Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont expects $625 million in municipal bonding to be approved by the General Assembly by March 6 ”“ funding that Republican Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano said had “been held hostage for far too long.”
Lamont made the remarks after meeting with leaders of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, which represents all 169 of the state”™s cities and towns, and the Council of Small Towns, which has 115 members.
While the governor openly wondered whether the General Assembly would approve the full $1.5 billion bonding package, which includes funds for cities and towns and for larger state projects, that he announced in early February ”“ “I”™d like them to do the whole bond bill,” he said ”“ he expressed confidence that the $625 million municipal aid package could be approved by March 6.
Following that approval, Lamont said he would convene a Bond Commission meeting to release $60 million in Town Aid Road, $30 million in Local Capital Improvement Program, and $60 million in additional municipal grants. Delayed since July 1, as Lamont sought approval for his highway tolls plan, the state funds are used by the state”™s 169 municipalities for various infrastructure-related projects.
The remainder of the $625 million consists of $475 million in bonding for municipal school construction projects.
State Democrats and Republicans have both spoken in favor of releasing the funds, though Fasano tempered his approval.
“While I find it very hard to believe that Gov. Lamont and Democrat leaders are anywhere close to agreeing on a full bonding package, what I do know is that funding for towns and cities has been held hostage for far too long and needs to be released,” he said.
“Municipalities have only four months left to their budgets,” Fasano said. “They were promised state funding, they budgeted for those funds, they are still waiting and time is running out.
“Everyone agrees on the municipal aid,” he said. “There’s no reason towns and cities should have to wait any longer. We should act on the municipal aid package as soon as possible.”
Lamont is a typical Democrat, when you can’t raise (in his case) tolls, then borrow the money and let the next generation pay for it.