Sen. Berthel Statement on Gov. Lamont’s Line-Item Vetoes of Funding in SB 298

HARTFORD – State Sen. Eric Berthel (R-Watertown) issued the following statement regarding the governor’s line-item veto of more than $3.8 million in budget earmarks approved in last week’s ‘emergency’ session.

“The governor is listening to Senate Republicans. We have been raising concerns, and offering solutions, for months about how millions of taxpayer dollars are spent. Providing funds to certain organizations with zero oversight or accountability is wrong. This should be viewed as a bipartisan issue. Before moving forward with more appropriations, we must ensure proper oversight and accountability so taxpayers can have confidence in how their hard-earned money is spent.”

Last month, Sen. Berthel, along with Senate and House Republicans, unveiled legislative proposals aimed at delivering accountability, preventing fraud and waste, and rooting out the “culture of corruption” in state government.