Legislature Grinding towards Adjournment Date with no Agreement on State Budget
Leaders Agree that Special Session to Deal with Budget Will Take Place
Other News and Notes from the State Capitol
Nominate your Favorite Retailer for Retailer of the Year
- As we go to print with this week’s Friday Facts, the Connecticut General Assembly is now just 6 calendar days away from their mandatory adjournment date for this long session, June 7th.
- Each year the General Assembly goes into session, the single biggest obligation they have is to adopt at state budget and this year is no different.
- Except this year the stakes are much greater, with the State facing huge budget deficits in both the current year (around $317 million) which ends June 30th and the next two years.
- Keith Phaneuf from the CT Mirror has done a great job of breaking down CT’s budget challenges.
- We recommend you take some time and read Keith’s articles. You can go here to see them.
Leaders Agree that Special Session to Deal with Budget Will Take Place
- There seems at this point almost no question that the General Assembly will call themselves into special session to deal with the budget.
- Leadership on both sides of the aisles, and the Governor’s office have been meeting to attempt to come up with a budget that can pass, but have not had any success.
- The reality is that the enormity of the challenge facing them and the fact that the political dynamics of the General Assembly – closer numbers between D’s and R’s in the House and a 18 – 18 tie in the State Senate, has made getting to a majority of votes very very difficult.
- In fact during the Committee process, the Appropriations Committee did not even attempt to pass a budget out of Committee – a foreshadowing of what was to come.
- So the next real deadline that we have to look towards is June 30th, which is when the current fiscal year ends. If Legislature does not pass a budget by then it will be long hot summer and even possible into the fall before a budget is passed.
Other News and Notes from the State Capitol
- It has been an interesting session this year to say the least. The Republicans gained a number of seats in the State House of Representatives and therefore have a lot more influence on legislation and flow of business in the House.
- Meanwhile in the State Senate, there is a tie – 18 D’s and 18 R’s – and the result is a lot of hurry up and waiting, while the two parties try to work out what bills will be called and when.
- And while, technically in the Senate the D’s hold the majority because Lt. Governor https://ctmirror.org/2017/01/30/a-legacy-of-debt-connecticut-standing-on-its-own-fiscal-cliff/ can break a tie, the reality of the situation is that it has been very difficult for the State Senate to conduct business and therefore not a lot of business gets done.
- That doesn’t mean members of both chambers aren’t trying to get things done – because they are and because of that we are here monitoring and lobbying for you.
- We have been able to hold off most of the bad stuff up to this point, increase in mini wage, more product stewardship legislation, real time sales tax collection, but we need to remain vigilant and will do so throughout the remainder of the session.
- We will keep you updated from here on in – including whatever happens during the special session but in the meantime, if you have any questions about what is going on at the State House, please don’t hesitate to call or email us.
- You can reach us by calling our office at 860-527-1044 or email tim@ctretailnetwork.com.
Nominate your Favorite Retailer for Retailer of the Year
- To celebrate great Connecticut retailers, we need your nominations! As CRMA moves ahead with plans for our Annual Awards Luncheon in October, we look to you for nominations of outstanding retailers to recognize with our association’s highest honors.
- Help us shine the spotlight on retail businesses that stand out in our communities, and represent the best in retail business. Past recipients include Milford Photo, Boscov’s, Munson’s Chocolates, Fleet Feet Sports, and EbLens.
- To nominate a business, send an email directly to cathy@ctretailnetwork.com