Search

Hartford (WTNH) – The next round in the state budget battle gets underway a week from today when Governor Jodi Rell delivers her final “State of the State” address.

With the current budget projected to be $500 million in the red, and future years in the billions, the state’s financial outlook is grim.

It’s doubtful the union will propose anything that the Rell Administration will like.

“Connecticut continues to face a very difficult time, difficult challenges and that we’re going to have to continue to tighten our belt,” Governor Rell said. “I think everyone is expecting that message.”

In an office about a mile from the State Capitol Complex, representatives of the State Employee’s Bargaining Agent Coalition, known as SEBAC, have been huddling for the past two days to come up with more suggestions on how the state can save money in anticipation of a meeting with the Rell Administration, Thursday.

Last year, the State Employee Unions agreed to $750 million worth of concessions in exchange for a promise of no layoffs. That agreement also said that if things got worse, which they have, they will allow the state to postpone $100 million in payments to their state pension fund – essentially a loan.

“One of the things that we did under the SEBAC agreement was that in order to accept the deferral in the pension fund, there is a meeting and that meeting will take place,” said Gov. Rell.

When that meeting takes place, Thursday, the administration is expecting some more help from the unions.

“Any other discussions will really be about the economy and the affect on our state and what we can all do to address it,” Governor Rell said.

Sources tell News Channel 8 that the unions will not offer any further give backs and will propose ways they think the administration can save money but nothing further than has already been agreed.

“We need more and we need to try to figure out where that money comes from or savings we can do; I think having talks with the state employees and the Governor is a good idea,” said Rep. Chris Donovan [D] Speaker of the House.