Eliminating the red ink from this year's budget was no easy task, but lawmakers on both sides of the aisle said they were able to work out their differences with the Newtown shooting as the backdrop.
The bipartisan package the House and the Senate adopted Wednesday night reduces the amount the state spends on hospitals, social services, and education. It also eliminates longevity bonuses for non-union state employees and raises about $26 million in revenue by changing how some programs operate.
The package does not include cuts to nonprofit community service providers.
Nonprofit community providers, who offer services to the developmentally disabled and other vulnerable populations, will retain their 1 percent cost-of-living increase. There was talk it would be eliminated, but House Majority Leader Brendan Sharkey, D-Hamden, said that was something Democrats felt "we had to hold onto."
Overall, the package erases $252.3 million of the $365 million deficit and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's rescission package takes care of the remainder. State Comptroller Kevin Lembo projected a $415 million deficit on Dec. 1.
The House passed the bill 140-3 shortly before 8 p.m. at what felt like record speed because of the bipartisan agreement. The Senate passed it 31-3 after two hours of debate. Sens. Len Suzio, Joseph Markley, and Anthony Guglielmo voted against the measure.
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