House balks at bringing vetoed budget up for override vote

Republicans fail to bring up Malloy’s budget veto

HARTFORD — In a battle of parliamentary maneuvering, House Republicans on Tuesday balked at bringing up their vetoed budget for an override vote.

When, shortly after 1 p.m., Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz formally asked whether any lawmakers wanted to nominate the budget for reconsideration, the historic chamber fell silent.

No one, not even one of the five House Democrats who pushed it over the finish line in a 77-73 vote early on Sept. 16, spoke up.

Then, House Majority Leader Matt Ritter, in an unusual move, offered Republicans a separate budget deal on the issue of revenue, since both parties agree on the need to raise about the same amount to pay for the state’s budget year that began July 1.

“I hope this is a step forward for what we need so desperately for our state,” said Ritter, D-Hartford. “We need a bridge over troubled financial waters.”

He called for a partial budget agreement to be voted on next week.

“No negotiation needs to be done. There is no debate that would have to occur. The Republican budget that passed and the Democratic budget that did not pass, literally identically, side-byside, had $850 million in agreement in revenue. We could pass that.”

Aresimowicz, D-Berlin, said the veto override was dead for the day.

But with the special session still in effect, GOP lawmakers can wait for another moment to attempt their longshot veto override.

Connecticut is the last state in the nation to pass a budget.

House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, who passed the budget bill last month with the help of the few House Democrats, said she wanted to keep open the option of reviving the veto override later, rather than sending it to a sure death Tuesday.

The bill requires 101 House votes to override Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.

Klarides, R-Derby, was critical of Ritter’s offer, stressing the two-year $40 billion Republican budget was a bipartisan bill that should become the basis of any future compromise.

“We absolutely, positively stand by the fact that overriding this veto is the best for the state of Connecticut,” Klarides told reporters.

Bipartisan negotiations have been continuing off and on for weeks between legislative leaders and the governor.

“Working off a document you have is always better and more efficient than starting from scratch — and that was the reason we did not bring up the motion to override today,” she said.

“Let’s be clear about what just happened today,” said Aresimowicz. “Given the opportunity to discuss, defend and vote for a veto override on their budget, the Republican Party decided to take a pass. They asked for it. They campaigned around the state for it, and then given the opportunity, we heard nothing but crickets from the other side of the aisle.”