FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE UNVEILS ITS BIENNIAL STATE BUDGET PLAN

HARTFORD – After 33 hours of quizzing Governor Ned Lamont’s agency heads about his proposed budget and another 60 hours of listening to public comment about it – and then dividing into 13 different bipartisan subcommittees to review all of that input  – the Democratic majority on the budget-writing Appropriations Committee today unveiled its spending plan for the next two years in Connecticut: a $49.3 billion biennial state General Fund budget plan that invests in local schools, higher education, nonprofits, criminal justice, libraries, veterans, seniors, and more.

“This is a real budget for real people in real life,” said state Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague), who is Senate Chair of the Appropriations Committee. “We’ve heard people talk about what is important to them. This is what the people of Connecticut told us they need.”

In February, Gov. Lamont proposed a $48.813 billion biennial state General Fund budget: a $23.838 billion General Fund budget for FY 2026 that increased spending 4.5% over 2025, and a $24.973 billion General Fund budget for FY 2027 that increased spending 4.8% over 2026.

Today, after months of work, Democrats on the Appropriations Committee proposed a $49.138 billion biennial General Fund budget: a $23.97 billion General Fund budget for FY 2026 that increases spending 5.1% over 2025, and a $25.168 billion General Fund budget for FY 2027 that increases spending 5.0% over 2026.

The governor’s FY 26 proposed budget is at the state spending cap, while the Democrats’ FY26 budget is one-half of 1 percent (0.5%) over the state spending cap.

The Democrats’ budget varies from Governor Lamont’s in several respects, including (for example):

-$280.95 million more for UCONN, the Connecticut State Colleges and University system, and the UCONN Health Center

-$40 million more for the state Dept. of Higher Education, primarily for increased scholarships and student loan forgiveness

-$40 million more in special education funding for K-12 schools

-Maintains $26.2 million in ECS funding for towns that are ‘overfunded’ under the new, stricter ECS formula

-$19 million for non-profits providing state services

-$15.65 million more for the state Dept. of Correction

-Restores $12.9 million for various arts, culture, and tourism grants

-$8.27 million more for the Division of Criminal Justice, including 20 new employees by 2027

-Rejects increasing bus fares and fees, saving commuters $6.175 million

-$2.75 million in funding for various tourism grants

-Maintains $2 million in funding for CT Grown for CT Kids

-Maintains $1 million in funding for fish hatcheries

-$577,000 for state Dept. of Veterans’ Affairs advocacy and assistance

-Maintains $500,000 funding in both FY 26 and FY 27 for various non-profit library programs

-Maintains $384,000 in funding for the Fall Prevention Program in the state Dept. of Aging

-53 new employees in the Public Defender’s Office

-13 new employees in the Secretary of State’s office

The Appropriations Committee and the governor’s budgets will now form the basis for budget negotiations between the Executive and Legislative branches over the next six weeks before the General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn for the year on Wednesday, June 4.