Connecticut Local Politics

Gov. Rell and legislative leaders have reached an agreement about holding a special session to deal with high fuel prices and heating this winter. The session will take place on August 22nd, and will involve the spending of a $22 million surplus that may, in fact, be imaginary.

Williams and a bipartisan group of top leaders met with Rell at the governor’s mansion in Hartford’s West End Friday as Rell introduced an 11-point plan for relief.

“The sooner we address what we all know will be very tough times for so many people this winter, the better,” Rell said. “With the price of heating oil heading toward $5 a gallon, we do not want Connecticut families and senior citizens having to choose between food and fuel this winter.”

Many of the precise details were not set Friday because the bill has not been written and the legislature’s nonpartisan fiscal office has not yet released its own surplus estimate — which will help determine exactly how much the state can spend. (Keating)

The article has further details on what sort of plans Rell has in mind. Interestingly, this is something that the governor wanted but Democrats weren’t too hot on. And yet it’s happening. And it’s the governor’s proposals that seem to be under consideration, here, although the Democrats may have some ideas of their own.

Of course, she’s pretty much the only Republican around who can get anything accomplished policy-wise, these days. Republicans have been repeating their demand that gas taxes be cut, only to meet with a brick wall.

One other thing of note is that the meeting was held at the Executive Mansion, which is one of the few times I’ve heard of Rell making any use of the old place. As far as I know, she still commutes from faraway Brookfield.

Source
Keating, Christopher. “Rell, Legislators Plan Session On Heating Oil Costs.” Hartford Courant 2 August, 2008.