There has been a lot of talk this week at the capitol about how best and how quickly to address the current, 2009 state budget deficit of plus/minus $300 million.
But the real action is not required by law to begin until state Comptroller Nancy Wyman enters the fray on October 1 and officially certifies the amount of the deficit.
“As you know, every month we write to the comptroller and tell her the financial situation of the state,” Jeffrey Beckham, spokesman for the governor’s budget office, said. “And she at the first of every month puts out her own letter back to us saying ‘I agree or disagree’.”
On Thursday the budget office estimated the deficit stands at around $302 million.
The state’s non-partisan office of fiscal analysis had a bit lower number — $293 million.
Beckham said Wyman on Oct. 1 could certify something else entirely. But as long as her deficit equals one percent or more of the $18 billion budget, Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell will be required within 30 days to submit a mitigation plan for the Democrat-majority General Assembly’s consideration.
Beckham said work on the plan has already begun.
The Republican minority on Thursday urged Democrats to join with them and Rell in devising a plan, rather than allowing the Governor to shoulder the burden and attacking her for proposed cuts before election day.
