Rep. Frey Says Governor’s Budget Does Not Help Residents; Leaves Hard Work to Legislative Committees

Gov. Dannel Malloy delivered his Fiscal Year 2015 budget address today during a joint session in the CT General Assembly House Chamber.

The Governor proposed a mix of budget cuts and spending increases totaling an increase of 3.1 percent from last fiscal year. He also proposed a series of transportation initiatives, to include work on I-84, extending Rt. 11, widening I-95, and upgrading the Groton-New London, Gold Star Bridge.

“The transportation upgrades proposed are needed right away,” said Rep. John Frey (R-111). “However, the Governor did not propose any options to help pay for these idealistic projects,” he said. “Words like, deferral, delay, and business loopholes, hide tax increases. These costs will fall to our residents,” he said.

The Governor’s new budget requires:

• An indefinite extension of the 20 percent surcharge on large corporate employers
• The generation of millions in new revenue through an expansion of Hospital Provider Tax
• A shift entire cost of state police resident trooper program to local property taxpayers
• The achievement of millions in inflated savings through a “second chance” program for criminals
• The elimination of the biennial business entity tax, but an increase other business fees
• The collecting of millions in new revenue by capping employer tax credits and accounting rules

In total, the new budget requires tax increases totaling $847 million over two years.

“I am shocked that this budget requires that taxes are raised, when the Governor promised to do no such thing. The Governor said in his address that we must not ask more of the middle class, and yet, this budget will hurt our state’s educators,” said Rep. Frey.

“This budget also hurts residents in our state who receive social services. As a result of cuts, the Torrington Department of Social Services office will close,” he said.

“This budget plan in total will not decrease our deficit, or assist our middle class. The hard work and responsibility of sorting through the mixed messages of this budget now belongs to the Legislature’s Appropriations and Finance Committees,” said Rep. Frey.

“Connecticut residents want their elected officials to fix the economy. That’s what we were elected to do. I have confidence in our committee processes, but as it stands, this budget will

not help Connecticut residents,” he said. 

Republican legislators released an infrastructure upgrade transportation plan, Feb. 10. The plan proposed reprioritizing state spending to focus on transportation, without raising taxes or instituting tolls.

State Rep. John Frey represents the 111^th District in Ridgefield. Rep. Frey serves as the Senior Minority Whip, and sits on the Legislature’s Finance, Revenue, & Bonding Committee, the Banks Committee, and the Housing Committee.