Put aside politics and save our state

It may be the first day of autumn, but in Connecticut we are still sweating out a budget process that the governor called “one hot mess.”

And that’s not the worst of what Gov. Dannel P. Malloy had to say about the sorry situation. Our state’s highest leader said Wednesday — in a sobering assessment — that he doubts Connecticut will have a fully adopted budget by Oct. 1. The consequences of that failure are dire, affecting every community.

It didn’t have to be this way. The Legislature has had since the cold of last winter, when Malloy submitted his budget, to get to work on House and Senate versions.

A week ago, in a surprise turn, the Senate and then the Democratically controlled House narrowly passed a Republican budget that alleviated Malloy’s massive teacher pension shift from the shoulders of local communities. The governor said he would veto it.

That is where we are now — the last state in the union without a budget in place, one that we should have had 84 days ago.

This stalemate benefits no one, least of all Connecticut taxpayers. Every day without a budget costs the already cashstrapped state $1 million, according to the governor’s office. The stakes are much higher once the federal budget kicks in a week from Sunday.

But there is room for a last-minute compromise, and what it will take is putting aside pride and politics. Both sides have to give, and both sides have to own the final product. Legislators cannot be guided by their re-election prospects next year because, let’s face it, if they let Connecticut go over the cliff without a budget by Oct. 1, no one is going to return them to office.

Let the barely passed Republican proposal be a starting point for an eventual bipartisan agreement. Where can compromise happen? The drastic cut to higher education should be negotiated. The impact to the flagship University of Connecticut varies — from Republicans saying it would be $186.8 million to UConn’s president estimating $308 million. The state has worked too hard to elevate UConn to its prestigious level to now knock it in the knees.

One of the greatest resources Connecticut offers is an educated workforce. A higher education must remain as affordable as possible for students at UConn, the four state universities and 12 community colleges. A small reining in of state support is realistic and should be a point both parties could reach.

The Education Cost Sharing grant in the GOP budget would have money returned to each of the 169 municipalities, a popular move back home but one that dilutes resources away from districts most in need. The formula can, and should, be another point for compromise, as should the payment of teacher pensions.

Malloy asked GOP leaders to meet with him Friday, today. We urge them, and the Democrats, to find common ground. Summer is over and there is not much time. Connecticut is at their mercy.