Proposed State Budget Provides Millions for Help Hartford

The proposed state budget could be a game changer for Hartford because it calls for the state to provide more than tens of millions of dollars to the cash-strapped city. 

While it could save Hartford from having to file for bankruptcy, there are strings attached. 

Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin struck a cautious, but hopeful, tone at the State Capitol on Thursday. 

“Adopting a budget would be an important step, a necessary step. The work is far from done,” Bronin said. 

For months, Bronin has been sounding the alarm about Hartford’s budget woes as it veers toward possible bankruptcy. 

Now legislators say they have heard the city’s concerns and are ready to act. 

House Majority Leader Matt Ritter said they’ve earmarked roughly $40-million in the proposed budget to shore up Hartford’s bottom line. 

However, there will be supervision with the addition of an oversight board and a year to fix the city’s finances. 

The mayor welcomes the support. 

“We’re going to have a lot of work to do in restructuring our city to get on a long-term path. We’ve said our goal is not a Band Aid or a bailout. Our goal is to have a framework in place that will allow us to work with all of our stakeholders to get a long-term sustainable solution,” Bronin said. 

Recently city leaders said if there was no state budget, Hartford would run out of cash to pay its bills in about two months.

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