Rep. Hwang Works to Retain Special Education Funding

HARTFORD — On Wednesday, February 25, State Rep. Tony Hwang (R-134) supported legislation to eliminate $1.2 billion of the state’s $1.35 billion deficit. Rep. Hwang, who serves as a member of the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee, said the package is a “good start” because it retains state funding for the Towns of Fairfield and Trumbull for the current fiscal year and a change in prescription drug coverage that will save 30,000 seniors an average of $1,200 a year on prescription drug costs, while saving the state money. It makes these seniors eligible for enhanced prescription drug coverage through the federal Medicare Part D program.

Rep. Hwang said he is pleased that the House of Representatives came together in a bipartisan fashion to craft the deficit mitigation bill that was approved for the fiscal year that ends June 30, 2009. However, he cautioned that more difficult budget decisions will need to be made and encourages active community input in those decisions by emailing him at: tony.hwang@cga.ct.gov.

Rep. Hwang joined with House Republican legislators to defeat a proposed cut of special education funding for Fairfield and Trumbull that was originally included in the majority party package.

“It was impossible to consider supporting the deficit bill that was originally proposed by the majority party on Wednesday, largely because it would have resulted in a tax increase for Fairfield and Trumbull residents and negatively impacted our education and special education programs,” said Rep. Hwang. “There are several key areas where the state can implement significant savings, such as unfunded mandate relief to towns (in school suspension), municipal binding arbitration relief and allowing more private providers to provide services. I will continue to push for these measures. However, I am pleased we were able to nearly close out this fiscal year’s deficit without raising taxes and that allows us to better focus on addressing a far more dire fiscal crisis for the fiscal year that begins in July.”

Measures included in the package include:

• $168 million in savings that Republicans proposed in their own deficit mitigation proposal;
• No cuts in state aid to cities and towns;
• No tax increases;
• Limited use of the state’s rainy day fund