Retiring Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell and the Democratic-majority General Assembly are at odds over how to fund an anticipated, $33 million shortfall in Connecticut’s low income heating/energy assistance program due to a drop off in federal funds.
With the state already in the red by an estimated $3.4 billion, Rell has refused to borrow the money.
This afternoon her office suggested $38.8 million worth of cuts, which I cut and pasted below, for legislators to consider.
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| Agency | Program/Account | Amount | |
| Office of Legislative Management | Flag Restoration Account | $50,000 | |
| Office of Legislative Management | Minor Capitol Improvements Account | $125,000 | |
| Office of Legislative Management | Redistricting | $397,500 | |
| Office of Legislative Management | Constituent mail | $582,000 | |
| Office of Legislative Management | Stationery | $86,500 | |
| Office of Legislative Management | Legislative expense stipends | $877,500 | |
| Elections | Remove reimbursements (including mileage) and board payments effective 12/1 (needs statute change) | $16,000 | |
| Ethics | Remove reimbursements (including mileage) and board payments effective 12/1 (needs statute change) | $34,000 | |
| Freedom of Information | Remove reimbursements (including mileage) and board payments effective 12/1 (needs statute change) | $6,500 | |
| Department of Administrative Services | Remove reimbursements (including mileage) and board payments effective 12/1 (needs statute change) | $110,000 | |
| Judicial | Suspend Mileage Reimbursement Payments to Judges | $400,000 | |
| Judicial | Eliminate funding for Criminal Justice Initiative effective 4/1/11 | $1,372,910 | |
| Judicial | Eliminate Remainder of Children of Incarcerated Parents funding | $175,000 | |
| CT Commission on Culture and Tourism (CCT) | Reduce line-item arts grants by 50% of unallotted | $2,041,405 | |
| CT Commission on Culture and Tourism (CCT) | Reduce Basic Cultural Resources Grant by 50% of unallotted | $531,912 | |
| CT Commission on Culture and Tourism (CCT) | Reduce Tourism District Funding by 50% of unallotted | $327,624 | |
| Department of Education | Community Plans for Early Childhood (SID 12495) | $128,250 | |
| Department of Education | Improving Early Literacy (SID 12496) | $150,000 | |
| Department of Education | Parent Trust Fund Program (SID 12506) | $150,000 | |
| Department of Education | Transportation of School Children (SID 17027) | $4,700,000 | |
| Department of Education | Health and Welfare Services Private Pupils (SID 17034) | $4,277,500 | |
| Department of Education | Non-Public Transportation (SID 17049) | $3,995,000 | |
| CT State Library | Eliminate funding for Grants to Public Libraries | $347,109 | |
| CT State Library | Eliminate Connecticard payments | $1,226,028 | |
| Department of Higher Education | Eliminate Kirklyn Kerr Veterinary Program | $220,000 | |
| Department of Higher Education | Eliminate Health and Education Program | $522,500 | |
| Department of Economic and Community Development | Small Business Incubator Program | $492,548 | |
| Department of Economic and Community Development | CCAT-CT Manufacturing Supply Chain | $320,000 | |
| Office of Workforce Competitiveness | Spanish American Merchants Association | $246,665 | |
| Dept. of Information Technology | Cut upgrade and equipment money for Connecticut Education Network | $200,000 | |
| Department of Transportation | Cut balance of Tweed-New Haven Airport grant | $1,000,000 | |
| Department of Transportation | Cancel Shoreline East Expanded train service 1/1/11 | $500,000 | |
| Department of Transportation | Eliminate Branch Line Train Service (Waterbury, New Canaan, Danbury) 4/1/11 | $5,000,000 | |
| Office of Policy and Management | Suspend LEAP | $850,000 | |
| Office of Policy and Management | Suspend Neighborhood Youth Centers | $1,487,000 | |
| Office of Policy and Management | Suspend Remaining Payments to Regional Planning Agencies | $110,000 | |
| Office of Policy and Management | Reduce Payment for PILOT MM&E | $4,790,000 | |
| Department of Environmental Protection | Suspend Reimbursement to the Underground Storage Tank Program | $2,000,000 | |
| Department of Environmental Protection | Suspend Further purchase of product and mosquito mitigation activities | $100,000 | |
| Department of Environmental Protection | Suspend Payment for Lobster Restoration | $200,000 | |
| Department of Correction | Distance Learning | $10,000 | |
| Department of Correction | Children of Incarcerated Parents | $110,000 | |
| Department of Correction | Reduce Inmate Medical Services payments by amount of FY10 balance | $3,100,000 | |
| Fire Protection Commission | Fire Training School – Willimantic | $40,450 | |
| Fire Protection Commission | ” – Torrington | $20,342 | |
| Fire Protection Commission | ” – New Haven | $12,091 | |
| Fire Protection Commission | ” – Derby | $9,285 | |
| Fire Protection Commission | ” – Wolcott | $25,040 | |
| Fire Protection Commission | ” – Fairfield | $17,599 | |
| Fire Protection Commission | ” – Hartford | $42,334 | |
| Fire Protection Commission | ” – Middletown | $14,763 | |
| Fire Protection Commission | Payments to Volunteer Fire Companies | $26,250 | |
| Fire Protection Commission | ” – Stamford | $13,858 | |
| Department of Labor | 12232-Opportunity Industrial Centers | $200,000 | |
| Department of Labor | 12245-Individual Development Accounts | $95,000 | |
| Department of Labor | 12327-STRIDE | $308,000 | |
| Department of Labor | 12358-21st Century Jobs | $223,995 | |
| Department of Labor | 12360-Incumbent Worker Training | $225,000 | |
| Department of Labor | 12425-STRIVE | $108,000 | |
| Dept. of Mental Health and Addiction Services | Suspend research funding eff. 4/1/11 | $275,000 | |
| Department of Children and Families | Homeless youth program | $1,000,000 | |
| TOTAL | $38,889,607 |
So, a quick scan shows children taking half the hit of the proposed reductions and elminations totaling under 40 million, on a 3.5 billion nut to crack. But the officials with incomes over six figures now have to pay their own gas to work. And they wont have the the trains as an option because we are parking them after just dumping millions into upgrading the 20th century system. Somewhere, quite a few places, there is a major disconnect. If our basic life fabric shreds much further can we be facing domestic class warfare? Has it already begun? As we are begining to see on the education front. If we can’t keep ourselves healthy, our food, water and medication supply safe, have somewhere for all people to live, in peace and educate our children, how advanced of a society are we? No doubt we are at a crossroads. Will we summon the courage and conviction to boldly step forward and invest in education and infrastructure? Are there any other sane options?
People would not need heating assistance if they had good jobs!
But the ignoramouses voted in the JOB KILLERS again.
When will they learn?
NEVER!