Looney and Duff to Fazio and Republicans: “Stop Violating the Guardrails If They’re So Precious”

HARTFORD – Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) today blasted Senate Republicans for proposing an amendment during floor debate on SB 298 that would have blown a $2.169 billion hole in the state budget and violated Connecticut’s fiscal guardrails — the very guardrails Republicans claim to hold sacred.

Senate Amendment A (LCO 2239), introduced by Senator Ryan Fazio (R-Greenwich) and supported by the entire Senate Republican caucus, would have slashed state revenues by more than $2.196 billion in Fiscal Year 2027 alone, according to a nonpartisan fiscal note from the Office of Fiscal Analysis. The amendment would have reduced personal income taxes, created a new refundable motor vehicle tax credit, eliminated professional licensing fees, and cut employee contributions to the Paid Family and Medical Leave program. This massive revenue loss did not have a single dollar identified to cover it.

“Republicans lecture us constantly about the sanctity of the guardrails, but the moment they see a chance to score political points, they’re willing to abandon them,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney. “A $2.169 billion hole in one fiscal year is stunningly irresponsible. Connecticut families deserve better than cynical and opportunistic budget gimmicks from legislators who want credit for tax cuts while refusing to accept or even acknowledge the consequences.”

“Senator Fazio and his Republican colleagues need to stop treating the guardrails like a talking point they can invoke when it’s convenient and ignore when it isn’t,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff. “Stop violating the fiscal guardrails if they are so precious. This amendment was nothing more than a campaign stunt, and the nonpartisan fiscal note makes clear exactly how reckless it was. It is curious that Senator Fazio was the first Republican to offer an amendment and speak on the bill today. While he might think this tactic gives him more air time, you can’t talk about the guardrails ad nauseam and then propose blowing past them by over $2 billion in a single year.”

The nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis found that the amendment would have resulted in a General Fund revenue loss of approximately $1.463 billion in FY 2027 from income tax reductions alone, with an additional $715 million in annual losses from a new motor vehicle tax credit. Combined with other fee eliminations, the total fiscal impact would have put the state $2.169 billion over the guardrails in FY 2027 and $1.716 billion over in FY 2028.

Connecticut’s fiscal guardrails were designed to prevent exactly this kind of irresponsible budgeting. Senate Democrats rejected the amendment and will continue to defend the state’s long-term fiscal stability.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kevin Coughlin | kevin.coughlin@cga.ct.gov | 203-710-0193