hall of the House. 'I don't think it does anything to make Connecticut residents safer from gun violence. It certainly will make lawyers a lot richer.' Candelora added, 'This would be like making the car manufacturers liable for the accidents on our roads.' The debate started at 12:37 p.m. and was completed by 3 p.m. Wednesday. Moderate Democrats Kerry Wood of Rocky Hill, Jill Barry of Glastonbury, Patrick Boyd of Pomfret, Chris Poulos of Southington and Michael DiGiovancarlo of Waterbury voted against the bill. Five Republicans: Devin Carney of Old Saybrook, Tina Courpas of Greenwich, Tracy Marra of Darien, Chris Aniskovich of Clinton, and Tom Delnicki of South Windsor voted with the Democratic majority in favor. State Rep. Craig Fishbein, the ranking House Republican on the legislature's judiciary committee, described the measure as 'groundbreaking legislation' in how the gun industry was being treated. 'There's never been a bill up here treating the alcohol industry in the same fashion,' said Fishbein, who voted against the measure. 'We don't have liability for the purveyor of that beer' in a fatal drunken-driving accident. 'I understand that there are people in this building who just don't like guns. I used to be one of them,' Fishbein said. 'It's already difficult to do business in this state. … Also, firearms can be dangerous. I got it.' Rep. Steven Stafstrom, a Bridgeport Democrat who co-chairs the legislature's judiciary committee, said House Bill 7042 allows the state attorney general, as well as private citizens and cities and towns, to file civil lawsuits against those 'who fail to implement so-called reasonable controls in preventing the sale of firearms to straw purchasers, firearm traffickers, and individuals who are prevented from purchasing firearms under our laws.' Stafstrom added that the bill is necessary because the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, known as PLCAA, was passed by Congress in 2005 that 'provided special immunity protections just to gun manufacturers that are not available to almost any other product manufacturer out there.' So far, nine other states have passed similar legislation to expand the possibility of gun-related lawsuits, including New York, New Jersey, California, Maryland, Illinois, Colorado and others. 'We didn't single out anyone. Congress did,' Stafstrom said. 'Connecticut will be the 10th state.' The measure focuses on gun manufacturers and 'firearms industry members,' meaning that private sales between individuals would not be subject to the provisions of the bill, Stafstrom said. Liability, he said, is important. 'We're not creating a new body of law here. This is product liability law 101,' Stafstrom said, adding that the Connecticut law is needed because the gun industry was 'singled out for immunity by Congress.' At the committee level, the bill was debated in March during a six-hour hearing by the judiciary committee that brought out proponents and opponents. The multi-pronged bill also makes it harder for some residents to obtain a gun permit if they committed crimes in other states. Currently, Connecticut residents who commit felonies and 11 'disqualifier misdemeanors' are not permitted to obtain a pistol or revolver permit. But residents who commit essentially the same misdemeanors in other states, and then move to Connecticut, are still able to obtain a permit. The bill would cover anyone convicted of those misdemeanors in another state during the past eight years; they would now be blocked from getting a pistol or revolver permit, lawmakers said. Under Connecticut's 'clean slate' law, convictions for certain misdemeanors are erased. But Connecticut's clean slate law does not apply to out-of-state convictions. 'Under current law, frankly we're treating our own residents more harshly than those who just moved into the state,' Stafstrom told reporters. The misdemeanors in question concern 'violence against another person, extreme indifference to human life, inciting a riot, or possession of certain controlled substances,' Stafstrom said. In a longtime oversight, police and attorneys somehow overlooked the provision in the law and never noticed that out-of-state convictions were handled differently, officials said. When told about the different treatment depending on whether a person committed the crime out of state or in Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont said, 'It doesn't make much sense to me.' On the House floor, Stafstrom said anyone who was engaged in the manufacturing of guns would be subject to the provisions of the bill. Separately, attorneys for the families of victims of the shootings at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown in 2012 filed a civil lawsuit under a different provision of the law concerning unfair trade practices. The provisions in the bill would be in addition to the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act, known as CUTPA. A non-partisan legislative analysis provided comprehensive details on who would be covered. 'Under the bill, a 'firearm industry member' is a person, entity, or association (e.g., corporation or trade association) engaged in the manufacture, distribution, importation, marketing, or sale – wholesale or retail – of firearm industry products,' the analysis says. 'These products are firearms, ammunition or firearm magazines, unfinished frames or lower receivers – generally used to make 'ghost guns' – or rates of firearm enhancement (e.g., 'bump stocks') that are or were sold, made, or distributed in the state or possessed in the state and it was reasonably foreseeable that this would occur.' State Rep. Doug Dubitsky, a Republican attorney who supports the Second Amendment, said some gun manufacturers have already left the state. 'Ruger used to manufacture almost all of their firearms in Connecticut, and now they do not,' Dubitsky said. Dubitsky asked a series of questions on exactly who is determined to be a gun manufacturer and whether they would be covered by the bill. 'Yes, we are splitting hairs because this determines who will get sued,' he said. 'These people do this for a living. … You want to know who is going to be named.' Guns, he said, are a different product under the Second Amendment. 'There is no constitutional right to buy a washing machine,' Dubitsky said on the House floor. 'There is no constitutional right to buy a car. … You can't buy a firearm if all of the gun manufacturers have been shut down.' Rep. Greg Howard, a Republican who also serves as a longtime police officer in Stonington, said that liability is being deflected to other parties and away from the person who actually pulled the trigger in a gun crime. He said he has carried a gun every day for the past 23 years. 'When are we going to pin the tail on the donkey?' Howard asked on the House floor. 'When are we going to blame the criminals?' Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
CT Dems rip President Trump's first 100 days, but Republicans rip Dems in return
Gov. Ned Lamont and top Connecticut Democrats ripped President Donald Trump's first 100 days Tuesday as 'an utter disaster.' But state Republicans simultaneously ripped the Democrats, saying they need to be more focused on problems in Hartford than in Washington, D.C. Lamont and all constitutional officers, including the state treasurer and attorney general, gathered outside the state Capitol in Hartford to denounce Trump regarding immigration, democracy, tariffs and major volatility on Wall Street. 'He inherited an economy that was good for everybody,' Lamont told reporters. 'Reducing inflation. Growing opportunity for people. This 100 days has been just the opposite. People are scared. People are holding back. We're going the wrong way. He's driving the economy into a ditch.' Another problem, Lamont said, is that former longtime allies like Canada are now confused about the policies of the United States. 'What happened, America?' Lamont said, referring to the view in other nations. 'We were friends. We were allies. We were family. Now, you're calling for a divorce. That's not good for them, and that's not good for world peace. Meanwhile, we can't tell our enemies from our friends in this administration. Vladimir Putin is going, 'Donald, are you still rootin' for Putin?' It's backwards what we're doing now.' Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas, the state's chief elections officer, said elections need to be protected from hackers and bad foreign actors. 'The first 100 days have been an utter disaster in the election community,' Thomas said. 'Election security is worse off. Election integrity is worse off, and election funding is worse off.' But House Republican leader Vincent Candelora of North Branford rejected those notions. 'Connecticut Democrats have some nerve,' Candelora said. 'The same party that's turned our state into one of the most unaffordable places to live had the gall to hold another scary press conference with manufactured outrage about affordability and fiscal responsibility—just one day after it was revealed that the departing CSCU chancellor will keep his bloated salary for what sounds like a no-show job. And they defended that. That's not just hypocrisy. It's political theater at its most insulting.' Candelora was referring to the high-profile case of higher education chancellor Terrence Cheng, who will be keeping his annual salary of more than $440,000 in the final year of his contract after being ousted from his position leading the state's four regional public universities and 12 community colleges. Cheng has been blasted by Republicans since last year when it was revealed that he and other educators had spent excessively on taxpayer-funded purchasing cards for expensive meals, dry cleaning, alcohol, room service, car washes, and limousine rides, despite having access to a state vehicle. The initial revelations led to audits by the state Comptroller Sean Scanlon, which was requested by Lamont, and the bipartisan auditors of public accounts. While Cheng charged 56 meals that exceeded the state's $50-per-person limit, the chancellor retains discretion to go beyond the limit. Asked Tuesday about the situation, Lamont said, 'Terrence Cheng has stepped aside. He is no longer in office.' Senate Republican leader Stephen Harding of Brookfield has repeatedly denounced the spending of Cheng at a time when the university system is seeking more money from the state as the legislature is working to approve the two-year, $55.5 billion budget before the legislative session ends on June 4. 'There are significant issues here in Connecticut — whether it is corruption, waste, fraud, record taxes, and record electric rates,' Harding told The Courant in an interview. 'The Democratic Party in our state doesn't seem to want to do anything about that — on what they can directly control right here. All they want to talk about is Washington, D.C. So, my challenge to the Democrats of the state is instead of constantly talking about Washington, D.C. every single day, how about we have a discussion about making the lives of the people in the state of Connecticut more affordable, better, and safer on the things that we can directly control? That's what I'm focused on and that's what my party is focused on and will continue to remain focused on.' State Attorney General William Tong, whose office has filed 13 civil lawsuits against the Trump administration on various issues, said that he needs to hire more assistant attorneys general in order to keep up with the workload in combatting constant executive orders by Trump. He has consistently joined with other states that have more lawyers than Connecticut as the states join together in the battle. 'It's a deluge. It's a nonstop avalanche,' Tong told reporters. 'I'm lucky that I have New York and California at my back.' Lamont closed his remarks by reciting a well-known song by musician Bob Marley that Lamont has sang in the past. 'Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights,' Lamont said. 'Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight.' Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. Lamont eyes state homeschooling reforms
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Gov. Ned Lamont said Tuesday he'd like to work with the state legislature on reforms to the state's rules regarding homeschooling. Lamont's remarks represent the first definitive signal that he's eyeing policy changes following the arrest of a Waterbury woman who was charged with a slew of crimes after her stepson told police he'd been held captive in her home for more than two decades. Nearly $200,000 raised to help alleged Waterbury captive 'I'd like to talk with the legislature about ways we can stay in better communication – make sure those kids are being well protected, not just in school, but at home school as well,' Lamont said in response to questions from News 8 at a press conference on Tuesday. 'When they come into school, that's an early radar system,' Lamont continued. 'We have a better idea of how they're doing and what's going on at the home.' But when students leave traditional public and private school systems, Lamont said, 'We lose a little bit of touch — as happened in this case over a period of, say, 20 years.' News 8 also pressed Lamont on the status of internal inquiries into the actions of state agencies responsible for child welfare. 'I think that's ongoing,' Lamont replied. 'Look, DCF was there, they visited. I'm told the family said, 'DCF is bothering us,' and DCF referred it to the Waterbury Police. But you're right something dropped through the cracks and this went on for 20 years.' The governor's suggestion that there should be changes to the state's system of homeschool regulations was met with sharp criticism by one of the state's leading Republicans. 'To turn this into a homeschool issue, to me is disingenuous,' State Rep. Vincent Candelora, the Republican leader in the state House of Representatives, said. 'It really – to me – smells of 'don't let a crisis go to waste.'' Candelora said he believed that the Waterbury case was being used to advance attacks on homeschooling. 'Democrats love bureaucracy,' Candelora said. 'So, the more people they can get into the government system to regulate – that's what they enjoy doing.' As a political battle brews over the future of the state's homeschooling laws, some lawmakers are calling for public hearings on the Waterbury case. 'I can't see how this won't have a public hearing,' State Rep. Geraldo Reyes Jr., a Waterbury Democrat, said. State Rep. Joe Polletta, a Republican who also represents part of Waterbury, has been outspoken along with many of his Republican colleagues calling for public hearings. 'I think the best thing we can do is have a public hearing,' State Sen. Heather Somers, a Republican, said. 'Air out what happened. Learn more information before we start accusing one particular group of being the problem.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
