CT Democrats Revive Legal Marijuana Proposal

HARTFORD, CT —Legislative Democrats have proposed a revised budget of their own that calls on legalizing marijuana to help plug the state’s massive deficit.

Democrats estimate that legalizing the retail sale of marijuana would result in yearly tax revenue of nearly $200 million. That is much higher than the Office of Fiscal Analysis estimate that the state could bring in around $104 million a year by modeling Colorado’s model.

“Confronting Connecticut’s budgetary challenges requires difficult decisions across the board,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven). “The proposal offered by Democrats in the Senate and House protects our social safety net and invests in our workforce while implementing important regionalism strategies to save taxpayers $100 million.

Democrats say their proposal doesn’t increase sales, personal income or corporation taxes. It also would mirror Republican proposals to keep the property tax credit for those who are elderly or have dependents.
Democrats are also pushing for tolls in the state.

It would cut non-fixed costs by 7.1 percent and seek $1.5 billion in state employee givebacks, including furlough days.

Democrats are also going against Gov. Dannel Malloy’s wishes to shift some of the teacher pension burden onto cities and towns.

“This is a fiscally responsible blueprint that recognizes the reality of the need for a more efficient state government, while also investing in a path to the future by helping make our state more affordable, attractive to business, and welcoming to visitors,” said Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz (D-Berlin/Southington).
Democrats are also pitching a regionalism strategy for state and municipal services to save $100 million in fiscal year 2019. The proposal would close regional offices and combine smaller district school superintendents.

Eight legislative committees would be eliminated. The Department of Aging, Department of Housing, Department of Agriculture, Office of Higher Education and OFficer of Early Childhood would be merged into several other state agencies.

Other highlights of the plan include:

• Creates and preserve more than 6,000 casino and tourism jobs by authorizing at least one additional casino .
• Invests in families and the workforce by creating an Earned Family and Medical Leave program in the State of Connecticut.
• This proposal increases Medicaid funding to hospitals by $250 million.
• Provides predictability for businesses by committing to not raise corporate tax rates or cancel business tax credits.
• Overhauls our workforce development system to be more responsive to the needs of businesses, and by providing more comprehensive services to those looking for work This includes increasing partnering with employers to help shape curriculum at our Vo-Tech schools, community colleges and universities.

• Protects UConn from the devastating cut previously proposed by the Republicans.
• Continues to fund last year’s major jobs and innovation program CT Next to ensure we are building an economy for the future.

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