Still operating without a budget, but at least the two sides are agreed on the size of the budget deficit. From the Courant:
It’s $8.558 billion — which is different from the $8.7 billion that was originally projected by the legislature’s nonpartisan fiscal office and far different from Rell’s original $6 billion estimate.
Even though the two sides finally agreed over the long-contested estimate, the number is sure to change. Any upticks or downturns in the state income tax, sales tax, corporate tax or other revenue source over the next year will change the number.
The new deficit will prompt Rell to offer an updated budget, but she does not appear to be changing her mind on taxes. Since February, Rell has declared that the budget can be balanced without tax increases.
Rell remains very popular, although her poll numbers have fallen some.
