Concern Over Potential Loss of State Funds to Hamden

Town Officials Worried About State Union Vote

If state unions reject concessions, aid to cities and towns could be cut.

By Kathleen Ramunni | Email the author | June 23, 2011

News Wednesday that two major state unions had rejected proposed concessions aimed at closing a $1.6 million state budget gap sent shivers up the spines of local officials who fear the rejected concessions could cost town taxpayers.

Gov. Dannel Malloy crafted his 2011-12 state budget assuming the savings from the state employee unions and has said if those concessions aren't approved, thousands of state employees will receive pink slips.

But layoffs won't fill the entire budget gap, and Malloy also has said that cutting state aid to cities and towns is an option to balance the budget, something town officials said could be disasterous.

"Cuts to Hamden's state promised municipal aid would be extremely harmful toour taxpayers and to the town's financial stability," Mayor Scott Jackson's Chief Administrative Officer Curt Balzano Leng said Wednesday.

"We base our town budget and set a mill rate based on what the state allocates the town," he said. "A major cut after the new fiscal year begins would be a disaster."

The new fiscal year begins a week from Friday -- July 1 --when tax bills carrying a mill rate of 34.66 will go out to taxpayers.

Two state unions have rejected Malloy's proposed concessions, and more will vote Thursday and Friday. The two unions who rejected the agreements represent 8,300 of the 45,000 state workers, according to the Hartford Courant. An outright rejection would leave the governor with $700 million to scrap up for the next fiscal year.

Leng said the town's state delegation -- which includes Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney and state House Majority Leader Brendan Sharkey -- will be working overtime to avoid the scenario that includes cuts to municipal aid.

"I am confident that our state delegation, with their leadership positions in both houses of the State Legislature, will work to avoid this and protect our town and our residents," Leng said.

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