A time to rally, not to deepen party divisions

For the sake of clarity for Connecticut’s cities and towns; for the sake of our children’s education; for the health and comfort of veterans, seniors, the disabled and the impoverished; for stability in business and industry; for the solvency of taxpayers

Looking back at who is to blame is pointless; our elected leaders need to look forward and act with alacrity.

Democrats and Republicans alike have had plenty of time to strut the stage in front of their individual and common constituencies since Gov. Dannel P. Malloy presented his take-your-medicine budget last February. The dithering at the Capitol in the months since then has been truly dispiriting.

With Democrats holding a scant 79-72 margin in the House, and an 18-18 tie in the Senate, reaching a palatable agreement on a two-year, nearly $40 billion budget is difficult. But it should not be impossible.

Connecticut started its fiscal year July 1 without a budget — the General Assembly, which should have ended its work on June 5 — did not even bring one to a vote. So the governor was left to keep government operating through draconian measures liked by no one. Each day without a budget costs the state $1 million, and today is now day 76. Can you hear the sound of money going down the drain?

Looking back at who is to blame is lamentable — and pointless; our elected leaders need to look forward and act with alacrity. The next cliff is Oct. 1, the start of the federal budget, after which the state loses wiggle room on the benefits of particular cuts.

Enough. Somebody has to be the statesman and show that compromise is not weakness. Compromise is putting the good of all of us — of the state of Connecticut — ahead of individual agendas.

Surely common ground can be found. For starters, enacting a Constitutional spending cap (proposed with the start of the state income tax in 1991) is overdue. This is the sort of get-your-house-in-order measure that can reassure businesses Connecticut is serious about controlling its spending. Republicans proposed this, but no single party has a lock on good ideas. Mandatory votes on union contracts, which we have supported, also make sense.

Both parties have their versions of redoing the Educational Cost Sharing formula to account for factors such as enrollment. With the state under a Superior Court order to fix the unfair formula and provide an equal education for all students, surely the parties can find agreement, even though the court decision is under appeal, and show progress.

In all the budget proposals there are areas to dislike — some a lot — and areas to endorse. But with the passage of each day, and the draining away of millions, Legislators have to look at the bigger picture. Make structural changes; rescue Connecticut’s reputation.

The governor has compromised, several times, on his first budget proposal. Now Democrats and Republicans must do the same — and represent all the people.

With Democrats holding a scant 79-72 margin in the House, and an 18-18 tie in the Senate, reaching a palatable agreement on a two-year, nearly $40 billion budget is difficult. But it should not be impossible.