Ritter On Special Session

Earlier today, Patch caught up with Waterford’s sole state representative, Democrat Betsy Ritter. Ritter was just about to head to the special session on the state’s budget, which has to be totally revamped after state unions rejected concessions.

“I am bitterly disappointed with this result, and I hope there is a lot of reflection on this result because it is very, very disappointing,” said Ritter, who lives in Quaker Hill. “However, I think a lot of us, and that includes me, has to get over this and look what we have to do.”

Either today or tomorrow, Gov. Dannel Malloy will submit his new proposed budget, which he has said could lay off 7,500 employees, Ritter said. Malloy has also hinted at cutting municipal aid, which Ritter said she is against, but could be possible after reviewing the budget.

“We worked really hard this session to keep municipal aid intact, and it would absolutely break my heart if all that went to waste,” Ritter said. “However, I think there might have to be adjustments to municipal aid.”

Waterford receives much less municipal aid than other towns, around $2.7 million for operating costs. More than half of that is for educational cost sharing.

The board of education has already eliminated 24 positions from last year and laid off several teachers. If state funding to education is cut, more people will probably have to be laid off, Superintendent Jerome Belair said in an earlier interview.

Ritter said if municipal aid is cut, it would be better to cut it for next year. That way, at least towns will have a chance to adjust their budgets, rather than have to change the budget that takes effect July after the tax rate has been set and the budgets passed, she said.

However, even if municipal aid is not cut, services once done by the state will be cut, Ritter said. Towns will either have to make up those services, find an alternative way to provide them or do without, she said.

“It is a very tricky balancing act,” Ritter said. “Even if we don’t change municipal aid, and we lay off 7,500 employees, you can bet your bottom dollar there will be municipal impact.”

Malloy has said he will not raise taxes to balance the budget. However, Ritter is worried that new taxes will be discussed, particularly on Millstone Power Station.

State legislators originally pushed for a on the Dominion-owned nuclear power plant, but that proposal was shot down. Some legislators will probably “be more than happy to talk about that again, but I certainly will not be one of them,” Ritter said.

The special session will start today. There is no real idea how long it will last, Ritter said.

“This is really uncharted territory,” she said. “Quite frankly, Connecticut has not had to deal with this on this scale before. It is definitely not business as usual.”