FROM THE NEWSROOM: With predictions of billion-dollar shortfalls widespread throughout the state of Connecticut, Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman claims the situation is not as dire as many residents believe. Wyman Wednesday appeared on the WINY Talk Show, saying that when she and Governor Malloy were elected the state had a $3.6 billion deficit, but as of this year the state is seeing a $40 million surplus. So why are people predicting a deficit? Wyman said many are only looking at the budgets gross numbers, and said she and the governor have never passed a 6 or 7% increase, instead increasing the budget by 2 or 3%; keeping this in mind, she does not look at anything she would call a “deficit” in Connecticuts near future. Wyman also denied public suspicion that funding to municipalities would be cut by the state, citing a history of funding towns at the same level and, in many cases, increasing education funding. While Wyman acknowledged spending and bonding need to be decreased, she said there will always be projects which need bonding, and cutting bonding too much would hurt towns; she also said the state needs to grow its manufacturing and job market. The Lt. Governor said while many Connecticut residents are demanding for more jobs, she is of the understanding that for the past couple decades before Malloys administration there was no job growth in the state, but in the past four years 55,000 jobs have been introduced into the private sector. Tune in for the full report.
Posted on: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 11:31:47 +0000