Governor Dannel Malloy's latest proposal to overhaul Connecticut's liquor laws is receiving a mixed reception at state Capitol.
The Distilled Spirits Council hailed the Democrat's plan to end the state's minimum bottle price requirement and allow more competitive alcohol pricing as a victory for consumers and the state. In testimony provided Monday to the legislature's finance committee, they predicted $150 million in new state revenue would be generated.
But there's strong opposition to the governor's bill.
The Connecticut Beer Wholesalers Association said increasing the number of retail permits an owner can hold from three to six favors chain stores. The group predicted small liquor stores will ultimately close.
Ben Barnes, Malloy's budget secretary, warned lawmakers that predictions of massive store closures after Sunday sales were allowed have not occurred.
Meanwhile, the committee heard hours of testimony from businesses and residents on a host of other issues affected by the governor's budget proposals.
Some smaller communities are concerned about the proposal to cut back funding for resident state troopers. Towns currently pay 70 percent of the cost of a trooper — the budget would make them pay the entire cost.
Leo Paul, the First Selectman of Litchfield, told the committee that if the town loses its state trooper it would not be allowed to retain local constables. "And the two constables are my frontline battle against the drug problem that every community in this state has," he said. "It's my constable who works at night who knows the kids that are the troublemakers, who knows the people who are in our community from other communities selling drugs."
Bioscience companies testified about the difficulties they’ll face if their ability to use research and development tax credits is capped. It’s also proposed that the Biomedical Research Fund be eliminated, money that helps companies researching cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's, and other high profile illnesses.
Dr. Edward Kaftan is a researcher at the Yale Cancer Center on the side effects of cancer treatments. "My work falls in what's often called the valley of death," he told legislators. "It's not basic research and it's not clinical research, it's the area in between. It's a tough place to be, it's hard to go from the bench to the bedside, but also there's very little funding for this. So without this fund, my work would have been dead."
After considering the testimony, the committee must issue its own budget proposals next month.
This report includes information from The Associated Press.
