What’s in Connecticut’s $24.2 billion proposed spending plan? Here are some highlights

A key Democratic-controlled committee voted Thursday to approve elements of Gov. Ned Lamont’s $24.2 billion budget proposal as negotiators head toward a final agreement in the coming month.

The budget-writing appropriations committee funded a wide variety of state services, including child care, workforce training, domestic violence prevention, open space, smoking cessation, government accountability and clean air, among others. The massive state budget covers everything from dental care for prison inmates to salaries for about 50,000 state employees.

But the committee cut back Lamont’s high-profile plan to reduce the car tax collectively by $160 million. Instead, lawmakers recommended $100 million for cities and towns to pay for lost tax revenues — meaning that the cut would reach towns with a mill rate of 32.46 and above. Lamont’s plan of 29 mills and above would help 103 of the 169 cities and towns but not low-mill-rate communities like Greenwich, Darien, New Canaan, and Westport. The idea will be negotiated with Lamont in the coming weeks before officials reach a final compromise.

The bill passed by 35-15 with only one Republican, Rep. Kathleen McCarty of Waterford, breaking with her party and voting with the Democrats for the measure.

Democrats said that important programs are being funded at a time when the state’s projected surplus is $1.76 billion in the current fiscal year and more than $1 billion next year. A huge influx of federal stimulus money and strong increases on Wall Street in recent years have helped lead to the largest “rainy day’' fund in state history that could reach more than $5 billion later this year if fiscal trends continue.

Republicans who voted against the budget said they were concerned about using one-time federal stimulus revenue for recurring, permanent state expenses. They said the federal money will run out, noting that the state is already looking at potential deficits of more than $1 billion as soon as the 2024 fiscal year after the federal funding expires.

The committee approved a budget of $24.164 billion, which is $13 million less than Lamont’s proposed $24.2 billion proposal, which represents a 2.4% spending increase. Both proposals remain slightly below the annual spending cap — a level established by both Republicans and Democrats in a bipartisan agreement in 2017.

During the committee’s meeting Thursday, the discussion quickly switched to funding for law enforcement due to increasing crime in some parts of the state.

State Sen. Craig Miner, a Litchfield Republican, called for more funding in the state’s general fund on a permanent basis, rather than using temporary federal funding that will expire. He specifically cited the case of Sen. Gary Winfield, whose New Haven home was hit by bullets Monday night as a shooter and his intended target were passing by, police said. Winfield reportedly needed to scramble to get his children down on the floor so that they would not be struck by gunfire.

“I think most of the people in Connecticut think it’s a very serious problem,’' Miner said. “We know what’s going on, and we think we should be appropriating money there. ... This budget should reflect ongoing financial effort when it comes to law enforcement.’'

Rep. Toni Walker, a New Haven Democrat who co-chairs the committee, said that sending more convicted criminals to prison is not the answer.

“Our urban cities have been addressing this for quite some time,’' Walker said. “We realize these need to be addressed right away.’'

Miner countered, “We need increased enforcement. Folks need to be managing the violence and the crime. ... This isn’t about incarceration. This budget has increases in forensics. It’s not the only thing to deter crimes. ... It should be an increase in the general fund of the budget, not the [federal] funds.’'

Winfield said he decided to speak because his name had been mentioned.

“The discussion is largely focused on whether we do more after a crime has been committed,’' Winfield said. “An incident like what happened at my home — the police are on it.’'

Winfield became emotional when he said it would have been a different situation “if those bullets had been in a slightly different place.’'

The recommendations by the budget committee and a day earlier by the tax committee will essentially re-set the table for the final negotiations between Lamont and the legislature. The General Assembly is facing a deadline of May 4 for the regular session, and negotiators will be scrambling to finish the budget and various tax reductions before that date.

Sen. Cathy Osten, a Sprague Democrat, crafted much of the budget with Walker, her fellow co-chairwoman. She described the detailed document as “a COVID-relief budget’' that provides funding for scores of departments and agencies.

“This is a good budget that uses public policy to address all of the issues that have affected Connecticut residents over the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Osten said. “We dealt with a variety of issues in this budget that are real in Connecticut and that are going to make people’s lives better.”

Some of the highlights cited by Osten include:

• $74 million for wage increases for child care employees

• $72 million for nonprofits who deliver services under contracts with the state

• $15 million for renovations and new construction of childcare centers

• $14 million to help prevent domestic violence

• $12 million to help smokers quit

• $10 million to incentivize small businesses to buy electric vehicles

• $7 million to provide mental health services at 36 school-based health centers

• $2 million for Project Longevity to reduce gun and gang violence

• $2 million for the Secretary of the State in an attempt to reduce disinformation in elections

• $1.4 million for a manufacturing pipeline in eastern Connecticut help Electric Boat to fill needed positions in building submarines

• $1.25 million for a study of gambling

• $1 million to help resettle refugees in Connecticut

• $454,000 for five positions at the State Contracting Standards Board after opposition by Lamont

Walker, who co-chairs the committee with Osten, said legislators have been under pressure from a wide variety of constituencies who have been asking for more money.

“Education funding - we’ve been told over and over again that it’s not enough,’' Walker said. “We are in a very tight situation. It’s important to understand that helping people with federal dollars is the best thing that we can do’' in the short term. “We’re taking care of so many people. This becomes a hard task to balance to make sure that everybody gets covered.’'

Lamont proposed $1.825 billion for the once-troubled Special Transportation Fund that is now projecting a surplus, while the committee says spending should increase by $646 million to $1.826 billion for the next fiscal year.

Citing a growing need, the committee called for increased funding for 18 positions at domestic violence shelters across the state.

Education

Sen. Heather Somers, a Groton Republican, questioned why additional funding was not set aside for three new Alliance districts, which indicate Connecticut’s lowest-performing schools. Statewide, 33 communities are designated as Alliance districts, including Enfield, Plainfield, and Stratford that were recently placed on the state education department’s list. Three towns - Norwalk, Groton and Winchester - performed better and were taken off the list.

Lawmakers responded that Alliance is a classification that does not immediately guarantee increased funding, although it prevents any cuts under a policy to maintain funding at least at current levels.

“It does protect you from losing any money,’' said Sen. Doug McCrory, a Hartford Democrat and longtime educator.

Judges’ salaries

Rep. Cara Pavalock-D’Amato, a Bristol Republican, questioned a proposed one-time raise of 5% for judges, which would cost $2.2 million in the next fiscal year.

“I hate to say this, having to go in front of them,’' said Pavalock-D’Amato, an attorney. “I have a hard time with some of those numbers with the other things we’re trying to fund.’'

Some pleased, some not

Some advocacy groups were happy with the vote. Gian Carl Casa, president of a non-profit alliance that provides services, says providers should receive an 8% increase after years of flat funding.

“In the face of enormous pressure to fund other line items while not exceeding the spending cap, the committee leadership heard the concerns of nonprofits and prioritized their needs,’' he said. “We will work to protect these gains and advocate for an adopted budget that ensures providers of all types receive an eight percent increase to help them survive rising costs, a workforce crisis and increasing demand for their services.”

AARP hailed the recommendations, saying they would help the elderly to remain in their homes if a frail spouse needs to enter a nursing home. That would be accomplished by increasing the minimum protected asset limit to $50,000, up sharply from the current federal minimum of $27,480.

The committee budget would also expand the Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders, which is designed to help the elderly to remain at home instead of going to a nursing home.

Others were not as pleased.

“We are disappointed that the appropriations committee has not proposed any increase in funding for the state’s five Independent Living Centers, despite supporting a wide range of other community-based nonprofits,’' said Sharon Heddle, chairwoman of an association of centers. “With demand growing every year and stagnant funding since we were established in 1987, flat funding at $766,000 per year limits our ability to serve the community.’'

Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@courant.com.