Gov. William A. O’Neill of Connecticut has proposed a $43-million increase in state aid to education, including $13 million more in aid to localities for basic school support.
The Governor asked the legislature in his annual budget message to lower the sales tax from 7.5 to 7 percent and to expand the tax to cover a wider range of goods and services.
The change would mean an extra $210 million in revenues over the next 15 months to balance the state’s $3.58-billion budget.
The state education agency had asked for $90 million more for local aid than last year’s $344.8 million.
Under Connecticut’s “guaranteed tax-base grant” program, the state government attempts to match total local spending for basic education, with more state money going to poorer districts. Department officials said the state needed to pay an extra $90 million to meet that goal.
Other increases for education include $12 million for special-education programs, $12 million for construction, and $6 million for transportation.--ce
