Gov. M. Jodi Rell Monday vetoed a bill that would have created a commission to review the state's criminal justice sentencing policies, saying that function is already carried out by the General Assembly's judiciary committee.
Rell said the bill would cost state taxpayers an additional $130,000 a year in salary, benefits and other expenses.
"While I appreciate the need for review of our sentencing statutes and practices, given our State's ongoing economic challenges, this is simply the wrong time to create yet another state entity," Rell said. "I have spent much of the last year examining our state budget to find ways to save money so that we would not have to increase the burden borne by our already struggling taxpayers. Some of the cuts we have made were painful; none were easy."