Gov. Ned Lamont announced a state budget deal with top state lawmakers Thursday afternoon.
Lamont and fellow Democrats announced the deal, which is the first time a budget has been reached early in many years. Republicans say they were not included in any of the budget talks.
Income taxes and sales taxes are not rising, but the sales tax will apply to a few new items like Ubers and Lyfts, dry cleaning and digital downloads.
"We inherited a deficit of over $3.5 billion in the next biennium," says Lamont. "And we're going to get a budget that's balanced without raising tax rates on anybody."
State Rep. Vin Candelora voiced his displeasure with the process, saying, "They've chosen to not show us the budget and have a conversation, which is disappointing. Because two years ago, when we did a bipartisan budget, we saw tax reductions. We saw the elimination of the tax on Social Security."
Other details on the plan include no tax on sugary drinks, as Lamont originally wanted, no capital gains tax on investment income and local towns will not have to pick up any share of teacher pension costs, an area Lamont has backed down on.
A vote on the budget could come as early as this weekend.
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