Malloy: Signing Democratic Budget 'Unimaginable' Without Negotiation

HARTFORD, Conn. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy says it is "unimaginable'' he would sign a budget passed by the Democratic controlled legislature that wasn't negotiated with his office.

The Democrat predicted Thursday he will veto whatever the General Assembly passes before the session ends May 4 and probably call lawmakers back to the Capitol for a special session to fix a $922 million deficit in the next fiscal year's budget.

House Speaker Brendan Sharkey said the legislature's Democratic majority has crafted a plan that tackles the entire deficit. He said rank-and-file lawmakers would review it on Thursday.

It was unclear when a vote might occur.

Malloy said his administration has a "limited sense'' of what the Democrats are proposing, denying there's any "bad blood'' with lawmakers who've opposed his budget-cutting ideas.

This week, Republican State Senator Scott Frantz, of Greenwich, has recommended the appointment of an outside bankruptcy panel that would have the power to rewrite contracts with state workers, WCBS 880's Fran Schneidau reported. According to Frantz, outside help is necessary to corral the state's ballooning deficit. 

"We clearly can't do it at the General Assembly level," Frantz said. "And the executive branch is actually doing a better job than the majority party in the House and in the Senate because they have a "balanced budget.""

Connecticut lawmakers agreed on a tentative budget plan earlier this year, which allows for no cuts in state aid to towns and cities and lawmakers agreeing on a plan to slash the state's current $220 million deficit.

The General Assembly cut $350 million in December to balance the deficit-plagued budget. The state's income revenues have been suffering, and fears of Connecticut's wealthiest taxpayers leaving the state have been on the rise.

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