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Governor Rell has called a special session of the General Assembly for Friday to allocate the budget surplus to winter heating assistance programs. With gasoline at or near $4 a gallon and home heating oil at about $5 a gallon and staple food prices on the rise, many middle-class families are expected to face severe financial struggles. The Governor is also proposing substantial increases in heating aid for low-income, elderly and other vulnerable households, as well as assistance for nonprofits that provide direct human services and relief to cities and towns for the costs of heating classrooms. “All of our surrounding states and more than a quarter of the states across the country are dealing with deficits – many of them running into the hundreds of millions of dollars and even into the billions of dollars,” Governor Rell said. “At the same time, families all over the nation are coping with unprecedented pressures from the endless spiral of energy, food and gasoline prices. With this special session we will be doing our best to try and ease some of that burden though carefully targeted financial relief. “The national economy remains in a slump,” the Governor noted. “We must do everything in our power to keep our state well-positioned to succeed when the inevitable uptick begins – and that includes taking action now to prevent families from sliding off an economic precipice by being overwhelmed by everyday expenses. Using this small surplus now to provide heating aid is not only a necessary step for simple human needs, it is a wise investment in our state’s economic future.” Since the spring, Governor Rell has taken a number of critical steps to reduce state spending. She instructed commissioners and other agency chiefs to review their expenditures and stop all non-essential spending, and directed them to begin a ban on out-of-state travel by all personnel unless the trip is paid for out of non-state funds. The Governor also ordered budget rescissions of 3 percent to 5 percent at many state agencies. The rescissions will reduce General Fund expenditures by a net total of about $104.2 million. She has told legislative leaders she will need their assistance in finding further spending cuts. Governor Rell’s budget office, the Office of Policy and Management, today also provided its first look of the budget picture for the current fiscal year, which began July 1. Although the data represents only the first month of the new budget year, it shows revenues falling short of projections and a potential shortfall of more than $145 million. The Governor called the outlook “precarious.” “Even with the budget rescissions and cost-control measures I have ordered, we are still gravely concerned about the shortfall in revenues compared with what we expected,” the Governor said. “We will have a much clearer idea of the current budget picture once we get to the end of the first quarter and see how withholding and sales tax revenues come in when compared with our expectations. Either way, this is an issue we will be watching very closely in the months to come.” © Copyright by NorwalkPlus.com. Some articles and pictures posted on our website, as indicated by their bylines, were submitted as press releases and do not necessarily reflect the position and opinion of NorwalkPlus.com, Norwalk Plus magazine, Canaiden LLC or any of its associated entities. Articles may have been edited for brevity and grammar. Related Articles: Green Party candidates excluded from debates - Sep 23, 2008 - 6:25 PM South Norwalk Railroad station renovation project underway - Sep 23, 2008 - 1:17 PM Governor Rell: Projected budget deficit climbs to more than $300 million - Sep 22, 2008 - 6:11 PM Governor Rell writes congressional leadership urging action on second federal stimulus package - Sep 18, 2008 - 1:58 PM Governor Rell: Added LIHEAP funds ‘more than welcome’ – but still more required - Sep 17, 2008 - 1:27 PM CURRENT HEADLINES: Top of Page
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