HARTFORD -- Democratic Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has vetoed the Republican-backed state budget narrowly approved by lawmakers.
Malloy said Thursday in a letter to the Secretary of the State that he vetoed the $40.7 billion, two-year budget because it 'adopts changes to the state's pension plans that are both financially and legally unsound.'
He said the budget 'grabs savings today on the false promise of change a decade from now.'
The budget has been slammed by the Malloy Administration for proposed cuts to less affluent municipalities, the fiscal effect it could have on the City of Hartford, cuts to the CSCU system, and $240 to $300 million in cuts to UConn & UConn Health.
Republicans have defended the plan, saying it doesn't raise taxes and more fairly distributes education aid.
Connecticut faces a projected $3.5 billion deficit over the next two fiscal years.
The veto was announced Thursday afternoon shortly before a meeting between the Governor, Democratic, and Republican leadership from the House and Senate.
The GOP version of a state budget passed through the Democratically controlled House and Senate in an unprecedented vote on September 16th that stretched into the early morning hours of the 17th.
Five Democrats in the House and three Democrats in the Senate broke ranks with their party to vote for the GOP-backed plan.
Legislative leaders met with the Governor Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Capitol.
Republicans in the House and Senate are vowing a veto-override session expected to take place around October 10th.
Read Governor Malloy's entire veto response here (Bill Notification Release 18).