The General Assembly's Appropriations Committee may vote as soon as next Thursday, March 25, on changes to the biennial budget for FY 10-11.

Although members of the Democratic caucus have spoken against cuts in municipal aid, the Committee is under intense pressure to make cuts in order to address a deficit in next year's budget that may be as high as $1.2 billion.

If cuts are on the table, municipal aid programs are at risk: municipal aid is one of the big "cost centers" in the budget, along with Medicare and Corrections. When state budget cutting begins in earnest, municipal aid is in danger.

It is unlikely that any reductions will be proposed for ECS, as any such cuts would cause the State to lose ARRA funding. That means other aid programs are in the most peril – Pequot-Mohegan grants, PILOTs, Special Education, and smaller grants such as School Transportation.

Governor Rell's recent "deficit mitigation" plan proposed $45 million in unspecified cuts in municipal aid for next fiscal year – potentially providing cover for legislators inclined to support cuts. The Democratic caucus is split on budget-cutting related issues. A strong response from municipal officials can take municipal aid off the table.

Call members of your delegation who serve on the Appropriations Committee, right away. (See the attached membership list.) Tell them:

• Municipalities have already absorbed $100 million in cuts this biennium.
• Local governments have made the tough decisions: to cutback services, raise property taxes, negotiate reduced benefits and even lay-off employees.
• Cuts in municipal aid equal property tax increases.

Also, please attend CCM's "Municipal Action Day" on March 23, from 9:30 to 12:25 on the second floor of the Legislative Office Building (room 2E). Talk there with legislative leaders, gubernatorial candidates... and your own delegations.

Please contact Jim Finley (jfinley@ccm-ct.org) or Gian-Carl Casa (gcasa@ccm-ct.org) of CCM with any questions.