Rep. Bill Aman supports Gov. Rell’s budget proposal

Nearly two-dozen state agencies would be eliminated or absorbed into others and the budget would relieve towns and cities of millions in unfunded mandates.

Rep. Aman applauded the Governor’s proposal to not raise taxes and reduce the cost of government to bridge the projected multi-billion budget deficit over the next two years.

“As a former mayor of South Windsor and as the ranking members of the legislature’s planning and development committee, I am very pleased that the Governor realizes the hindrance that unfunded mandates place on towns and municipalities in Connecticut,” said Rep. Aman.

Relief from unfunded mandates, such as delaying costly in-school suspension rules and treating young offenders separately as juveniles, has been previously proposed by House Republicans. At least 400 current state positions that are currently unfilled would be eliminated under the plan.

Numerous governmental consolidations in the Governor’s proposed budget have been put forth that will reduce the state bureaucracy including:

• Combining certain functions of higher education and the state education department;
• Re-ordering the functions of numerous departments within Legislative Management that is responsible for running the state Capitol;
• Eliminating 400 vacant state positions and cutting at least another 400 through consolidations;
• Anticipating $550 million in cost-saving measures from public sector employee unions, which could mean possibly offering early retirement to those who qualify to reduce state payroll.

State Rep. Bill Aman represents South Windsor in the General Assembly.