Gov. Ned Lamont (D-CT) proposed a two year state budget including $29,501,537 in increased municipal aid for New Britain.
On Wednesday, Gov. Lamont presented the state legislature with his proposed budget for the two budget years that start on July 1, 2021 and continue until June 30, 2023.
Gov. Lamont’s budget increases aid to New Britain by passing on federal COVID-19 relief aid to cities and towns. In his budget address Wednesday, Gov. Lamont said, “we will continue to maintain our commitment to the educational cost sharing formula, with additional monies provided by federal resources, so every kid gets the best opportunity at the starting line of life, regardless of zip code.”
Rep. Bobby Sanchez (D-25) and Sen. Rick Lopes (D-6) had earlier announced that New Britain schools are to receive $22,902,450 in federal “ESSER II” stimulus funding to address the educational challenges because of the COVID-19 crisis.
“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted students across Connecticut, especially those who are facing housing insecurity or have limited internet access,” Sen. Lopes said earlier in February. “These relief funds will provide students with needed support and give schools resources to close gaps in educational opportunity the pandemic has widened.”
“Thank you to the Connecticut federal delegation for securing this funding and advocacy for the needs of our state’s future leaders and innovators,” Sen. Lopes said.
Gov. Lamont added that, “as promised two years ago, Connecticut has implemented a teacher recruitment program with an emphasis on hiring more teachers of color, which is now approaching 10 percent statewide. We still have a long way to go.”
“In order to ensure that Connecticut emerges from the pandemic with a stable, nation-leading system of early childhood education,” Gov. Lamont said, “we put our money where our mouths are and invested over $125 million in state, federal and philanthropic funds over the last year alone. And state subsidies for childcare hold down the costs for our working families, allowing them to get back to work.”
Gov. Lamont also proposed that the city of New Britain will receive $6,599,087 in special state aid, as a distressed municipality. “In addition to facing increased public health and safety costs, our most distressed municipalities are also facing diminished tax bases due to tax exempt properties, and we will help them shoulder some of this burden next year by allocating an additional $100 million to 25 distressed cities and towns, on top of the projected federal support for our local municipalities.”
Gov. Lamont’s budget proposal says that, under the distressed municipalities aid, “Payments will be funded 50% from the Federal Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) and 50% from bond funds.” New Britain would receive the fourth highest grant out of the 25 municipalities eligible for the grant.
Gov. Lamont saying he is proposing even more state aid to municipal aide for future years, saying, “Our budget also includes an increase in PILOT funding – payment in lieu of taxes – funding in the out years with 50 percent coming from our cannabis revenues to further support our cities and towns.”
Gov. Lamont says, “our budget provides for the legalization of recreational marijuana,” adding that, “These additional revenues will go to distressed communities, which have been hardest hit by the war on drugs.”
In addition, Gov. Lamont says that, “I am sending a bill to the legislature to provide expanded broadband access for those communities large and small which have been left behind in the digital revolution.”
“Our budget is much more than a list of expenditures and revenues,” Gov. Lamont said. “Rather, it is a reflection of our shared values, as we are collectively deciding not only what we are funding, but why we are funding it.”
The budget proposal now goes to the state General Assembly’s budget-writing Appropriations and Finance committees for public hearings and possible changes before the full state House of Representatives and Senate consider approving the two-year state budget.
The 2021 legislative session ends on June 9th.
