Lamont’s budget first step in long process

As he stated in Wednesday’s address to the state, Gov. Ned Lamont has always been clear about his priorities in holding the top elective office in the state. The priority is the budget, and specifically getting Connecticut out of a long-running pattern of crises that had characterized the state for far too long. He hasn’t wavered in that focus.

And while virtually nothing has gone according to plan these past two years — how could it, with a pandemic thrown into the mix — Connecticut finds itself in surprisingly better shape than might have been expected. There is plenty of work to do and many obstacles to overcome to develop long-term sustainability and a better future for everyone. But we are on a better track, and Lamont deserves no small amount of credit.

Wednesday’s budget address is only the first step in a long process. It now falls to the Legislature to pore over the details, assert its own priorities and work to find a solution that works for everyone. But the governor’s plan is a starting point that will go a long way in driving the discussion over the coming months as Connecticut looks to once again meet Lamont’s goal of an on-time, balanced plan for the next two years.

The pandemic trumps everything, for, as Lamont said, if we don’t defeat it, “nothing else matters.” While the pain suffered by small businesses that have been shuttered for almost a year is still being felt, the need to contain the spread of COVID-19 remains, even as vaccinations gain momentum. Making those businesses whole must be a top priority for the state and federal governments.

Action on the federal level is key to Lamont’s strategy, as the governor is once again resisting plans for a broad tax increase despite insistence from some members of his party that such a move is key to the state’s future. But Lamont is unlikely to budge on what has been a core tenet of his governorship, and aid from Washington, even as many details remain to be decided, will be vital to keeping the state whole.

Affordability takes center stage in Lamont’s plans, and Connecticut prices are notoriously out of reach for many people trying to get by, especially in the southwestern corner. There’s only so much a governor can do about that, and in many ways it’s a good problem to have, as it shows the state remains a desirable landing spot for many people of means. But opening previously closed doors to even more people is key to our economic future, and it’s encouraging to see Lamont make the issue a focus of his budget.

Health care, transportation and broadband infrastructure also stand out as highlights of Lamont’s budget plans, any one of which could, with wellplanned reform, put Connecticut on a better path. Much will be determined as the Legislature gets to work.

The key, as Lamont says, is getting COVID under control and then growing the economy. Connecticut is on a path toward renewed prosperity, with many unexpected factors contributing to that encouraging direction. But it will be up to the governor and lawmakers to ensure we stay on the right path.

The pandemic trumps everything, for, as Lamont said, if we don’t defeat it, “nothing else matters.”