By Kathy Kennedy
State Rep., R-119
Kathy Kennedy
Every two years, the General Assembly collaborates with the governor’s office to finalize the Connecticut state budget. The process, which begins with the governor’s budget proposal in January, invites both public insight and legislative oversight to ultimately agree on a completed version in the early summer.
What can we expect from the budget this year?
There are many steps to making a budget. Following the governor’s proposed version, legislative committees are tasked with studying and agreeing upon a version of their own to then present to legislators on the House and Senate floors. Committees such as the Appropriations Committee and Finance Committee are responsible for incorporating quality concerns and insight from public hearings in the versions they conclusively submit.
In the committee stage of the process, specific budget ingredients, known as line items, can be removed, replaced or expanded based on a committee’s collective interest. Therefore, what may be budgeted for in today’s proposal could be an afterthought tomorrow. It is important to note that any form of the proposed budget at any stage in the process can and will change.
Currently, the governor’s proposed budget from January has already experienced some changes. In April, my role on the Appropriations Committee was to vote on what we believe is the best version of the budget. My work in putting Milford and Orange first can be seen in my outline below of what funding may be a part of the finalized budget.
Concerning education and children, we could see funding for both school readiness programs and workforce development at the Milford Boys and Girls Club. For our seniors, we could expect general funding for senior centers throughout the state, specifically for the Orange Senior Center and local Meals on Wheels groups.
As a strong advocate for victims’ rights, I am hopeful that funding for domestic violence victims and shelters will be a part of the final budget. Other medical funding could go toward breast/cervical cancer treatment and detection, as well as local and district health department development.
Next, we are also hoping to see funding for our local fire departments, for the fire training school, and for the Firefighter’s Fund which supports families displaced by fires and fire safety awareness programs within our community. Other safety initiatives that may receive funding could include various mosquito and tick disease prevention programs and our local e-cigarette and marijuana safety pilot program.
Finally, another relevant institution that could see possible funding includes Platt Technical High School for their Women in Manufacturing program. Additionally, I am holding out hope for funding toward our nonprofits, especially for Milford’s Beth-El Center, which houses, feeds and serves homeless residents and families in our community.
It is essential to understand that these are only the building blocks of the proposed budget. There is still more work to be done. Although these budget ingredients will support various programs in our community, we must remember that some of this potential funding can and will change. This month, be sure to look out for our House Republican budget proposal, which will be considered by the General Assembly and will be posted on my website at RepKennedy.com.
The budget process can be strenuous and confusing, which is why I look forward to your questions about this, or any other state issue. Please never hesitate to reach out to me at Kathy.Kennedy@housegop.ct.gov or at 800-240-8700 with your questions, ideas, and concerns.