Senate Leadership
February 7, 2007
Williams on Governor’s Budget: Encouraging on Education, Terribly Inadequate on Health Care
“We need to do more to reform the health care system, not subsidize the existing system”
Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) today reacted to Governor Rell's budget address by saying her focus on education funding is a positive first step, but her commitment to health care in Connecticut is insufficient and inadequate.
"Governor Rell gave us a good starting point for this budget process by committing the state to properly and fairly funding local education- something that Democrats have been advocating for years," Sen. Williams said. "There are still plenty of questions to be answered as we work through the budget process. But it is an encouraging start."
Sen. Williams was not impressed with the governor's commitment to health care. "The governor's commitment to health care reform is woefully inadequate," he said. "What she is proposing amounts to a state subsidy to the private managed-care companies. It does not ensure coverage, and even if fully implemented, would reach only a fraction of the uninsured."
Added Sen. Williams, "We will continue to push our Health First Connecticut plan because it is real reform of the health care system by moving toward a state Medicare-for-all type model. At the same time, it immediately insures up to 40 percent of those without health insurance by expanding our existing programs for children and adults. It also stabilizes the health care system while increasing access to care by dramatically increasing rates paid to hospitals, dentists and other providers. The governor's approach falls short."
Sen. Williams said the budget process will continue in earnest with the legislature's Appropriations and Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committees working on the next biennium spending package.
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Senator Williams’ Larry Cook |
Listing of Leadership’s recent press releases. |
Senator Looney’s Larry Cook |
