Connecticut Local Politics

The Stamford Advocate has dug up old email showing that Gov. Rell knew and was “horrified” by the rising costs of the New Haven rail center project:

Until Friday, Rell insisted she believed the cost stood at the original $300 million budgeted in 2005. She blamed budget and transportation officials for not letting her know about the increases. The estimated cost of the 10-year project, scheduled to break ground next spring, now is $1.2 billion.
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But yesterday, in response to a similar FOI request, the DOT turned over 46 pages of e-mails and other documents dating to July 1, 2007.

The package included an e-mail dated Sept. 10, 2007, from Lisa Moody, Rell’s chief of staff, to then-DOT Commissioner Ralph Carpenter. Moody wrote that Rell was “horrified by the cost estimates of the rail facility” and wanted a breakdown of the then-$600 million estimate.

“She wants to cut back on the project,” Moody wrote. (Lockhart)

Rell sent out an apology to lawmakers after a video came to light showing she knew about the cost overruns earlier than she had originally stated.

So here’s the big question: if Rell knew about this, why didn’t she alert lawmakers a little sooner? And why did she pretend that she didn’t know at all?

Source
Lockhart, Brian. “E-mails show Rell knew of rising costs.” Stamford Advocate 22 April, 2008.