State budget still uncertain with no votes planned amid fiscal gridlock

From the Hartford Courant.

With the state legislature postponing a vote on the new two-year budget amid fiscal gridlock, the chances increased sharply Tuesday that the state’s finances will be run by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy through an executive order when the new fiscal year starts Saturday.

At the same time, Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney, the highest-ranking senator, called for a vote on Malloy’s “mini-budget” that would keep the state running on a short-term basis as lawmakers continue battling over the two-year budget.

On a chaotic day of fast-changing developments, both Looney and Malloy called upon House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz to reconsider his position and allow a vote on the mini-budget in order to avoid even deeper spending cuts for hospitals, municipalities and social services.

Insiders said the House Democratic majority did not have the votes to pass any budget due to disagreements on the merits and vacations of members who are out of town.

“I believe my members are less than likely to hop on planes, leave their families at vacation places all over this country and other countries to come in and do a temporary fix,” Aresimowicz told reporters. “I believe my members would do exactly that if we have a budget that moves the state of Connecticut forward … but not for a temporary fix.”

See the full story from the Hartford Courant online.