Sen. Gordon Reaffirms Budget Priorities That Reflect Needs of Families, Businesses of Northeast CT  

State Sen. Jeff Gordon (R-Woodstock), member of the legislature’s Appropriations Committee, today reaffirmed his priorities for the state’s two-year budget package amidst ongoing negotiations between Gov. Ned Lamont and the state legislature.

Among Senator Gordon’s priorities are items that will address the needs of middle and working-class residents in northeastern Connecticut, including immediate tax cuts and state income tax reduction, adequate municipal funding for education, small business tax credits, funding for those impacted by PFAS contamination and support for nonprofit organizations.

At the beginning of the 2023 legislative session, he also proposed legislation that mirrors a Massachusetts law requiring the state to return income tax revenue to taxpayers if that revenue exceeds a defined cap.

“I am committed to helping working and middle-class families and retirees to keep more of their hard-earned money through meaningful tax cuts. The state has enjoyed historic revenues from overtaxation over the past year. There are many ways we can return this money to the taxpayers, while maintaining the Republican fiscal guardrails that put us on sound financial footing.

“Along with these tax cuts, the state can properly fund programs that contribute to our quality of life in northeastern Connecticut, with public education one of the most important. We must hold our towns harmless from potential cuts in the coming years, while also accelerating Education Cost Sharing and responsibly paying down teacher pension obligations. This issue is critical for our towns as more state support will limit the pressure on residents from rising property taxes,” said Senator Gordon.

“I also support increased funding for nonprofits in our communities and restoring tax credits for small businesses, like the pass-through entity tax. This is an important credit that allows them to hire, purchase equipment and boost local services, creating jobs and benefits. There are several environmental issues unique to our region that also must be addressed, whether it is our salt-contaminated wells or PFAS cleanup and removal. While there’s more to the story, these local priorities are what will guide my decisions in Hartford as we reach a budget agreement.

“I’m collaborating with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to identify the best ideas for living within this year’s bipartisan-supported spending caps and adhering to the Republican guardrails we all agreed upon. This approach represents responsible government and ensures that the state can fund core services while being well positioned to weather future storms,” he said.

The 2023 legislative session concludes on June 7.