Greenwich State Delegation Supports Compromise Budget Bill

GREENWICH, CT — The Greenwich Delegation in the state House - Rep. Livvy Floren (R-149th), Mike Bocchino (R-150th) and Fred Camillo (R-151st) - all voted in favor of the compromise budget plan announced Wednesday in Hartford. The plan was reached on closing day of the 2018 Session and is based on several Republican initiatives, according to the legislators.

In recent weeks, House and Senate Republicans proposed two budget plans for fiscal year 2019, and successfully moved budget negotiations towards fiscal responsibility, and away from tax
hikes and reckless spending, the three legislators stated.

Republican lawmakers secured major victories for the state by laying the foundation for a compromise deal in the final hours of regular session, specifically, providing "$16 million for the Retired Teachers’ Healthcare fund and establishing a study to create a sustainable mechanism for future funding of the program. This was something promised to Connecticut educators for years."

The compromise budget restores the Medicare Savings Plan, rejects Gov. Dannel Malloy’s cuts to education and municipal aid, and because of consistent opposition from Republican lawmakers, avoids electronic highway tolls. Finally, the plan does not include new tax increases, which was critical to earning the support of the delegation. Although Republicans did not gain support from Democratic lawmakers for their proposed union contract reforms, the Delegation believes these issues will be addressed in the near future.

"'I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more of it I have,'" said Rep. Floren in a statement, quoting President Thomas Jefferson. "The plan we passed today is not the be-all- end-all of budgets, but it brings us one step closer to economic recovery, and that is a win for the State of Connecticut. Our problems will not solve themselves. We must work hard to resolve them as a state. Assisting our most vulnerable residents, like our seniors, investing in education, and avoiding further tax increases are the priorities that matter to us, and this budget sets those priorities. However, we must keep pushing for more fiscal reforms in the future. We cannot stop here."

"Republicans took the lead on budget negotiations because the alternative would have resulted in further cuts to Greenwich at the hands of Governor Malloy," added Rep. Bocchino in a statement. "That is something we could not allow, and something that our communities would certainly not tolerate. We drafted a plan that sets priorities for state government and avoids highway tolls, but there is more work ahead of us. I want the people of my district to know that I will not stop fighting until Connecticut’s economy is once again a leader in growth and innovation. Our fiscal problems will not be resolved overnight, but today was a step in the right direction."

"The GOP's hard fought reforms of last fall were today followed up with budget victories that restored critical
funding to our seniors, fulfilled pension obligation for our teachers, and protected the wallets of every state
driver," said Rep. Camillo in a statement. "While not going as far as we wanted in regards to union contract reform, we are happy to report that funding to Greenwich, which Governor Malloy had proposed to eliminate, has been protected. I look forward to continuing to work toward building upon these successes in the months and years ahead. Our state has no time to waste."

Photos of Reps. Camillo, Floren and Bocchino via CT House Republicans

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