Noujaim Opposes Implementing Bill
Waterbury Legislator Says Medals Provision Insults Veterans

WATERBURY- State Representative Selim Noujaim (R-Waterbury) opposed budget implementing legislation that came before the State House of Representatives last night during a special session of the legislature. He opposed the budget bill earlier this month as well.

Noujaim noted that the budget raised taxes by $738 million in a year where a budget surplus of $700 million was squandered. He also observed that the budget increased spending by 8.9% while cutting nothing.

“In the state with the highest per capita tax rate in the entire nation, this irresponsible level of tax and spending increase is completely unjustified,” said Noujaim. “The budget violates the Constitutional Spending Cap by $110 million and demonstrates absolutely no fiscal restraint whatsoever.”

When budget implementation legislation was taken up last night, Noujaim again opposed the measures.

“I find it fascinating that the majority defeated an amendment that gave a portion of an $18 million slush fund in the budget to give tax relief to veterans,” said Noujaim. “And then, when they introduced the implementation bill last night, they included a provision that awards medals to all veterans who served our nation during a time of war. This was clearly included to make opponents of this bad budget package feel guilty about their opposition by forcing them to vote against veterans. The bald reality is that they only appropriated the equivalent of $1.25 to each veteran in our state for a medal. If these people really supported veterans, they would have done something more meaningful, like cut their taxes.”

The implementer bill still passed the House by a 94-34 vote.