State House Speaker Elect Chris Donovan was short on specifics this morning, December 19, 2008 when he informed members of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut that ‘Times are Tough” and “We are all in it together” at a breakfast meeting held at the Radisson Hotel in downtown New London.
Donovan relived the failure due to a Rell Veto of his Health Care Proposal during the last legislative session and indicated that he planned to try again in the upcoming session.
He pointed out the need to identify projects that would ’spur’ economic development in the various areas of Connecticut. He is looking forward to an input from the Federal Government under the new OBAMA Administration and he wants to be sure that Connecticut is ready to take advantage of the infusion of federal funds. He is asking for the public to help the legislature ‘hit the ground running’ by providing ideas and constructive input to ’spur growth.’
During questioning by the attendees, Speaker Elect Donovan noted that there were things that the public sector could do better than the private sector in the area of health care and other things (nothing really specified) that the private sector could do better. This was in response to a question on the balance between state departments and some non profit health care providers. He noted that, due to administration action, the State was not taking advantage of some Federal Funds available to support health care.
Another attendee asked if the Speaker Elect and the Democratic Majority had a ‘long range’ plan to improve the economic outlook in the state since the state government was not able to ‘print money’ like the Federal Government. Speaker Elect Donovan stated that the Democratic Majority had passed a budgetary plan twice that was vetoed by Governor Rell and that if those budgets had been passed, the state would be in a better position today. Regarding the future, There is a very large budget deficit and making large cuts in the state budget will only reduce, not eliminate, the deficit. The way out is to restart the economic engine through infrastructure and transportation improvements, assuming private sector health care costs to improve business bottom lines but the plan should be based on public input insuring everyone ‘has skin in the game.’
One of the tourism advocates in the audience asked if the “golden goose’ of tourism could expect more state support. The Speaker elect stated that programs need to show payback to be supported. If the payback can be shown, the support should be forthcoming.
(Editorial comment – It may not be fair to expect details from the speaker elect this early in the process, but the vague generalities and use of buzz words during his talk were not exactly reassuring that the upcomng session will be anymore successful than last year’s session.)
Update: Here are the accounts of the Donovan address to the Chamber from <a href=”http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=03d0f2ea-e34d-4dcc-8f27-8a56bf7cca9e”>the New London DAY</a> and <a href=”http://www.norwichbulletin.com/news/x1647200162/Speaker-Hurricane-hit-state-economy”>the Norwich BULLETIN</a>.
12 responses so far ↓
I assume that Donovan was short on details as to how he reached this conclusion.
Afraid I have to agree with your Editorial Comment.
Let me see if I am missing anything significant here.
Donovan recognizes we are in a massive deficit but wants to implement a state-run healthcare plan that will cost hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars.
Next, he blames the governor when in fact it was the Democratic Majority’s “do nothing” approach to the budget deficit all last spring that has gotten us in the severe level of red we currently enjoy.
Donovan has no plan to handle the deficit apart from wishing really hard for Obama to save the state.
Alas! May we all look the sky on January 20th, and see Obama flying over the state capitol in his winged golden charriot tossing bags of bailout cash to citizens in need!
This is our leadership? We are in deep shit, folks. Anyone want to guess when they announce the tax increase we will all get? February? March?
Oh, dear. Agreed, wtfdnucsailor, not exactly reassuring.
The simple reality is that Donovan and his collegagues in the legislature can pass any budget they want and override a veto if need be. It is squarely on the Democratic majority’s shoulders. God help us all.
Have you MET them? Even with increased majorities, I’d be shocked if they could pass a budget with a veto-proof majority.
True! It would be like trying to herd cats. Legless, retarded cats.
I guess I am a dreamer, but it would have been more satisfying, even without specific details, the Speaker elect had outlined some Goals and Objectives rather than speaking in platitudes about ’spurring economic growth.’ I am concerned that if the Governor and the legislative leaders don’t get their collective acts together CT will actually miss out on Obama’s ‘winged golden chariot’ that Headless mentions. I hope his leadership actions are better than the presentation he made this morning.
I don’t think one needs to add much to the thread posted here by wtfdnucsailor. Just when you think no one can come across dumber than Jimmy Amann, Donovan shows up.
It seems these days he is busy pointing fingers at everyone else for the fiscal mess he has played a key role in helping create.
Donovan has long wanted a “millionaires” tax. With the Democratic super majority I would be shocked not to see one passed this secession. Of course since the real problem is runaway wasteful spending, the state’s fiscal situation will only further worsen. At which point he being both clueless, as well as blameless in all this, will tell us that the reason the “millionaires” tax failed to fix this mess was because the private sector failed to produce enough millionaires.
In six months we will be looking at the Amann tenure as the good old days.
Why is OBAMA IN CAPS LOCK
Have you MET them? Even with increased majorities, I’d be shocked if they could pass a budget with a veto-proof majority.
Differing ideaologies nothwithstanding, the fact is the current Democratic legislature has more power than anyone, including the Gov., to fix the current budget crisis. A crisis that they have played a major role in, it should be noted.
Major role? They created the entire problem! Sure, there’s a national recession going on, we all realize that, but they failed to do anything last spring when they could see the headlight of the train. Now we’re going to get crushed on the tracks and they are saying “hey… we better do something… I don’t know what though. Hey Obama! A little help please?”
With Donovan at the helm, and Merril groping for two cogent thoughts on the subject, Connecticut taxpayers had better get their feet in the stirrups and be ready to be on the receiving end of a fiscal speculum.
“Differing ideaologies nothwithstanding, the fact is the current Democratic legislature has more power than anyone, including the Gov., to fix the current budget crisis. A crisis that they have played a major role in, it should be noted.”
I agree with your comment. However also IMO the Governor still is in a very strong position here. Let Donovan and his super majority serve up a budget long on tax increases, and short on spending cuts. I hope Rell has the common sense to veto it, “veto proof” super majority or not.
Make Donovan then get his super majority (if he even can) to over ride her veto, and without her signature force another bad budget from the General Assembly down the throats of the hard working, over taxed, people of this state. At that point Donovan has no choice but to accept responsibility for the harm he then adds. Of course at that point he also has the chance to accept he can be part of the solution rather than an on going part of the problem.
Frankly if I were him and playing the blame game like it appears he is doing I would worry more that she forces me at this critical point to put my name to the budget I give her, then her foolishly again signing hers to another, like so many other bad ones, that got us to this point.
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