State budget talks ended abruptly at about 11 p.m. Thursday, when House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz (D-Berlin) told his caucus of 79 members that he was postponing a vote after spending most of the day trying to sway reluctant fellow Democrats to approve the party”™s latest budget proposal.
The Senate was expected to convene at noon today to take up the issue, while House leaders have indicated to their members that they should be available for a 5 p.m. vote if the budget is approved by the Senate.
Passage of a state budget, now some 10 weeks overdue, would avoid the spending cuts that would take effect on Oct. 1 with Gov. Dannel Malloy”™s executive order.
Earlier Thursday, before the talks collapsed, Malloy issued a statement saying the Democrats”™ budget proposal “appears to be a balanced and responsible compromise.”
“The urgency of the present moment cannot be overstated,” the governor said.
