Lopes Touts New Britain Funding in State Budget

Sen. Rick Lopes (D-6) touted the newly approved state budget as increasing funding for schools, the city and programs in New Britain without raising taxes.

“I welcome that this budget recognizes the needs of the middle class, working families and schools by providing a sizable increase in funding,” Sen. Lopes said.

“A lot was accomplished,” Sen. Lopes added, “but opportunities to decrease the widening divide between the wealthy and the middle class were missed.”

The state budget was approved in the state House of Representatives on June 9, 2021 by a 116 to 31 vote. Rep. Bobby Sanchez (D-25), Rep. Peter Tercyak (D-26) and Rep. Manny Sanchez (D-24) voted in favor of the budget. While many Republican lawmakers voted in support of the budget, Rep. William Petit (R-22), whose district includes parts of New Britain, voted against it.

On later June 9th, the State Senate voted to approve the budget by a 31 to 4 vote. Sen. Lopes voted to approve it.

Lopes’ office says that, “New Britain will see its total municipal aid, which includes ECS funding, increase to close to $21 million between fiscal year 2021 and 2023, which is an over 11% jump in funding.”

“It is no secret that schools are underfunded and that students have been bearing the consequences of this lack of resources for years,” Sen Lopes said. “Schools need to have the proper resources to address the challenges that COVID-19 has raised, while pursuing the long-term goal of closing gaps in academic opportunity.”

Lopes’ office said that, “Through the budget, New Britain will receive an increase in ECS funding of over $11.73 million between fiscal years 2021 and 2023,” referring to the state’s main education grant, called the Education Cost Sharing Grant. “The city’s growth in funding represents an above 8% percent increase,” from the state Lopes’ office added.

The budget also provided substantial funding for New Britain city hall. Lopes’ office said that the budget, “keeps our promises to municipalities by fully funding the Payment-in-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILOT) formula that was passed earlier this session.”

Also, under the budget, there will be, “a 4% increase in Medicaid funding to New Britain’s Hospital for Special Care,” and, “the Prudence Crandall Center in New Britain will receive an increase of $100,000 in state funding for both fiscal years 2022 and 2023.”

The budget also, Lopes’ office says, provides, “$10 million will be appropriated in fiscal year 2022 to Batterson Park, which falls within New Britain and Farmington.”

Lopes’ office also says that the budget, “Provides $14 million in FY 22 and $15 million in FY 23 to fully implement debt-free community college. This makes community college free and accessible to all students in Connecticut and leverages federal dollars brought in by additional student enrollment to help ensure the long-term success of our community college system.’

Lopes’ office said that the budget does these things, while, “not raising taxes, remaining well under the state spending cap, and putting an extra $1 billion toward paying off Connecticut’s historically underfunded pension debt.”

The two-year, $42.46 billion state budget relies heavily on federal aid to the state, totaling $2.28 billion from the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

Editor’s note (6/16/2021): The article was updated with an addition quote from Sen. Lopes.