Statement from Gian-Carl Casa, President & CEO of CT Community Nonprofit Alliance, on the budget approved tonight by the House of Representatives:
“During the economic recession, community nonprofit funding was reduced and mid-year rescissions imposed additional cuts, year after year. At the same time, the need for services has increased.
“We are grateful there are no significant budget cuts for community nonprofits in the spending plan approved by the House tonight, for the first time in several years. Still, the decision not to use new revenues to restore a decade of budget cuts will continue to hurt the ability of programs across the state to provide the services people need.
“The state’s coffers are no longer empty and it is time for the legislature to restore funding for the community nonprofits that half-a-million people across the state rely on. We will continue to ask: if the state cannot restore funds when surplus dollars are available, when can the funds be restored?”
*****Note: A petition drive launched by The Alliance just days ago calling for increased funding, has already garnered more than 600 signatures and hundreds of supportive comments.