By Bobby Berriault
I write in strong support of Governor Malloy’s proposed state budget for FY 18 and FY 19. His budget calls for increasing state aid to New Britain by $24.2 million over the course of the next two years over what we currently receive. His proposal allows municipalities like New Britain to add hospitals to their grand lists which would generate an additional $212.2 million in revenue per year for cities and towns like New Britain. While this mean’s hospitals will pay municipalities $212.2 in property taxes, the governor’s proposal also provides hospitals $250 million in state funding for hospitals to offset the proposed property tax liabilities. The Governor’s proposed budget also reforms the formula for education cost sharing grant money, ensuring economically impoverished communities such as ours receive substantially more funding for our schools, more funding for special education services, and more nutritional and health care options for children and low income earning adults alike.
In short, Governor Malloy’s proposed budget ensures that every child in our state has the same opportunities to succeed regardless of what zip code they live in and every community is on solid financial footing to succeed, regardless if that community is New Britain or Greenwich. As the Governor reminded us in his budget address which I was honored to be in attendance for, we are one Connecticut and our small towns cannot succeed unless our cities are also in a position to succeed. More jobs and opportunities for New Britain residents only means more jobs and opportunities for residents of Newington, Berlin, Farmington, and Plainville. We will undoubtedly succeed as a state together or we fail together. It’s that simple.
As a candidate for Common Council, I pledge to fight every day to the best of my ability to ensure that the needs of the residents of New Britain are fully met. It’s not right that children are denied a world class education based on their zip code. It’s not fair that we have thousands of people in our community who are struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table, while just a few miles away affluent towns are getting generous amounts of state aid that they really don’t need in the first place. It’s time to work towards closing the wealth gap in our state which is the worst in our nation. To that end, I support the Governor’s proposed budget because New Britain deserves a equitable share of state and federal funding so that all of us can have equal opportunities to succeed.
Editor’s Note: Bobby Berriault is an announced Democratic candidate for City Council.
