An Act Concerning The Regional Planning Incentive Account Distribution Formula.
Summary
SB 1186 revises the statutory distribution formula for the Regional Planning Incentive Account, which provides state funding to regional councils of governments (COGs). The bill keeps the annual statewide distribution at $7 million for fiscal year 2024 and thereafter, but changes how that money is allocated among the regional councils. Instead of relying on a formula reviewed every five years, the bill directs the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management to determine a formula in consultation with the COGs and to review and update it annually.
The new formula must include both a base payment for each regional council and a per-capita payment tied to the most recent federal decennial census. The per-capita amount would also be adjusted upward for increases in the Consumer Price Index for urban consumers, if applicable. The bill also continues to require each regional council to submit an annual spending proposal describing how the funds will be used to improve efficiency, cost-effectiveness, responsiveness, service quality, regional coordination, or shared services such as joint purchasing.
Impact
The bill amends Connecticut General Statutes section 4-66k(d), changing the distribution rules for the Regional Planning Incentive Account beginning July 1, 2025. It affects regional councils of governments created under section 4-124j and the Office of Policy and Management, which would have a larger ongoing role in setting and updating the allocation formula. The measure is intended to preserve regional planning funding while making the distribution method more responsive to population changes, inflation, and regional consultation.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill was generally well received. It was reported favorably out of the Planning and Development Committee on a 20-0 vote and later passed the Senate 34-1, indicating broad bipartisan support. The absence of committee transcript material limits insight into detailed debate, but the strong vote margins suggest little overall opposition to the concept of revising the funding formula.
Contention
The main policy issue appears to be how the $7 million regional planning incentive pool should be divided among regional councils: a fixed base amount plus per-capita allocation, with annual inflation adjustments and annual formula review. Any contention would likely center on whether annual updates give too much discretion to the Office of Policy and Management, how much weight should be given to population versus equal base funding, and whether the formula fairly serves smaller versus larger regional councils. The near-unanimous votes suggest these concerns were not strongly divisive in the legislative process.