CT budget trouble taxing on residents

Hartford (WTNH) - The state’s latest budget troubles have some people raising questions. Could efforts to close the deficit mean some higher taxes?

On Thanksgiving eve, Governor Jodi Rell called lawmakers back to Hartford on December 15th to address a $466 million hole in the new state budget. One of her proposed solutions is an $84 million cut to the state’s cities and towns; this is0 something everyone in state government had agreed not to do because it would be too much of a burden on already heavily burdened local property tax payers.

A CCM Radio Ad could be heard on across he airwaves, Monday: “Do the math. Cuts in aid to your hometown equal increases in you property taxes. Another special legislative session is on the way and it is time for local property taxpayers to be heard.”

With the help of the state, your property taxes pay for schools and other local services services that are already stretched.

“They’re going to have to cut more employees, cut back services and some will have to issue supplemental property tax bills,” said James Finley, CEO of CT Conference of Municipalities.

This means that if state government renegs on this promise you could end up getting another property tax bill from your city or town hall.

The Speaker of the House said there is not much support for making those cuts to the towns.

“This is the shock to them and they would have to find ways to deal with providing funding for their schools and services,” said State Representative Chris Donovan.

The Republican leader in the House, who is expected to announce he’s running for Governor in the next few weeks, said he opposed to it as well.

“Speaker Donovan can complain about it as I understand but what’s the alternative? We’ve run out of tax increases, we’ve run out of gimmicks, we’ve run out of borrowing. We need to cut spending,” said Larry Cafero, leader of the Connecticut House Republicans.