Albis: Budget Will Provide More State Aid and Education Funding for East Haven

By state Rep. James Albis

When the General Assembly convened in January, Connecticut’s Governor Dannel Malloy and the legislature faced an enormous challenge – a budget deficit of $3.5 billion and an economy still trying to recover from the nation’s worst recession since the Great Depression.

Unlike previous administrations that failed to address the state’s economic problems, our new governor proposed a tough and balanced budget that called for all of us to share in the sacrifice necessary to restore our state to fiscal soundness.

While not perfect, the legislature was able to work with Governor Malloy to make changes in his budget that reduced taxes that the Governor had originally proposed, restored the Property Tax Credit of $300 for East Haven’s residents, increased the income tax on the highest income levels, eliminated the proposed gas tax increase of 3 cents per gallon, eliminated tax proposals on coupons, hair cuts, car washes and more.

These changes provide additional protection for our middle class and the budget passed by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Malloy does not include borrowing.  This is a significant step forward in easing the debt burden off of our taxpayers.

Alternative budget proposals were not responsible and would have been devastating not only to Connecticut, but to East Haven, by cutting massive amounts of funding for our seniors and our children.  Such setbacks would surely drive us into a deeper economic hole and put a dubious cloud over the future of our state.

The good news for East Haven is that our town will receive more state aid and education funding than in previous years. Under the budget that we supported, East Haven is projected to receive $342,327 more than the $20,648,784 it was allocated by the state in 2011. In 2012, East Haven is expected to receive $20,991,111 and $21,036,680 in 2013, an increase of $387,896. 

This increased funding for East Haven should go along way towards lessening the need for any local property tax hikes for our homeowners and local businesses.  Combined with Mayor Capone’s mill rate reduction this year, East Haven is in a great position to keep property taxes in check in the near future.

Unlike budgets that were recently passed in New York and New Jersey, our state budget protects our cities and towns and does not pass the burden on to local property taxpayers. As we all know, the property tax is the most regressive of all taxes. 

There is no question that we had to make some tough and understandably unpopular decisions. The state budget is honest and balanced. We have worked with Governor Malloy to create a budget that will move Connecticut forward, a budget that is responsible and a budget that puts us on the road to recovery.