Rep. Piscopo votes against massive tax hikes, borrowing

On Monday, Aug. 31, state Rep. John Piscopo (R-Thomaston) was part of a unanimous Republican opposition to the Democrats’ huge tax-hike budget that borrows millions to paper over the state deficit without any spending cuts.

“Connecticut is on the brink of complete fiscal failure, and the Democrats’ budget does nothing but push us closer to the cliff,” said Rep. Piscopo. “Legislative Republicans have shown repeatedly that we can maintain critical programs without raising taxes, and killing employment recovery efforts.”   

The Democratic refusal to cut spending forced the state to borrow nearly $1 billion for the 2009 fiscal year and $1.3 billion for the next two. The Democrats put a planned sales tax cut in jeopardy and refused to eliminate the state death tax, as Gov. Jodi Rell had suggested in her latest budget proposal. All House Republicans voted against the Democratic plan because it raises $1 billion in taxes, creates huge budget holes and relies on at least $5.2 billion in borrowing and one-shot revenues.

In addition to the $1 billion tax hike the Democrats raided the Rainy Day Account for $1.4 billion and count on one-time $1.5 billion in federal stimulus funds. 

Republicans have offered alternative No Tax Hike budgets three times with significant spending cuts, but preserved critical social services programs, maintained aid to towns and cities and schools to mitigate against local property tax hikes.     

There were others reasons for voting against the Democratic plan:

• It delays the proposed sales tax cut from 6 percent to 5.5 percent and would eliminate it altogether next year depending on revenue projections;
• It claims spending cuts of $380 million but only $180 million is realistic;
• It does not eliminate the death tax but raises the highest tax rates on family estates.