The Budget Battle Continues
by Christine Stuart | Mar 29, 2010 5:22pm
(9) Comments | Commenting has expired
Posted to: State Budget
The House bailed on taking up the plan to erase this year’s state deficit Saturday after the Senate failed to pass it by a veto proof majority, but House Speaker Chris Donovan said Monday that he’s reaching out to Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell to see if they can’t work out their differences.
Rell, who is still in Colorado, threatened to veto the bill late Friday night before the bill was even printed. By Saturday her spokesman was saying the veto wasn’t a threat, it was a promise. The bill, according to Rell’s spokesman, contained three times as many tax increases as spending cuts.
Rell’s Budget Director Robert Genuario said Monday afternoon that he doesn’t see why the two sides can’t work together to iron out their differences.
“I don’t see any reason why we can’t get together,“ Genuario said.
However, he said he still has concerns about the projected savings Democratic lawmakers believe they can achieve through cutting some of the programs.
To that end, Rell used her executive authority to cut $12 million from the budget Monday.
“To the extent that there are achievable savings contained within the plan offered by the Democrats, I am more than willing to put them into effect as quickly as possible, especially given that only a few months remain before this fiscal year ends June 30,” Rell said in a press release.
“Where there is already agreement, let us act now,” Rell said. “Then let us work together to resolve the remaining problem as quickly and effectively as possible.”
Democratic lawmakers didn’t see Rell’s gesture as an olive branch.
Sen. President Donald Williams said he spoke with Donovan for about 90-minutes Monday, but when the two tried to call Rell they were told she was unavailable.
“If the governor really wanted to eliminate the deficit in 2010 she would sign the bill passed by the Senate,” Williams said in a phone interview.
Williams questioned Rell’s priorities. He wondered why she had time to put out a press release, but didn’t have time to speak with him and Donovan about solving the deficit. As far as the rescissions Rell made Monday, Williams said many of them were “recycled.”
The House could come in and vote on a package as early as this Wednesday, Donovan said Monday. “I wouldn’t discount it at this point.”
Williams said he would continue to urge the House to pass the same package the Senate passed 21-15 early Saturday morning.
“Time is running out to balance this year’s budget and the plan approved by the Senate over the weekend is the best solution on the table,” Williams said in a statement Monday.
“We eliminate the deficit by cutting state spending, increasing receipt of federal funds, and delaying a tax cut for the state’s wealthiest estates. It is time for the House to pass this bill,“ Williams said. “I am also calling for a bipartisan budget meeting with all leaders as soon as the governor returns to Connecticut.”
(9) Comments
posted by: thomas hooker | March 30, 2010 10:26am
Christine, why didn’t you point out that while all of this negotiating on closing the state’s budget deficit is going on, Jodi Rell is on vacation? All you write is that she’s “still in Colorado”. That is very misleading, since the truth is that she’s AWOL- playing around out of state while important business, in fact some of the most important business a governor is responsible for, is going on.
In fact, this is typical of Governor Rell. She couldn’t be bothered to go to Washington to lobby or transportation funds, she couldn’t be bothered to sit down with Democratic leaders to discuss the budget last year, her schedule is notoriously empty, and she waited days before offering state aid to the southwestern part of the state hit hard by a major storm this month.
Seems important for journalists to tell the truth- Rell is on vacation- and not cover up that fact by simply writing that she “is still in Colorado.”
posted by: Christine Stuart | March 30, 2010 10:54am
Thomas Hooker she is in Colorado visiting her daughter. Don’t know if family visits count as vacation. I did point out in my stories this weekend and again in this one that her veto threat had come before the language in the actual bill was even drafted.
posted by: Ctkeith | March 30, 2010 11:31am
Christine,
I don’t know of any other state employee who gets time off for “family visits”,do you?
For a Lame Duck Connecticut Governor to be putting out Press Release Veto threats while in the State of Colorado instead of here taking a “Staycation” puts new meaning in the word LAME in (quack,quack)lame duck.
posted by: CT Jim | March 30, 2010 2:05pm
She apparently gets what ever she wants.
Heck when she’s here she rarley works more than 10 hrs a week spending more time napping and reading fiction.
posted by: DrHunterSThompson | March 31, 2010 8:02am
she won’t be back until after easter.
don’t spend anymore emotional energy on her - she’s a real nowhere woman sitting in her nowhere land, making all her nowhere plans for nobody.
between her, donovan, and williams ..... we are screwed.
it’s looney i say!
HST
posted by: DrHunterSThompson | March 31, 2010 12:16pm
hello hello hello, is there anyone in there?
can’t you hear me calling?
is there anyone at home…........?
posted by: thomas hooker | April 1, 2010 12:09pm
Yes, Christine, for all of us simple mortals, taking time off the job to go visit family members really is considered “vacation”. Unfortunately, even for Republican governors, “family visits” are counted against vacation time. And it’s incredible that she is away from the job “on vacation” while criticizing General Assembly Democrats for not doing their job. That’s called hypocrisy.
posted by: CT Jim | March 30, 2010 9:13am
Great she can take away from her day of shopping to absolutley steamroll the elderly, poor, and totally trash education.
She must be soooo tired, time for a nap.
Or maybe a quick ride on the Jet ski