No Budget Deal To Start Fiscal Year
http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-ct-budget-0701.artjul01,0,3044760.story
By JON LENDER
The Hartford Courant
July 1, 2009
Gov. M. Jodi Rell said Tuesday that she has signed an executive order to keep state government running when the new fiscal year begins today without a new budget enacted.
The order provides specific dollar allotments to state agencies for the month of July so that they can keep functioning.
A new executive order would be issued if August approaches without Rell’s negotiating a budget settlement with the Democratic legislative leaders who control the General Assembly.
Those budget negotiations continued Tuesday without a settlement, and more discussions are planned today.
Rell said Tuesday that while the negotiations continue, “first and foremost, people should rest assured that state government will continue to operate — services will be delivered; we will care for the vulnerable and the sick; public safety and public health will be protected.”
“I remain hopeful that we will resolve the budget issues that divide us and bring an affordable, responsible budget proposal to the General Assembly for a vote in the very near future,” Rell said. “In the interim, I am taking all of the steps necessary to ensure that state government functions smoothly.”
Under the order, Rell declared that a “fiscal emergency” exists because there is no budget. The order tells agency chiefs to limit purchases to only items essential to continued operations.
“All state parks remain open, all services will continue and the public should see no change in state operations,” Rell said.
Meanwhile, municipal leaders who belong to the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities urged the budget negotiators to make a deal quickly so they can get grant payments that they need from the state.
Copyright © 2009, The Hartford Courant
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