Miner Answers Budget Questions from County Residents During Forum

WINSTED — Two dozen people showed up tonight for a forum co-sponsored by Rep. Craig Miner, who answered questions regarding the state’s unprecedented fiscal crunch and how the legislature will solve the problem. Miner was assisted Rep. John Rigby, another House Republican legislator from Litchfield County. During the two-hour session at The Gilbert School the two representatives — they both hold positions on key financial committees — provided details of the three budget proposals that have made newspaper headlines recently: one from Democrats, another from Gov. M. Jodi Rell and the Republican “no tax increase” plan. Litchfield resident Miner and Rigby, of Colebrook, answered questions as they came up during the free-flowing session. They tackled subjects such as healthcare co-payments for state employees, prevailing wage regulations and the state’s bond rating. Appreciative residents thanked Miner and Rigby after the event.