WINSTED — Feeling confused about the state’s budget proposal? All three of them?

State Rep. John Rigby, R-63, has scheduled a public meeting to discuss his ideas for the state’s budget at the Gilbert School on Thursday, April 23, at 7 p.m.Rigby says the meeting was prompted, in part, by his opposition to the budget recently proposed by Democrats in the State Legislature.

“I’ve been hearing a lot of concerns from voters about the Democrat’s budget, which includes $3.3 billion in taxes,” he said. “Raising taxes in a time of economic crisis is like adding gasoline to the fire. Some families would pay $1,500 and $2,000 in new state and property taxes. That’s too much.”

Last week Rigby joined House and Senate Republicans, who unveiled their “alternative” budget to the Democrat’s proposal, itself an “alternative” to the budget proposed by Gov. M. Jodi Rell. Rigby says the Republican budget will consolidate government positions.

“Early reitrement could lead to $285,000,000 in savings over two years,” he said. “We also could consolidate 23 state agencies into six state agencies.” Rigby also cited concessions from state workers for salary, healthcare and pension benefits for savings of $662 million.One cost-cutting measure Rigby was not in favor of, however, is the proposed closing of the Winsted DMV under the Democrat’s budget.

“Michell and I have heard the outcry in hundreds of e-mails,” Rigby said, referring to fellow Representative Michelle Cook, R-65. Rigby said the Republicans budget would “streamline” the DMV and the Department of Transportation for cost-savings.

Rigby will return to Hartford on Wednesday. He says he expects Democrats will want to incoporate ideas from the Republican’s proposed budget. He also predicted the state legislature will eventually pass a “no tax increase budget.”

In response, state Rep. Roberta Willis, D-64, said that balancing the budget with a zero increase in taxes would be easier said than done. “Unlike the federal government we have to have a balanced budget,” she said. “We can’t cost cut our way out of this. We can’t balance this budget without tax increases.”