State Spending: It’s Time for Reform

Creating a new two-year state budget that can solve a billion-dollar-plus deficit and keep Connecticut’s economy on the recovery track is the biggest task facing state lawmakers.   

Comprehensive spending reform is needed; Connecticut can no longer continue to conduct business as usual if we are to move up in national competitiveness rankings and remain a desirable place for job creators to locate and invest in our people and communities.

Several overall areas of budget improvement are suggested by the Connecticut Institute for the 21^st Century:

• Reform long-term healthcare by increasing the numbers of those receiving quality home-based care as opposed to institutional care
• Reform the corrections system to reduce costs and enable Connecticut’s nonviolent offenders to build productive lives
• Carefully expand the use of nonprofit agencies to deliver quality programs and services at much less cost than the state
• Continue streamlining state government by using LEAN practices that increase efficiency and remove duplication and waste

These are the types of reforms that can bring about significant short- and long-term budget savings and help state government work more effectively and efficiently.

Economic Impact: SB 1019 Promotes government transparency by requiring legislative proposals to indicate the number of businesses that will be impacted by measures, and the costs to comply with them. This should help lawmakers make the most informed decisions possible on bills affecting job creators and economic growth.   

For more information about the budget, contact CBIA’s Louise DiCocco at 860 244.1169 | louise.dicocco@cbia.com; or Pete Gioia at 860.244.1945 | pete.gioia@cbia.com | @CTEconomist