House Republican Press Release

April 13, 2007

Press Office: 860-240-8700

REPRESENTATIVE STRIPP VOTES AGAINST INCREASED STATE SPENDING

     “Budget Fiscally Irresponsible”

HARTFORD—State Representative John Stripp, R-Weston, today voted against a proposed state budget in the Appropriations Committee that goes over the Constitutional State Spending Cap by over $852.9 million and spends a projected $365 million of the state budget surplus.

Rep. Stripp was one of 17 Republicans who voted against the Democrat-drafted bill that increases spending by over 10.4% this year. The measure was adopted, however, by a majority of the Appropriations Committee and now goes to the full House of Representatives for a vote.

“The budget would require over $1 billion in tax increases to pay for the massive growth in state spending. The budget approved is fiscally irresponsible,” said Rep. Stripp.

“This budget smashes through the constitutional spending cap for the next two years, a Constitutional State Spending Cap, 81% of Connecticut voters endorsed to prevent the legislature from approving runaway spending,” said Rep. Stripp, an Assistant Republican Leader. “The Democrats are proposing state income tax rate increases that reach over 40% in some instances.”

The House Republicans have proposed many initiatives this session to keep residents from fleeing Connecticut but this budget will only force more to leave. “It is unfathomable to me how the General Assembly could consider a budget that increases at this rate when we are trying to create new jobs, retain existing ones and encourage young people and seniors to continue to live here.”

“The big city politicians and their lobbying groups such as the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) currently have the power to inflict pain on small towns like Easton, Redding and Weston.”

“Most Connecticut residents are not seeing the huge increases in their salaries to justify the considerable high spending levels in the state budget. What the proponents of this budget do not understand - or refuse to realize - is that these folks are fully capable of voting with their feet. They don’t protest in the street they move to tax-friendly states such as Florida,” added Rep. Stripp. “That is why Connecticut has had a net loss of 17,000 residents the past year based on the most recent data.”

Rep. Stripp noted the budget proposal maintains the flawed Educational Cost Sharing Formula (ECS) which skews funding toward the state’s seven largest cities, home to some of the worst performing schools. These schools will continue to receive dollars without having any educational accountability standards.

“Unfortunately, the few bright spots don’t outweigh the negatives in the package,” said Rep. Stripp. “This budget and tax proposals being pushed by the big cities and their lobbyists have the potential to make our worst economic nightmares a grim reality.”