Connecticut has a statutory TEL with numerous exemptions and a constitutional TEL passed by legislative referendum in 1992. The statutory TEL limits the growth of spending to the greater of inflation and personal income growth but excludes, debt payments, grants to distressed municipalities, federal mandates and court orders, and budget reserves.
The constitutional TEL is covered in Article 3 Section 18 of the Connecticut State Constitution. It limits spending to the greater of inflation and personal income growth and can be overridden by a declaration of emergency with a supermajority legislative vote. It also requires the Connecticut legislature to define what types of spending are subject to the spending cap by 3/5 supermajority legislative vote. The Connecticut legislature never successfully defined what types of spending are subject to the cap. This means the exemptions for the statutory TEL are still in place.
Year | Inflation-adjusted Actual Spending |
---|---|
1992 | 18,074,662,300 |
1993 | 17,294,395,520 |
1994 | 17,716,825,630 |
1995 | 19,072,096,180 |
1996 | 18,586,418,690 |
1997 | 19,808,541,880 |
1998 | 20,738,745,480 |
1999 | 20,824,318,010 |
2000 | 23,737,556,100 |
2001 | 24,563,962,690 |
2002 | 25,860,879,660 |
2003 | 24,762,685,960 |
2004 | 25,413,038,190 |
2005 | 27,589,422,590 |
2006 | 26,513,621,610 |
2007 | 28,611,785,740 |
2008 | 28,830,351,550 |
2009 | 22,756,837,060 |
2010 | 28,047,658,700 |
2011 | 29,351,516,970 |
2012 | 30,536,862,130 |
2013 | 30,499,278,950 |
2014 | 27,252,095,960 |
2015 | 28,975,954,050 |
2016 | 30,291,330,820 |
2017 | 30,312,024,240 |
2018 | 30,712,043,410 |
2019 | 31,600,545,110 |
2020 | 30,443,865,280 |
2021 | 29,795,787,910 |
2022 | 30,971,545,660 |