Connecticut lawmakers have passed an approximately $19 billion budget crafted by the Democrats.
The Senate approved the deal on a 21-15 vote early Sunday morning. About an hour earlier, the House had approved the same agreement. The budget bill now moves to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who is expected to sign it into law.
The deal was reached just days after revelations that the state's projected budget surplus had plunged.
As in the House, Republicans in the Senate criticized the deal for relying on $75 million in delinquent tax collections — a figure that came to light on Saturday.
GOP Sen. Rob Kane said the Democrats had "rose-colored glasses" about the state's fiscal situation, ignoring future billion-dollar deficits.
But Democratic Senate President Donald Williams Jr. said the state is heading in the right direction.
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