Office of Fiscal Analysis Projects $4.3 Billion in Deficits Over Next Four Years

The legislature’s nonpartisan fiscal analysts projected the state will face $4.3 billion in budget deficits over the next four years. The Office of Fiscal Analysis estimates that the state is facing a $254.4 million budget deficit in 2016 and a $552 million deficit in 2017, but the deficit grows even further to $1.7 billion in 2018 and $1.8 billion in 2019.  The OFA's deficit projections are similar to those  of OPM.   Read the entire story at CT News Junkie

Democratic Legislators Release Budget Proposal

The leaders of the legislature's Democratic majority recommended suspending the state's public-financing of elections for 2016, cutting social services, and retreating from two major initiatives on transportation and municipal aid. The suggested cuts are part of continuing negotiations with Governor Malloy and the Republican legislative minority over how to eliminate growing deficits projected for this fiscal year and the one that begins July 1.

Comptroller, Treasurer Developing Alternative State Pension Fixes

State Comptroller Kevin Lembo announced today he is developing an alternative plan to restructure Connecticut’s payments into the cash-starved pension fund for state employees.  Unlike the plan Governor Malloy offered last month in which Tier 1 pension costs would be separated from the pension fund and paid for as a pay-as-you-go budget line item, Lembo's proposal would not split the pension system into two components (Tier 1 and all others).