State Cuts $50 Million In School, Municipal Funding

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's administration announced $50 million in new cuts in state aid to municipalities Thursday, including a $20 million reduction in education funding that local officials said could result in school layoffs.

The announcement comes as a bitter New Year's gift for financially hard-pressed cities and towns that are already halfway through their fiscal and school years. Administration officials said the cuts had to be made now to achieve the savings goals included in the current 2016-17 state budget.

Malloy's budget chief, Ben Barnes, said he doesn't believe the school funding cuts will result in local layoffs. "Certainly there is nothing about this that will force any of these communities into layoffs or cuts that would significantly affect students," Barnes said.

http://www.courant.com/education/hc-state-cuts-town-aid-20161229-story.html