[Iska]

Rell Says State Budget In Deficit -- Courant.com

The title is missing the word "deficit" at the end.

April 30, 2008 - Rell Says State Budget In Deficit - AP

From $263 million budget surplus to $19 million budget.

“The cause of the diminishing surplus appears to stem from a combination of slowing state revenues and a delay in federal Medicaid reimbursements. The bad fiscal news prompted Rell on Tuesday to threaten a veto of a key crime bill that includes tougher penalties for repeat violent offenders and $10 million for more prosecutors, state police, probation officers and other programs, such as housing for sex offenders. [The crime reforms stemmed from deadly home invasions in Cheshire and New Britain.]

She said the state couldn't afford the spending portion of bill.”

“Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez said he'll likely have to raise taxes and lay off workers even if the payment in lieu of taxes program is fully funded. But if it's not, he'll have to lay off even more and raise taxes higher.

"People are up here saying they don't want to increase taxes here, but what they're doing is forcing it down on the local municipal leaders to do that," Perez said.”

Does this presage tax increases? Any buzz up there about this?

[WILWRadio]

Look on the bright side. The City of Kansas City is 70 million dollars in the red for the year. And it has only 450,000 people. At least the State of CT can spread that 19 million out over 3.2 million people.

[Iska]

Originally Posted by WILWRadio

Look on the bright side. The City of Kansas City is 70 million dollars in the red for the year. And it has only 450,000 people. At least the State of CT can spread that 19 million out over 3.2 million people.

From huge surplus to deficit?

[WILWRadio]

Earlier in the year the City of KC was claiming they'd not have a budget deficit.

This is par for the course in many states. It has been worse in Connecticut. Back when Bill "Mr. Potato Head" O'Neil was Goobener the State constantly ran in the black for most of his two terms. At one point the state had around 1.2 billion dollars in O'Neils "rainy day fund." Within two years that figure dwindled down to around 130 million dollars and nobody could account for the 1 billion dollars that simply vanished. I don't seem to recall anyone knowing how or where it was spent.

[JViello]

The state needs to put down the fork and step away from the table.

Our budget size far outpaces the size of our population compared to other states such as MA.

Last time a governor cut state employees to help balance the budget, they witch hunted him for years until something stuck.

Rell is a paper tiger.

[S2000]

Didn't I read somewhere that the state of CT is the largest employer in CT?

[ogplife]

I remember being home (NYC) for Thanksgiving and I can't remember if I read or saw it on tv. I remember her giving a big speach about crime. It sounded like she was extra tough on crime and was looking to improve the criminal justice. You would think she would choose something else to cut back on. I wonder if this is just political posturing because I can't imagine a governor flipping on an issue they made public within a year. She would lose all credibility. Doesn't she want to be re - elected?