Sustainable Spending Reforms Explored by Lawmakers

As work continues on the next two-year state budget and tax package, some lawmakers are exploring sustainable spending reforms to help make state government work better, more affordably, and better able to speed Connecticut’s economic comeback.

Deadlines for the legislature’s budget-writing committees are fast approaching, with the Appropriations Committee—the spending side—set to wrap up on April 30, and the Finance Committee—revenues—finishing work on May 1.

Many ideas have been talked about over recent weeks and the budget and tax situation is still far from being decided.

But legislators are currently arranging meetings to learn about several sustainable spending reforms that could give Connecticut residents the best outcomes from state programs and services at reasonable cost and without having to increase taxes–or eliminate programs or jobs.

Connecticut’s economy is coming back, so now’s the time to embrace ideas that can bring us all the way back and restore our competitiveness.

That means turning toward proven, practical, and sustainable reforms, such as those the Connecticut Institute for the 21^st Century has offered.

It also means turning away from any artificial barriers—like new taxes or tax and fee increases—that will hurt our competitiveness and stop our momentum.

New approaches can stabilize the state’s finances—now and for years to come—and provide efficient, critically needed services and enable our economy to grow.

That’s how many other states—blue and red—have done it. And one of the best ways to create and keep good jobs in Connecticut is to make sure we’re on a level playing field with competitor states.

It’s likely that legislator meetings on budget reforms will take place within the next week.

For more information, contact CBIA’s Louise DiCocco at louise.dicocco@cbia.com or Bonnie Stewart at 860.244.1925 | bonnie.stewart@cbia.com | @CBIAbonnie