Republican state Senate candidate Bob Kolenberg responded to Malloy’s budget address by saying he was “surprised” to hear Malloy is increasing state spending.
Kolenberg is running against Democrat Carlo Leone in a Feb. 22 special election for the District 27 state senate seat (Stamford-Darien) previously held by former state Sen. Andrew McDonald.
Bob Kolenberg’s Statement in Response to Governor Malloy’s Budget Proposal
Now that we have heard from Governor Malloy and know more of the details of his budget proposal, I’m surprised to hear that he is increasing state spending by $700 million over 2 years. And at a time when families are struggling to pay their mortgages and buy groceries and businesses are having trouble keeping their doors open, why would Governor Malloy propose a budget that includes the largest tax increase in the history of the state of Connecticut? When families aren’t making as much money as they did the year before, they cutback on their spending. Yet government can’t do the same.
While the Governor’s of New York and Massachusetts are drastically reducing the cost and size of government, proposing far reaching agency reorganization and state employee pension and health care reform, Governor Malloy has proposed consolidating state agencies to save $10 million. To his credit and I hope he succeeds, he’s seeking $2 billion in concessions from state employees but if we don’t reach that goal, I bet that taxes will continue to rise.
When I’m elected to the state senate, not only will I go to Hartford to stop this historic tax increase, I will do what this Governor and the democrats in the legislature have proven they can’t and won’t do – cut spending.