Editorial Roundup: New England

Hearst Connecticut Media. June 7, 2023.

Editorial: Budgets message is not so clear

Happy times have returned to Hartford. The state Senates near-unanimous approval of a two-year budget that has already cleared the House is a sign of state political leadership that is all on the same page. The never-ending forecast of deficits, which not long ago looked to be Connecticuts reality for the foreseeable future, seems like a relic of the distant past.

And there are reasons to be happy. Theres more money for K-12 education than had been expected. Funding for nonprofits and higher education is not what advocates wanted to see, but not as low as had been feared at times during budget discussions. There are investments in economic growth that could pay dividends for the state down the road.

The centerpiece is the tax cut, which could result in hundreds of dollars in savings for individuals and families. Considering how many people are one paycheck away from insolvency, and dont have any savings in case of catastrophe, that money could be the difference between getting by and not.