Press Releases
05/31/2015
Gov. Malloy: Historic Agreement Leads to Billions in Transportation Investment, the Largest in Connecticut History
(HARTFORD, CT) - Working with House and Senate leaders, Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that the budget agreement reached with the House and Senate last night will fund the historic transportation agenda put forth by Governor Malloy earlier this year. This agreement will lead to the largest investment in transportation in Connecticut history.
After decades of underinvestment in Connecticut, Governor Malloy has crisscrossed the state discussing the need to make our infrastructure best-in-class. Many members of the General Assembly have joined in the call for investing in Connecticut's transportation future.
That need will now take major steps towards becoming reality. This budget, which responsibly keeps growth under 4%, will allow Connecticut to take important steps to transform our transportation system to grow jobs, boost the economy, and improve quality of life. The budget agreement includes billions for transportation over the next decade, by taking a half a cent off the sales tax - which will remain flat at 6.35% - and dedicating it to modernizing our rail, rebuilding our roads, and transforming the way we travel. This funding will mean that transportation will be fully funded for nearly a decade, allowing the state to plan and design projects in Governor Malloy's long-term vision, as well as funding to complete many of them.
For our roads, that means fixing the "Mixmaster" in Waterbury, as well as the Hartford I-84 Viaduct. On rail, it will allow Connecticut to complete the Hartford Line running from New Haven to Springfield, and also to increase service on the New Haven Line with improvements to all branch lines including New Canaan, Danbury, and Waterbury. And finally, it also includes historic, first-of-their-kind investments in local bike and pedestrian improvements throughout our state.
The budget specifically includes a $2.8 billion increase for infrastructure over the next five years. In total over the next five years, approximately $10 billion will be spent on transportation between this budget, planned capital spending, and federal funds.
Currently, the Connecticut economy unnecessarily loses billions of dollars per year in lost productivity because of its inability to properly plan for and invest in upgrades to infrastructure. With this agreement, Connecticut will spend $613 million for highways, $281 million for bridges, $101 million for bicycle and pedestrian trails, and $43 million - or a 25% expansion - of bus service. The budget also includes funding for 161 new positions at the Connecticut Department of Transportation to help execute the ramp-up.
"Working with House and Senate leaders, we were able to come to this historic agreement where we fund transportation for nearly a decade and provide car tax and property tax relief," Governor Malloy said. "I want to thank our partners in the General Assembly for their hard work and commitment on these important issues."
The Governor continued, "With the transportation component to the agreement, this will truly be a historic budget. We're able to make the biggest investment in transportation ever - and we're able to achieve that without burdening the middle class. When I took office, we had few shovel-ready projects, and our failure to invest over the decades has artificially held back our economy. However, the smart decisions we make in this agreement now will deliver a brighter future for Connecticut in the long-run. We shouldn't stand for 100-year-old bridges and 42 hours per year in traffic on average for every man, woman, and child. Connecticut deserves better - and that's just what this budget delivers. This is truly historic."
"Governor Malloy's transportation plan will modernize Connecticut, attract new residents and a new workforce, and ensure our companies can compete in a global marketplace. It is key to building and sustaining a thriving economy," said Lt. Governor Wyman. "I commend the Governor, legislative leadership, and the General Assembly for prioritizing transportation investment and positioning Connecticut for a strong future."
"The transportation plan is closely connected to our commitment to job creation and economic development," Senate President Martin M. Looney said. "It is essential that we find a reliable revenue stream to fund this initiative over a period of years."
Speaker of the House Brendan Sharkey said, "This transportation plan is an investment in the future of Connecticut's economy. By investing in transportation projects, like the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield rail line, roads, bridges, and ports, we are encouraging smart growth and bringing sustainable jobs home to Connecticut."
The budget agreement between Governor Malloy and House and Senate leadership avoids tax increases on the middle class as it showed a compromise - coupling historic transportation investments while providing important property tax relief for residents through aid to municipalities.
With expected passage of the Governor's lockbox proposal, Connecticut residents will know that these historic investments will be used solely for transportation upgrades to benefit our state now and in the long-term.
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