Budgets shortfalls and bottle deposits
The Democratic led General Assembly came up short again yesterday in addressing the full scope of the state's budget crisis...knocking another $133 million off the books, but leaving more red ink to be dealt with later. Of course by the time they get around to that, the deficit is expected to be higher than the $350 million that was projected going into Wednesday's action.
The legisalture did, however, finally acted on i the bottle bill deposit issue, enacting a measure that will enable the state to now collect the 5-cent deposits that consumers don't collect. It's estimated that will bring in an additional $25 million this fiscal year. That same issue was part of hte governor's proposal during the November special session which, at that time, the Democratic majority opted not to act.
Using that as a track record of sorts, then it seems like a pretty good bet that those issues the legislature doesn't want to address today may very well be on the table the next time it acts on the budget deficit.
The legislature's failure to take more dramatic action in erasing the revenue shortfall in the current year's spending plan could result in the governor sending them a proposed two-year budget on Feb. 4 with a serious case of sticker shock.
The legisalture did, however, finally acted on i the bottle bill deposit issue, enacting a measure that will enable the state to now collect the 5-cent deposits that consumers don't collect. It's estimated that will bring in an additional $25 million this fiscal year. That same issue was part of hte governor's proposal during the November special session which, at that time, the Democratic majority opted not to act.
Using that as a track record of sorts, then it seems like a pretty good bet that those issues the legislature doesn't want to address today may very well be on the table the next time it acts on the budget deficit.
The legislature's failure to take more dramatic action in erasing the revenue shortfall in the current year's spending plan could result in the governor sending them a proposed two-year budget on Feb. 4 with a serious case of sticker shock.
posted by Ray Hackett at 3:01 PM
2 Comments:
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What were once vices are now habits.
We want what we want and don't wish to hear we cannot continue to have it.
Excellent story today in your newspaper about a legislative breakfast with elected state reps by members of Children First.
The story quotes a CF member as acknowledging that CT will probably NOT be expanding programs, but pleading that NONE of the cuts being discussed be implemented. In essence, please gore someone else's ox.
We all want to go to heaven-it's that part about having to die that so disquiets us.
Politically we have to resolve to offer air cover in terms of votes to return to office for those willing to do the right thing, even when/if the right thing is not the popular thing.
And we need reporters, like you and your colleagues in print and electrons of all forms, to keep up the drumbeat and tell us what the people we've elected are actually doing and what the consequences of those actions (and inactions) will be.
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