HARTFORD, CT - Governor Ned Lamont today released the following statement regarding House Bill 7067:

“As I noted in my budget speech, I have seen and heard firsthand how the right program makes a lifelong difference for these special kids. These programs have also put an increasing strain on our towns. That’s why my budget proposal increases our commitment to special education by an additional $40 million and asks the legislature to establish the High-Quality Special Education Incentive Grant program, backed by a $14 million investment – a $54 million increase in total – and is more than double the $25 million increase we made in the last biennium budget.

“Even while well-intentioned, the way this funding was hastily approved by the legislature is reminiscent of how budgeting was dangerously done in the past. These concerns, combined with expenses that are already pushing beyond the spending cap, are why I cannot support adding this significant expenditure this late in the fiscal year without a plan to cover budget overruns.

“Together, we have made progress as a state by stabilizing our budget and abiding by financial controls that paid down debt, enacted historic tax cuts, and increased investments in our children and their future. I look forward to working with the General Assembly throughout ongoing budget deliberations and continuing that progress.”