Cathy Osten: Which Rolling Stones' Song Sums up CT Budget?

"As it now stands, the state budget for 2026-27 will be devastating to Connecticut residents.

​It literally keeps me awake at night worrying about it. I spent 33 hours in February quizzing the governor's agency heads about his proposed budget, then spent another 60 hours listening to public comments about it during the public hearings we held in the Appropriations Committee.

None of what I heard was upbeat, sexy, or about getting what you want; the overarching public message to legislators was, "You don't realize the crisis we're in." Like "Ruby Tuesday," the next state budget is about people losing their dreams and life being unkind.

Our slavish devotion to Connecticut's fiscal guardrails and the constant financial threats from Washington D.C. - along with whatever collateral damage the federal administration is now causing to the national economy ensured this.

I recently said Connecticut's next budget would be shaped by our fiscal guardrails, our lack of federal ARPA funds, and the federal government's unceasing desire to inflict pain on America. All of this still holds true, but after going through the governor's proposed budget with a fine-toothed comb, I've grown even more alarmed.

The mental health crisis line that police and social workers staff isn't funded at all in the governor's budget. Volunteer firefighters won't be paid anymore for calls on highways. Tourism, an $18 billion industry in Connecticut - has been cut $8 million. Summer youth programs have been cut, as has a farm-to-school food program. Local health department funding has been reduced by 10%. A student loan program is down $6 million. Our technical schools aren't properly funded, nor are state library deaf and blind programs. There's not enough staff in the Department of Revenue Services. Senior food vouchers and cold weather shelter funding have been reduced.

All of this and more is the granular budget detail that you rarely hear or read about, but which is the meat and potatoes of being an Appropriations Committee member. We've got 13 subcommittees meeting right now studying everything from state auditors to housing, the medical examiner, retirement costs, consumer protection, energy, agriculture, transportation and veterans - everything a $52 billion, two-year state budget is paying for right now but which it may or may not be paying for on July 1."
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