At 2:25 a.m. this morning, the State House of Representatives finally passed a $36 billion biennial budget for Connecticut. I had believed that budgets being passed at zero-dark-thirty were gone with the chardonnay-drenched, private palatial bathroom days of the Lyons speakership. How wrong I was, as debate wrapped up with the only people watching mostly comprising of the undead (no offense to lobbyists).
Dean of the House, Rep. Richard O. Belden (R-Shelton) went so far as to comment in today’s Connecticut Post that the disorganization was as bad as he has ever seen it since becoming a member of the House pre-Bay City Rollers (1975). “It’s not even a coordinated exercise… It’s just indicative of the lack of forward thinking that’s going on here,” he said.
The budget does not increase taxes, which is largely to the credit of House Republicans, who held the line on that point to the end. Of course, if you are a smoker, you will now be paying a $2 tax per pack, up from $1.51. This is a “preventative tax” to dissuade you smokers from doing something bad! Just like the proposed elimination of the exemption from the sales tax for clothing under $50 Democrats offered this year, which was meant to ensure you don’t wear underpants (luckily this wasn’t in the budget… your undies remain tax-free).
Interestingly, Speaker Jim Amann threatened the Republican “Fighting 44″ yesterday afternoon as the budget breakdown wore on, saying if they voted against the budget, they would be “39 in ‘09.” It passed 134-5, with all Republicans voting in favor of the budget, and five Democrats opposing it.
I presume Amann will make good on the threat he levelled at the GOP to the members of his own caucus, Reps. Zalaski, Spallone, Dyson, Aresimowicz and Johnston, because they “put up a ‘no’ vote against health care, education, energy, autism, mental health and the blind.”
The Senate is expected to take up the budget Monday. Business is not yet concluded in the House as the OPM implementing bill needs to be acted on before the beginning of the next Fiscal Year on July 1st.
73 responses so far ↓
The Courant is reporting that the reason why the vote happened so late was because Jodi Rell’s office had a change of mind at the very very last minute and told them to take something out that they were working on for 2 years, which apparently surprised everyone according to the article. But I guess they talked her back into it.
And then she insisted that she read and approve every document before they voted off on it. So apparently that took awhile too.
But anyways, I watched some of it last night on CTN because I was up late, but I didn’t watch the whole thing. I thought they voted on the implementors… I went to bed when they were debating the education implementor
Right. Well, it’s the OPM implementer that I believe is still outstanding.
And by “outstanding” I mean undone.. not fantastic.
Why did they have to print copies of the budget for eveybody to read beofre they vote – as if they all read it anyway? Haven’t they ever heard of a PDF file up there and don’t they have any interest in saving a few trees????
Wellcare Health Plan Inc., one of the four companies that run the state’s health insurance program for children, was warned by a top state official last year that it was spending less on medical care than its competitors and not complying with marketing guidelines………
…..Marc Ryan, who quit the state Office of Policy and Management two years ago to become a vice president at Wellcare, has insisted the difference reflected a “lag” stemming from the recent incorporation of the subsidiary.
Thank you John Rowland..thanks Jodi!!!!!
http://www.journalinquirer.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18508845&BRD=985&PAG=461&dept_id=161556&rfi=6
Jodi is always concerned about the children now isn’t she,,just as being a full time executive branch state employee (as opposed to the part time legislators) she is always on top of things thinking ahead???….A problem with one of these implementation bills cropped up Friday when the Rell administration expressed concern over the cost of moving juveniles out of the state’s adult court system.
Connecticut is one of just three states – along with New York and North Carolina – that tries 16- and 17-year-olds as adults. And for the past two years, several lawmakers from both parties, along with the Judicial branch, the state Office of the Child Advocate, and others have worked to return teens to the juvenile system, where they had been referred until roughly a decade ago.
The Senate adopted a bill in a 31-5 vote on May 23 to make this change, effective July 1, 2009. Fiscal analysts estimated the cost of expanding juvenile court staff, as well as providing additional counseling and treatment services for the added teens in this system, would be about $100 million per year. Under this bill, 16- and 17-year-olds would continue to be tried as adults for the most serious crimes, such as murder. …..
http://www.journalinquirer.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18509841&BRD=985&PAG=461&dept_id=161556&rfi=6
as if she wasn’r going to sign it anyway and as always….Rell, meanwhile, had declined to sign the necessary declaration authorizing the budget to exceed the state spending cap until she had seen all the implementing language of the spending plan, which was still being drafted late Friday.
http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=fea0d076-82a6-42ee-b712-dfbd0fa99ee5
One blow-up came early Friday, sources familiar with negotiations said, when the Senate co-chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, Sen. Toni Harp, D-New Haven, discovered that leaders had agreed to strip funding that would have helped support a change in criminal justice policy, under which 16- and 17-year-olds would no longer be remanded automatically to adult courts.
Harp objected to the cut, the sources said, and negotiators for Rell eventually agreed to agree to the policy shift while delaying its implementation until 2010.
same source as comment #7
STAMFORD – Stamford’s native senator is returning to his hometown, and possibly to the neighborhood where he grew up.
U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., announced yesterday that he plans to move back to Stamford after 47 years in New Haven, where he moved to attend Yale University in 1960.
I wonder if he’ll register as a Democrat as he already is in New Haven and stoplying about his party affiliation!!!!!
http://www.norwalkadvocate.com/news/local/scn-sa-lieberman3jun23,0,7988674.story?coll=nor-news-local-headlines
toucan! Your feet are flying as furiously as I’ve ever seen them go. Dance on that keyboard! Dance your little feathered bum off!
No! No! No no no no no no no!
The governor LOVES our youngsters! “This is a great season to be a child.” She just said so in her June 21 press release!!
————-
Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that two state agencies with major roles in protecting and encouraging the health and wellbeing of youngsters – the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) – have launched an innovative effort to help keep children safe this summer.
“This is a great season to be a child and a wonderful time of year for families to spend time together,” Governor Rell said. “To help make certain Connecticut’s children enjoy a safe and happy summer, DCF developed an advertising campaign, a Web site and a program of free swim lessons under theme of ‘Have a Safe Summer.’ Now DEP is expanding the swimming lessons to a number of state parks.
“Through the work of these two agencies we are demonstrating our commitment to the youngsters of Connecticut and doing all we can to help families prevent tragedies that can result from falls from windows, drowning and other summertime accidents that can be prevented,” the Governor said.
—————————
Headless — honestly, you are one of the wittiest posters I have ever read. Your last comment about Toucan made me laugh out loud! Very, very funny. I was going to tell her to take a break too…
Oh man… falls from windows are a common summertime accident for children?
Weird. I did know a kid who nearly got strangled to death with a sprinkler hose. I don’t see the governor doing anything about that.
[quote comment="14019"]Headless — honestly, you are one of the wittiest posters I have ever read. Your last comment about Toucan made me laugh out loud! Very, very funny. I was going to tell her to take a break too…[/quote]
Thank you my friend…
I was certain toucan was typing with his beak, but toucan later assured me that he uses his feet. IN any event, the place is covered with feathers and guano when he’s done. But he’s a good contributor here and we love him…
I gave him that visual the other day, thesea..and HAHAHA, HH..that’s all for now..to the beach next to check out some hot BYRDS
HAHAHAHA again to #14, HH..signing off now
YEAH!!!! I know there’s some hot seagulls you’ll be picking up! Have a great day buddy. Enjoy the weather!
Headless–
What role did the Fightin’ 44, (lmao), actually play in the budget process?
Outside of undermining the Governor, (who seems to be all powerful under the useless spending cap bill), what powers does Cafero have?
And you claim victory for uphoding the status quo, but with a 9% spending increase? Are you here as a PR operative, or is there anything substantive to your claim?
The one thing I will agree with is this 3:00 in the morning bullshit is ridiculous!
Genghis, what gives? Since when do front pagers caricaturize and ridicule community members?
HH is playing the role of a bully here towards Toucan, who has no choice but to roll with the punches.
Maybe what he said about feathers and guano once, but in its repitition….
TBCT-
Oh come on…
When the governor proposed a 10% tax increase across the board, I don’t really mind that House Republicans “undermined” her. The House GOP did what they likely should have done long ago, and stood up for taxpayers.
Governor Rell turned around because on the same day that the Q Poll showed CT residents only gave 16% support to her budget, she got new revenue figures showing an even bigger budget surplus.
With only 44 members, they still changed the debate from “how high will we increase taxes?” to “will we increase taxes?” That’s pretty widely acknowledged at this point.
I am no fan of the spending increase. But again, 44 members can only do so much. More Republican House members is the answer…
[quote comment="14026"]Genghis, what gives? Since when do front pagers caricaturize and ridicule community members?
HH is playing the role of a bully here towards Toucan, who has no choice but to roll with the punches.
Maybe what he said about feathers and guano once, but in its repitition….[/quote]
Take it easy TBCT… toucan and I are joking around with each other. It is purely in good fun for both of us. Lighten up.
Okay HH. Just so I’m sure, we stand in agreement that it was Cafero who killed Governor Rell’s bold Property Tax Relief proposal/income tax increase!?
And you’re cheering your head off about it, as if the status quo is something wonderful…
(And then you want to bitch and moan about the lack of job growth, which is tied much more to our sky-high housing costs than to a state income tax.)
Did I say, “Brav-O!”
Aw come on TBCT, are you just a tad bit jealous that HH got to the front page? GC is probably loving this – some kiddish humer for a change.
HH – Congratulations! Your posts are truly a pleasure to read.
[quote comment="14026"]Genghis, what gives? Since when do front pagers caricaturize and ridicule community members?
HH is playing the role of a bully here towards Toucan, who has no choice but to roll with the punches.
Maybe what he said about feathers and guano once, but in its repitition….[/quote]
Keep complaining…. I’ve been reading here the past few weeks before I actually signed up. You have been so desperate to get rid of HH, it’s actually funny.
CAFERO KILLED PROPERTY TAX RELIEF!
CAFERO KILLED PROPERTY TAX RELIEF!
Jim Amann is the stereotypical bully. Whether it’s “crushing” someone who runs against him because he supported Lieberman, or comments like “39 in ‘09.”
[quote comment="14029"]Okay HH. Just so I’m sure, we stand in agreement that it was Cafero who killed Governor Rell’s bold Property Tax Relief proposal/income tax increase!?
[/quote]
It’s not THAT simple. If Amann and Williams wanted these “bold” plans, they could have embraced her budget right out of the chute. They didn’t do that.
[quote comment="14029"]
And you’re cheering your head off about it, as if the status quo is something wonderful…[/quote]
Compared to a $1.6 billion tax increase, a tax on underpants, and an increase in a host of service taxes, yes it’s wonderful. But I won’t REALLY be excited until I see an end to the income tax.
[quote comment="14030"]
HH – Congratulations! Your posts are truly a pleasure to read.[/quote]
Thank you very much Ladyx
Icky–
HH is the best thing to happen to this site since Turfgirl was shown the door. I am elated by HH’s new status.
You ditto-heads can get together and say that I’m not elated, (and that there was no underlying crime, and that we’re fighting them there so we don’t have to fight them here, etc), — but the repeating of a talking point doesnt make it true, except in your own deluded minds.
Gotta go, but altogether now, “SHORT-SIGHTED CAFERO KILLED PROPERTY TAX RELIEF”.
And that is the victory they claim.
See True Blue… now if ANYONE should feel bullied by the Headless Horseman, it’s Ichabod Crane… and he’s okay with it, you can probably manage it too
[quote comment="14036"]Icky–
HH is the best thing to happen to this site since Turfgirl was shown the door. I am elated by HH’s new status.
You ditto-heads can get together and say that I’m not elated, (and that there was no underlying crime, and that we’re fighting them there so we don’t have to fight them here, etc), — but the repeating of a talking point doesnt make it true, except in your own deluded minds.[/quote]
If HH makes such a fool of himself, why are you in such a tizzy to point out every minor flaw you think you can get him shitcanned for?
If he’s so reviled, won’t he screw up badly enough by himself and GC will fire him?
You’re scared that his message gets through unlike previous conservative bloggers on this site and that scares the crap out of you.
Oh, and I love the “Icky” shortening. Clearly meant to be a personal attack, I’ve never referred to you as anything other than your full name TrueBlueCT, or TrueBlue, both of which are not pejorative.
[quote comment="14038"]Gotta go, but altogether now, “SHORT-SIGHTED CAFERO KILLED PROPERTY TAX RELIEF”.
And that is the victory they claim.[/quote]
A guy advocating $1.6 billion in tax increases crying about property tax relief? Please…
Wake up on the wrong side of the bed this a.m. TBCT? It is refreshing to read a thread that isnt filled with venom. Great job so far HH! Keep the dialogue loose and flowing.
[quote comment="14028"][quote comment="14026"]Genghis, what gives? Since when do front pagers caricaturize and ridicule community members?
HH is playing the role of a bully here towards Toucan, who has no choice but to roll with the punches.
Maybe what he said about feathers and guano once, but in its repitition….[/quote]
Take it easy TBCT… toucan and I are joking around with each other. It is purely in good fun for both of us. Lighten up.[/quote]
Correctomundo, HH;;;;TBCT: ctkeith and I have had the same type of fun but different, too but I’ll agree some can go over the edge and I do sometimes roll with the punches…….glad I popped back in for a peck of liquid refreshment….no Froot Loops though for this toucan….
[quote comment="14032"]CAFERO KILLED PROPERTY TAX RELIEF!
CAFERO KILLED PROPERTY TAX RELIEF![/quote]
SPALLONE VOTED AGAINST AUTISM AND THE BLIND!
SPALLONE VOTED AGAINST AUTISM AND THE BLIND
[quote comment="14044"]
Correctomundo, HH;;;;TBCT: ctkeith and I have had the same type of fun but different, too but I’ll agree some can go over the edge and I do sometimes roll with the punches…….glad I popped back in for a peck of liquid refreshment….no Froot Loops though for this toucan….[/quote]
Thank you for the clarification toucan.
And it’s evident to anyone here I think, that you are capable of defending yourself.
Um HH, the $1.6 Billion was to shift a good bit of the education burden from the property tax to the state income tax. We both know this.
To prattle on as if it would have been a spedning increase isn’t intellectually honest is it?
But if Cafer can score points by undermining Rell, well, i guess that’s just politics.
HH: the feds are spending 1 Billion thanls largely to Chris Dodd BTW to get to the bottom of the autism epidemic – that from my perspective appears to be an overreliance on that diagnosis but the jury is out – and I beleive the state’s proposal on the table flies in the face of what the feds are doing…something needs to be done but the stat’s fragmented approach to health issues SUCKS,Sucks and sucks..
[quote post="667"]And it’s evident to anyone here I think, that you are capable of defending yourself. [/quote]
I am but sometimes it’s a real pain in the guano delivery system
[quote comment="14048"]HH: the feds are spending 1 Billion thanls largely to Chris Dodd BTW to get to the bottom of the autism epidemic – that from my perspective appears to be an overreliance on that diagnosis but the jury is out – and I beleive the state’s proposal on the table flies in the face of what the feds are doing…something needs to be done but the stat’s fragmented approach to health issues SUCKS,Sucks and sucks..[/quote]
I have to confess that I know very little about this area. But I do know that Amann said if you voted against the budget you were voting against many things, including autism and blind people. So I hope the constituencies of James Field Spallone, Zeke Zalaski, Shawn Johnston, Bill Dyson and Joe Areoplane or whatever his name is take notice.
[quote comment="14049"][quote post="667"]And it’s evident to anyone here I think, that you are capable of defending yourself. [/quote]
I am but sometimes it’s a real pain in the guano delivery system
[/quote]
LOL
[quote comment="14047"]Um HH, the $1.6 Billion was to shift a good bit of the education burden from the property tax to the state income tax. We both know this.
To prattle on as if it would have been a spedning increase isn’t intellectually honest is it?
But if Cafer can score points by undermining Rell, well, i guess that’s just politics.[/quote]
Thought you had to go TrueBlue? Or is the thought of us being exposed to Headless without your wisdom for more than 15 minutes sicken ya? LOL
Honestly TBCT, my feathers weren’t even ruffled…I was just toucan laffin’….along with HH!
and Ichy is a little over the line with going after you instead of your positions, TBCT, as far as I am concerned..but I ain’t the boxin’ commish here…
toucan – please, TBCT called him “Icky”. Thought I would point out the little typo just to prevent him from inviting you into the ring.
[quote comment="14054"]and Ichy is a little over the line with going after you instead of your positions, TBCT, as far as I am concerned..but I ain’t the boxin’ commish here…[/quote]
Not OK for me to go after TBCT but OK for TBCT to go after HH?
[quote comment="14055"]toucan – please, TBCT called him “Icky”. Thought I would point out the little typo just to prevent him from inviting you into the ring.[/quote]
Yea, it’s disappointing. I haven’t called toucan any names.
[quote comment="14047"]Um HH, the $1.6 Billion was to shift a good bit of the education burden from the property tax to the state income tax. We both know this.
To prattle on as if it would have been a spedning increase isn’t intellectually honest is it?
But if Cafer can score points by undermining Rell, well, i guess that’s just politics.[/quote]
What…no apology to Headless?!!
Toucan agrees it’s all in fun and you must be wringing your hands. Perhaps it’s time to lighten up…
Toucan is definitely of a much different political philosophy than me but I very much appreciate a sense of humor, no matter who it’s from.
Geeez kabang: TBCT’s (notice I don’t spell the whole thing out and I never take umbrage when folks call me toucie or sam or whatever) quote addressed to HH that you have problems with at #50 seems fine to me…..and the moderators too, apparently!
How’s ’bout you’ll do like they do in a b-ball game and get angry at the refs if you think they haven’t made a straight call?
[quote comment="14056"][quote comment="14054"]and Ichy is a little over the line with going after you instead of your positions, TBCT, as far as I am concerned..but I ain’t the boxin’ commish here…[/quote]
Not OK for me to go after TBCT but OK for TBCT to go after HH?[/quote]
as I said:….but I ain’t the boxin’ commish here…..,/b>
[quote comment="14054"]and Ichy is a little over the line with going after you instead of your positions, TBCT, as far as I am concerned..but I ain’t the boxin’ commish here…[/quote]
The noise-making is all they’ve got. But it doesn’t matter. No one reads the comments anymore, not since the Freepers arrived.
Remember the good old days when you could actually converse about the important stuff facing Connecticut? Now it’s like trying to have an adult conversation in a dining hall full of fifth graders.
Hey kids, “Shut up!”
Please, that’s got to be enough whining for one day.
lmao.
Two killer posts in two days, Headless. Nice job, keep it up.
anyway back to the post!
Cafero deserves props and I’m sure the budget would have been even more disciplined had the R’s had 76 members. The question for CT is is this budget spending sustainable. The D’s will be back at it again trying to raise the income tax but probably with no surplus to buy off the middle class.
According to TBCT the fighting 44 should of just gone home and did nothing. Sorry, 1.1 million residents needed to be represented and not all are millionaires.
[quote comment="14062"][quote comment="14054"]and Ichy is a little over the line with going after you instead of your positions, TBCT, as far as I am concerned..but I ain’t the boxin’ commish here…[/quote]
The noise-making is all they’ve got. But it doesn’t matter. No one reads the comments anymore, not since the Freepers arrived.
Remember the good old days when you could actually converse about the important stuff facing Connecticut? Now it’s like trying to have an adult conversation in a dining hall full of fifth graders.[/quote]
But if no one reads the comments, why do you so passionately engage in debate here?
P.S. I stopped the bold.
[quote comment="14061"][quote comment="14056"][quote comment="14054"]and Ichy is a little over the line with going after you instead of your positions, TBCT, as far as I am concerned..but I ain’t the boxin’ commish here…[/quote]
Not OK for me to go after TBCT but OK for TBCT to go after HH?[/quote]
as I said:….but I ain’t the boxin’ commish here…..,/b>[/quote]
Still interesting how you chastize me but not TBCT, then claim ignorance by saying “[you] ain’t the boxin’ commish.”
How about being fair and equal?
trueblue, why do you hate HH?
“hate” is such a strong word, shadow. i’m thinking more along the lines of “fear”.
HH – again, kudos to you! You’ve got yourself a little CTLP Tea Party going on here! Look at all of the new, former, haven’t in awhile, people posting today…
Watch out Ichabod. I took on TrueBlue and I got banned for it. He’s protected by the moderators because they agree with his politics.
That’s a lot of bold.
Archie–
Icky’s got a long way to go before he falls to your status.
Glad you’re not banned. After the other day’s meltdown I thought you might be gone for good….
HH,
In your opening post you point out that my rep Zeke Zalaski was one of 5 Democrats that voted against this budget. As such you wonder what if any wrath he may suffer from Zalaski’s incompetent leader?
To be honest I am pleased, that Zeke,had the guts to vote no on this mess. Not exactly for the reasons I would have wanted him to, but at least he saw a train wreck in the making, and had the courage to vote to try to stop it. I give him credit for having the smarts to realize that this sort of spending increase cannot be sustained by a one time “surplus”.
Of course he voted no because the Democrats didn’t get the huge tax increases this year that they will need to sustain this spending. I would have rather he was more concerned about and voted no because of the huge increase in spending in the first place.
Earlier this secession I contacted him voicing my concerns with the huge under funding we now have with the teacher and state worker, pensions and retiree benefits. I shared with him my understanding how we got there, and what would be needed to deal with it. I’d like to tonight at least think for a few seconds that maybe, just maybe, that conversation helped him with his logic for his vote.
Today he may be in Amann’s dog house, but today I can honestly say I at least am very pleased how my rep. voted.
[quote comment="14070"]HH – again, kudos to you! You’ve got yourself a little CTLP Tea Party going on here! Look at all of the new, former, haven’t in awhile, people posting today…[/quote]
AmannAmen to that! Many of us are tired of the digital screaming of the left wing extremists and the TBCT crowd attempting to drown out any differing opinions with noise rather than logic. It is nice to hear the right wing extremists too!according to cafero, a self-proclaimed fincial wizard, you are all wrong, Al:The GOP’s theory was that Rell and state budget staff had underestimated revenues and, rather than deficits, the state was facing a $1 billion surplus.;;it’s all in how you spin it…..
http://www.norwalkadvocate.com/news/local/scn-sa-nor.cafero2jun24,0,6998738.story?coll=nor-news-local-headlines
Currently, Connecticut is one of only three states that treats children as young as 16 as adults in criminal court. Advocates have been fighting for years to change the law, and although some top judges and law-enforcement officials favor the move, Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s administration expressed late concerns that the cost of implementing such a drastic step could eventually top more than $100 million a year.
Democrats were caught completely off guard.
“All of a sudden, today, [the Rell administration] said `we don’t support this,’” said Rep. Michael Lawlor, D-East Haven, the longtime co-chairman of the judiciary committee. “This is not some new thing that kind of popped up. This was a very elaborate, two-year effort. No one can figure out what the exact problem is and why it didn’t manifest itself earlier.”
http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-housebud0624.artjun24,0,3961067.story?coll=hc-headlines-local
Headless: maybe you could help them out as chasing the cows is more up your alley than my chasing BYRDS:State biologists search for female moose
http://www.theday.com/re_ap.aspx?re=/C/CT_MOOSE_SEARCH_CTOL-
from another GOP ostrich: “I think people on the Republican side are very pleased to be able to get a budget without any increases in state income taxes or business taxes,” said state Sen. Sam F.S. Caligiuri, R-Waterbury. Caligiuri, whose district includes part of Cheshire, said he personally is concerned that the proposed budget will exceed the state spending cap and hasn’t decided yet whether he will vote for the plan.
http://www.nhregister.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18511565&BRD=1281&PAG=461&dept_id=590581&rfi=6
The relatively light charge does not convey the full story. A federal agent posing as a Galante associate offered Mr. DeLuca $5,000 in cash. Mr. DeLuca refused the bribe, not on moral grounds, but for fear the money would be traced. In addition, he never reported the incident, as the law requires. Agents also recorded him promising to do anything “within my power” to advance Mr. Galante’s business interests. This overly generous offer came after Mr. Galante was indicted on scores of racketeering charges.
Yet Mr. DeLuca pays no penalty, at least among his peers; while the public seems revolted by his willingness to use the power of his elected office to advance the interest of an alleged criminal, his fellow lawmakers offer forgiveness, protection and support.
Why are they so silent? The short answer is that Mr. DeLuca has been an insider for decades, and, more than anything else in the government of this small state, relationships rule.
That is the root of why the State Legislature has proved so reluctant to pass laws that would deter corrupt behavior: Lawmakers are afraid that such proposals might hurt their friends — not just themselves. In addition, because state laws are so weak, Connecticut can’t effectively police itself; it is dependent on the competence and aggressiveness of federal authorities to expose corruption.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/24/opinion/nyregionopinions/CT-Corrupt.html?_r=1&ref=nyregionopinions&oref=slogin
daily guano drop complete…….
Toucan, from your post #67 above:
“Al:The GOP’s theory was that Rell and state budget staff had underestimated revenues and, rather than deficits, the state was facing a $1 billion surplus.;;it’s all in how you spin it…..”
Toucan, in the wacky world of Hartford, there actually is some truth to that statement…… Clearly to end up with a billion or so more dollars than you expected, means the revenues were, hugely underestimated!!!!!!!!!
We both know hardly a red cent came from any savings!!!!!!!
I know full well you appreciate my concerns about how they “budget”….. I don’t really see why either side here should be very proud of themselves over this budget.
Given what little was accomplished, I feel that could have been done by cutting waste, and redirecting that money as the “surplus”, has been distributed…..In that case the surplus could have been properly invested for the taxpayers of this state, to pay off just a bit of the problem we plan to have our kids figure out how to fix…
You have to wonder when Amann, Napier, and the rest, try to explain to us that bonding 2 billion for 25 years to deal with the tip of the teacher pension iceberg is such a great deal for the taxpayers, why then isn’t using a billion dollars that can be had without any bonding the same way, a grand slam home run for the taxpayers??
Unfortunately, what seems increasingly clear to me anyway is:
Democrats don’t worry about spending before they spend. Republicans don’t worry about cutting taxes before we pay our bills. And sadly the public is happy to stay largely in the dark trusting our future to this sort of logic!!!!!
[quote post="667"]Democrats don’t worry about spending before they spend. Republicans don’t worry about cutting taxes before we pay our bills.[/quote]
That’s a “priceless” statement, Al
You must log in to post a comment.