House Republican Press Release

November 25, 2008

Press Office: 860-240-8700

REPS. CARSON, GIEGLER: MUCH WORK REMAINS TO ADDRESS DEFICIT

State Reps. Mary Ann Carson (R-108) and Janice Giegler (R-138) today said much work remains to address the projected $300 million state deficit. The General Assembly met in a Special Session on Monday, November 24 to approve legislation to reduce the deficit by approximately $71 million.

Reps. Carson and Giegler voted in favor of a series of amendments to further reduce the deficit during the session that were rejected largely along party lines, including:

· Combining six commissions within the Capitol into one to save an estimated $4 million;

· Reducing by half the taxpayer-financed political campaigns to save $8 million;

· Offering state workers early retirement to save $130 million in the next fiscal year;

· Doubling the amount of spending cuts the governor can make without legislative approval.

“For the first time since the state income tax was enacted in 1991, the Legislature choose not to make adjustments to the biennial budget this spring,” said Rep. Carson, who joined House and Senate Republican colleagues in supporting a proposal to reduce spending at that time, which was also defeated along party lines. “We are now seeing the results of ignoring that responsibility. The longer we wait to take action on making substantial reductions to the deficit, the more it is going to hurt taxpayers throughout the state.”

“The action we took on Monday amounts to putting a band aid on a situation that calls for major surgery,” said Rep. Giegler. “The state has to do what any business or household would do during tough times and cut back on spending. There were valid proposals to really make a difference in that regard and the fact they were defeated show just how many legislators would rather increase taxes in the most heavily taxed state in the nation.”