GOP Candidates Square Off In First TV Debate
by Christine Stuart | Mar 18, 2010 6:57pm
(14) Comments | Commenting has expired
Posted to: Election 2010
(Updated 9:30 p.m.) It was hard for the eight Republican gubernatorial candidates to talk about anything but the state budget. Even a question about the death penalty ended in talk about dollars and cents as the candidates used the first televised debate to try to distinguish themselves from the pack.
Many agreed that the state’s dire economic situation—the next governor is likely to inherit a more than $3 billion deficit—is too great to waste anytime on social issues.
All of the candidates said they support the death penalty.
On the fiscal issues, there wasn’t too much disagreement amongst many of the candidates, except for C. Duffy Acevedo of Branford, a relative newcomer who entered the race just a few weeks go.
While most of the candidates talked about getting together with the state employees unions to talk about concessions and even cuts, Acevedo said he refuses to talk about cutting union jobs.
“Being pro-union is not being anti-business,” Acevedo said. “We’re in this together with the unions.”
Acevedo went on to mention House bill 5501 several times during the debate as an answer to the state’s economic woes. The bill allows $5 billion of small business credit to be delivered to the state.
Acevedo left many of the candidates scratching their heads as he sometimes confused the roles of the state legislature and Congress.
The frontrunner in the race based on the latest Quinnipiac University poll, Tom Foley, said the death penalty is not one of the issues he hears people talking about as he travels the state.
“There’s really four things people are talking about around the state. It’s jobs and the economy, it’s reducing the size and cost of state government, reducing the tax burden on working families, and changing the way business is done in Hartford,” Foley, the former Ambassador to Ireland, said.
Oz Griebel, who is currently on leave from his position as president of the Metro Hartford Alliance, said he has no plans to change the death penalty.
“Our most important social issue is economic,” Griebel said. “It’s restoring 100,000 jobs and getting people back to work so they can support their families.“
He said the next governor needs to set the tone of the 2011 legislative session by making sure balancing the state budget is the only issue on the agenda.
In a question about United Technologies Corporation’s recent statement that it would seek to locate “anywhere but Connecticut,” former Congressman Larry DeNardis talked about his support for bill introduced by the Democrats in the state legislature.
“One of things I would do immediately is pass Senate bill one,“ DeNardis said. “That would provide some assistance.” He said the bill does relieve some taxes for small businesses.
In answering the same question, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, one of the three municipal leaders, said what the next governor can’t do is give the legislature anymore money.
“They’re kind of like the movie ‘Gremlins,’ ‘’ Boughton said. “If you feed them after midnight and give them water after midnight, they will multiply with bad ideas and bad public policy. So the bottom line here is we can’t feed the gremlin.”
Newington Mayor Jeff Wright said UTC’s statement was absolutely frightening. He said the state is facing a more than $3 billion budget deficit and small businesses have to be wondering when the “other shoe is going to drop.”
“We have a spending problem,” Wright said.
Chester First Selectman Tom Marsh, who is also a small business owner, said it’s not just UTC. He said small businesses are closing up shop and leaving the state, but they’re just not getting the same media attention. He said if he was governor he would be a “cheerleader” for the state to help attract businesses.
Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele, who has served the past three years in Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s administration, said he would be the state’s chief economic development officer. And while he didn’t say it specifically during the debate Fedele said Wednesday that his budget would include no new taxes or revenue increases.
On Thursday Fedele, who is still polling in the single digits, said he would implement a four-year hiring freeze, freeze municipal bonding, and go through the budget line-by-line.
At 7 p.m., Friday the six Democratic candidates will square up in another NBC Connecticut debate.
(14) Comments
posted by: Polite | March 19, 2010 9:26am
The candidates should be held accountable on their position regarding Ballot Initiative & Referendum. It is sad that in a small state like ours where our towns have this right, our state officials and legislators seem reluctant about giving us an ability to impact an unresponsive legislature.
http://www.LetOurVoicesBeHeard.org
posted by: CT Jim | March 19, 2010 10:58am
There will be no ballot initiatives you guys lost that vote and may get another in about 18 years or so
posted by: concerned nutmegger | March 19, 2010 12:19pm
Larry DeNardis gave a great performance in last night’s debate. He is clearly the most qualified to be governor. His command of the issues combined with his experience make him the most uniquely qualified to lead the state during this time of crisis. His answers offered concrete ideas and solutions to the problems facing Connecticut.
posted by: Matt W. | March 19, 2010 1:03pm
Res: Referrendum sounds great unfortunately it relies upon the idea that the same masochistic electorate (who continue to vote these clowns into office) will vote the right way on critical issues in a referendum. Until the public wakes up and recognizes that it has a stake in the process, I wouldn’t expect the referendum to change anything even if we had it.
For Example: The same electorate voted against adopting the referendum a year ago, that should tell you all you need to know.
posted by: lothar | March 19, 2010 1:39pm
Polite,
We just went through a Constitutional convention on this topic and a large majority voted against the ballot initiative form of government in favor of our current form of representative Democracy.
posted by: res ipsa | March 19, 2010 2:31pm
Lothar-the vote in 2008 was “Should we convene a Constitutional Convention?” Ballot initiative WAS NOT on the ballot. You and Ct. Jim are misleading this thread with that false argument.
posted by: mosley | March 19, 2010 3:42pm
Matt W-You are mistaken-the vote in 2008 was “Shall we convene a Constituitional Convention?” What are Ct. Jim and Lothar doing posting on a story about GOP canidates?
posted by: Mark Francis | March 19, 2010 6:44pm
Larry DeNardis won the debate. He answered all the questions with a clear response. In responding to the question job creation for CT the other candidates were vague. Only Larry DeNardis gave the number 1 solution to this problem which was tax cuts to small businesses. Small Businesses provide 75% of the jobs in CT.
posted by: DrHunterSThompson | March 19, 2010 9:13pm
who on earth watched this?
it’s march madness and the allman brothers have set up shop in NYC for a few weeks.
surely y’all have something better to do, no?
HST
posted by: Polite | March 20, 2010 6:54am
Unfortunately,most voters have not paid much attention to who their State legislators are and what they do. Voters have paid dearly and are awakening to a state that has not grown jobs in 20 yrs. We need more people that are also willing to challenge these sitting legislators to bring forward important issues. Many State seats go uncontested and offer little choice. Ballot Initiatives is a tool that voters should have to help bring issues to the voters. It has been proven that ballot issues bring out more voters and the voters are more engaged. If more people are engaged in the process we will get better results. 31 states have ballot initiative and once the voters have this tool, they don’t give it back. That is why you will always see push back from the establishment. Do NOT fall for their arguments to protect their power over the electorate. Go to http://www.LetOurVoiceBeHeard.Org to join the fight to get our State out of this mess.
posted by: Matt W. | March 22, 2010 2:51pm
Mosley - a distinction without a difference. The vote on the convention was spun as a vote on referendum by both sides.
posted by: Polite | March 22, 2010 4:23pm
People for Ballot Initiatives voted on both sides as well. Many did not want to spend money on the convention process and others did not want to open the process to other items that would be discussed besides Initiative and Referendum. Even the Attorney General argued that I & R should be brought up for a hearing in the legislature. You can spend a moment to listen to the only debate that occurred on the Constitution Convention or you can continue in your ignorance. Your choice! To see video of debate Visit the home page of http://www.LetOurVoicesBeHeard.Org
posted by: res ipsa | March 19, 2010 9:04am
Social issues deflect from the real focus, which is the state’s economic future. I would have liked it if these folks opined on the $42 million in non-union state employee longevity benefits, (Moody’s getting 9k this year), and citizens having the right to initiative-referendum. The Mass. voters decriminalized simple possession of marijuana in 2008, which is long overdue, here.