Hartford (AP) — Connecticut's largest organization of cities and towns is praising the new two-year, $43 billion state budget that's awaiting Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont's signature.

The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities says the plan helps to provide some "real restraint" on local property tax levels by not requiring cities and towns to pay a portion of the state's teacher pension costs. Municipalities had faced the prospect of paying about $73 million to help address the pension plan's unfunded liabilities.

Instead, the budget essentially restructures the state's payments into the system.

CCM says it's also pleased the budget includes more than $115 million in additional local education aid over two years.

CCM is expressing concern that lawmakers didn't update Connecticut's bottle deposit law or provide municipalities the revenue from a new prepared meals tax.