Cantor: State Legislature Needs To ‘Do Its Job’ And Adopt A Budget

WEST HARTFORD, CT — West Hartford was one of 25 municipalities to be assigned a negative outlook by Moody’s Investors Service as Connecticut’s budget woes continue. Moody’s has also placed 26 cities and towns and three regional school districts under review for a credit downgrade.

West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor is calling on the state legislature to “do its job and adopt a budget that is balanced and fair; and invests in our future by supporting public education and Connecticut’s cities and towns.”

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Read Cantor’s full statement on the lack of a bi-partisan state budget below:

Today’s action by Moody’s is further proof that the lack of a bi-partisan State budget is hurting West Hartford and all Connecticut municipalities.

The legislature needs to do its job and adopt a budget that is balanced and fair; and invests in our future by supporting public education and Connecticut’s cities and towns.

West Hartford’s contribution in state income taxes is the 7th highest in the state, yet we are ranked 111th by the Education Cost Sharing (ECS) wealth index. We rank 128 out of 169 in per pupil spending, yet we are the only municipality to have two high schools in the 2016 U.S. News & World Report ranking of Top 10 Public High Schools in Connecticut and in the top 500 of schools nationwide.

West Hartford is a unique community, an inner ring suburb that is vibrant and diverse, efficient and effective. We are nationally ranked by multiple organizations as one of the best places to live. West Hartford should be emulated and we should not be penalized for our good governance and fiscal responsibility.

If our legislators need further proof that their inaction is hurting Connecticut, they need to look no further than Moody’s action. We’re hopeful Moody’s decision will be reversed once a bi-partisan budget is adopted that supports public education. We call on our legislators to act now, in the best interest of the State, its towns and its citizens.

Photo via Town of West Hartford