State government has emptied its savings to reduce the budget deficit, and Gov. M. Jodi Rell's budget chief said this week it's time for cities and towns to do the same.
But municipal officials said their budget reserves already have been reduced to compensate for shrinking state aid. More importantly, they added, communities can't exhaust their reserves the way the state has without risking a dramatic increase in financing costs.
"Should the state borrow money so municipalities can preserve their fund balances?" Office of Policy and Management Secretary Robert L. Genuario asked Wednesday as he testified before the legislature's Appropriations Committee.
Connecticut amassed a record $1.38 billion in its emergency reserve, commonly known as the "Rainy Day Fund," between 2004 and 2008. That savings, equal to roughly 8 percent of state government's annual operating costs, now is gone. Rell and the legislature agreed last fall to use the entire reserve to shore up declining tax revenues both this fiscal year and next.
Rell's latest plan to close out this year's $518.4 million deficit relies on moving into the current budget nearly $220 million in Rainy Day Funds originally assigned to 2010-11. To help offset that switch, the governor has suggested reducing town grants by $45 million next fiscal year.
Genuario said the administration believes several non-education programs could be cut, adding that towns could cover the lost by looking within their savings accounts.
For those who are not keeping score, so far, here's the update.
As Mayor Boughton parades across the state selling his gubernatorial stump speech to any Republican Town Committee that will hear him, and with weeks until the the city council tackles the 2010-2011 budget proposal:
Gov Rell has NOT propose an extension to the higher real estate conveyance tax rates cities are desperately replying on while they draft their budgets (NOTE: if not extended, the rates will go back to their original levels after June 30).
Gov. Rowland-Rell's is proposing to shift the state's deficit burden to cites and town.
Mark my words, Danbury's 2010-2011 budget will be one of the most difficult to date...and these outrageous proposals from the State Capitol are going to have a detrimental impact on everyone.
04.25.22 (RADIO): WSHU Latino group call on Connecticut lawmakers to open a Danbury charter school
06.03.22 (OP-ED): KUSHNER: "Career Academy ‘a great deal for Danbury"
On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
The amended complaint states that plaintiffs sought to remedy the continued discriminatory and unauthorized enforcement of federal immigration laws against the Latino residents of the City of Danbury by Danbury's mayor and its police department.
Plaintiffs allege that the arrests violated their Fourth Amendment rights and the Connecticut Constitution because defendants conducted the arrests without valid warrants, in the absence of exigent circumstances, and without probable cause to believe that plaintiffs were engaged in unlawful activity. In addition, plaintiffs allege that defendants improperly stopped, detained, investigated, searched and arrested plaintiffs. Plaintiffs also allege that defendants violated their Fourteenth Amendment rights when they intentionally targeted plaintiffs, and arrested and detained them on the basis of their race, ethnicity and perceived national origin. Plaintiffs raise First Amendment, Due Process and tort claims.
Plaintiffs request declaratory relief, damages and attorneys fees.
On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
