Connecticut House Democrats said they've come up with a two-year budget proposal that could be ready for a vote on July 18.
But Governor Dannel Malloy said he hasn't seen any budget proposals, and criticized the legislature for not passing a spending plan before the end of June.
The eleventh-hour, $40 billion, two-year plan would increase the state's 6.35 percent sales tax to 6.99 percent to help maintain funding to cities and towns. It would also provide municipalities with additional ways to generate local revenue and restore the local property tax credit against the personal income tax.
Democratic House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz spoke on Thursday.
“Really happy to announce that we are putting forward a two-year budget to address the many fiscal situations we're fighting in our state, but also investing in our municipalities, our hospitals, workforce development,” he said.
Aresimowicz seemed OK with Malloy in charge for the next few weeks until he can get his budget voted on.
“The governor will run the show,” he said. “We're fairly comfortable in his ability. He's the duly-elected governor of the state of Connecticut. He will not do anything to permanently damage the state. And we'll be in in less than three weeks to vote on a budget.”
But shortly after, Malloy said the budget put forth by House Democrats focuses on raising revenue, when it should instead cut spending.
"I've had enough," Malloy said. "We have a choice before us. We can either confront our challenges with urgency, or we can go home without trying."
Watch Malloy's statement below, via CT-N.
The proposal was being offered up Thursday as lawmakers grappled over whether to pass Malloy's three-month, stop-gap budget before the fiscal year ends on Friday.
Malloy expressed doubt that a budget could be passed by mid-July, and urged Connecticut residents to call their legislators and ask them why they haven't acted.
This report includes information from The Associated Press.