Republicans Propose Budget Cuts – No Tax Increases

Senate and House Republicans introduced our alternative budget proposal today, building on Governor Rell’s no tax increase budget presented to the General Assembly on February 2nd. We are responding to the Democrats’ irresponsible budget proposal that levies the largest tax increase in state history without including serious spending cuts.

Our proposal balances a projected $8.1 billion deficit, streamlines state government and sustains existing state aid to local governments.

Families and businesses across Connecticut are painfully aware of the global economic crisis and have already made hard choices in their budgets. Today we learned the unemployment rate in Connecticut rose again to 141,900 residents without jobs!

How can the Democrats in the legislature justify proposing the largest tax increase in state history in the middle of this crisis?

Republicans have the answer – CUT SPENDING !!!

Granted, the 2008-2009 budget was crafted at a time when legislators had no clue the present economic disaster was ahead but the Democrats have their head in the sand thinking they can sustain state government’s current payroll when tax revenue is down 27% and dropping daily.

The Democrats proposed a huge increase in state income taxes, increases in sales taxes on over fifty categories of goods and services, increase corporate taxes by 30% and eliminate job creation tax credits, increase the death taxes by 30% and eliminate the property tax credit for homeowners. $3.3 billion in new taxes! A real nightmare during this bad economy and a good way to assure Connecticut is the last state to recover from this recession.

On Monday, legislative leaders from both parties begin serious budget negotiations with Governor Rell. We’ll soon find out who is running our state government – the elected officials or the state employee unions.