Wednesday, May 4, 2011

How They Voted, Middletown And The State Budget

May 10: Update appended to bottom of article
Middletown's elected State officials voted along party lines on the budget submitted by Governor Malloy. 

In the State Senate, which passed the budget by a vote of 19-17:
  • Paul Doyle (D, 9th District): YES
  • Len Suzio (R, 13th District): NO
In the State House of Representatives, which passed the budget by a vote of 83-67:
  • Christine Carpino (R, 32nd District):  NO
  • Joe Serra (D, 33rd District): YES
  • Gail Hamm (D, 34th District): YES
  • Matt Lesser (D, 100th District): YES
In order to become balanced, the two-year budget will require more than $2 billion of concessions from the State employee unions.  The budget raises taxes by $1.4B in the first year, and $1.2B in the second year, and increases spending by 2.8% in the first year and 2.3% in the second. 

Middletown received a total of $28,045,639 from the state in last year's budget.  Malloy's current budget, as passed by the House, will reduce this by about 1% in the next two years: Middletown would receive $27,783,306 next year, and $27,759,733 in the second year. 

From the largest to the smallest categories of state aid to Middletown's municipal budget (this does NOT include state aid to Middletown individuals, corporations, and non-profits):
  • Education Cost Sharing Grant remains the same as this year, $16,652,386.  
  • Payment in Lieu of Taxes: Colleges & Hospitals will be cut from $4,746,748 this year to $4,388,875 in each of the next two years.
  • Payment in Lieu of Taxes: State-Owned Real Property will be cut from $2,565,308 to $2,542,642 in each of the next two years.
  • Adult Education rises from $1,387,193 this year to $1,497,595 in each of the next two years.
  • Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Fund Grant will be cut from $1,238,512 this year to $1,229,827 in each of the next two years.
  • Public School Pupil Transportation rises from $655,218 this year to $660,163 next year, and then falls to $637,120 the second year.
  • Local Capital Improvement Program remains the same as this year, $342,126, for each of the next two years.
  • Vessel Property Tax will be increased by $353,808 in the second year.
  • Town Aid Road Fund Grant remains the same as this year, $304,908, for each of the next two years.
  • Retail Sales Tax will be increased by $248,518 the first year and $259,910 the second.
  • Real Estate Conveyance Tax will be increased by $188,136 each year.
  • Non-Public School Pupil Transportation rises from $154,239 this year to $164,784 in each of the next two years.
CT Mirror has all the state budget documents readily available
    NOTE ADDED (May 10, 2011): Representative Lesser informs me that the budget figures above are incorrect or incomplete. According to the Office of Fiscal Analysis, a non-partisan office at the Capitol, Middletown will see a very small increase in municipal aid, it will go from $30,312,613 to $30,535,566 next year, and $30,602,467 in the second year of the state's 2-year budget.

    2 comments:

    Anonymous said...

    Do you know if placing the state high schools is going through? I am very worried about that added budget to our town, if Vinal becomes a local school.

    Anonymous said...

    To anonymous: our legislators rejected the proposal to localize Vinal.