Rell: Legislature's Help Needed for Deficit-Fighting Measures
Governor M. Jodi Rell, Monday, said she has essentially cut all she can from the state's budget, without the help of lawmakers. Rell says she's trimmed roughly $176 million from the state budget. However, the governor says she has exhausted her statutory authority to make recisions to the state budget, and says lawmakers must help her find additional savings.
Rell says the legislature is not expected to act on a deficit reduction plan until at least Nov. 18th, when the Finance and Appropriations committees receive an update on the state budget. Rell has 30 days to present the plan to the legislature, after Comptroller Nancy Wyman reported last week that the projected deficit has is at least one percent of the state's total budget.
The latest estimates show Connecticut's budget deficit at roughly $300 million, however Governor Rell says that does not reflect any of the recent turmoil on Wall Street.
