Speaking at “Connecticut Business Day” in Hartford this month, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy took flak from Norwalk Rep. Lawrence Cafero, who said the governor has not gone far enough in cutting state spending.
“I hold up a mirror to all of us,” Malloy said. “Business community, legislative, executive branch ”“ we have all made mistakes. Far too often, we talk at one another and in some cases did so admitting to ourselves that we were doing so for no particular purpose other than to make our point, even knowing that point probably wouldn”™t carry the day.”
The event was attended by members of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association and chambers of commerce throughout the state. In his remarks, Malloy pointed out that he is appearing at 17 town hall meetings statewide to explain the budget and give citizens a chance to grill him.
“Really, you”™re looking at a guy who probably has a screw loose,” Malloy said. “Seventeen of these. And I”™m going to every business organization in the state, every chamber of commerce that can put some people in the room, every organization that represents people. Listen, I didn”™t throw this (budget) on the floor and run away ”“ I threw it on the floor and then I”™m arguing the case. And part of that case is very difficult ”¦ because you know and I know that as a Democrat people expect me ”“ even though I told them I wouldn”™t ”“ they expect me to do certain things, and I”™m flying in the face of that.”
Bonnie Stewart, CBIA vice president of government affairs, took a conciliatory tone in criticizing the Connecticut General Assembly for what CBIA perceives as anti-business legislation under consideration.
“Most of the legislators do not have the business experience,” said Stewart. “It”™s not that they don”™t care or they don”™t want to know. It”™s that they haven”™t had the opportunity to discuss things at great length with people that know.”
Others gave no quarter, including CBIA CEO John Rathgeber.
“We are good employers on any national standard,” Rathgeber said. “Yet if you walk the halls of this ”¦ legislative office building, too often you hear that every employer in Connecticut is greedy, that they”™re self-centered and that if it wasn”™t for government, you would treat your employees as if we were back in the late 1800s. It”™s just not the case.”
Rep. Cafero saved his sharpest rhetoric for Malloy and his budget plan.
“Here”™s the rub,” Cafero said. “When you read the budget, when the details sort of seep through the psyche, were you slapping each other high fives in the boardroom? Were there backslaps at the water coolers? ”˜Our day has come, business is changing, Connecticut is open for business?”™ I don”™t think so.
“I don”™t disagree with one thing the governor said,” Cafero added. “But what he said does not jibe with what he did, because increasing spending and raising taxes, is that the road less traveled? I”™ve been down that road before.”
When asked whether he would put together a committee to bargain with unions over billions of dollars in unfunded pension liabilities, Malloy”™s response was pithy.
“You”™re looking at the committee,” Malloy said. “I”™ve called upon my fellow state employees to come to the table and given them a pretty big target ”“ $1 billion in savings per year ”¦ To not have success is unimaginable ”“ the numbers of people that would have to lose their jobs, the further damage to the safety net that would have to be done.”
“Really, you’re looking at a guy who probably has a screw loose,†Malloy said.
Is this how he deals with head on challenges to his false claim to be addressing our states budgetary woes? What on earth can he be thinking? Just because Stamford residents don’t really get involved in politics and simply go with the flow shouldn’t be what happens statewide…or are we the ‘walk on us’ state?
I for one plan to leave the state, take my business and go to NJ or NC. At least my taxes will go to better schools and a much, much wiser Governor in NJ. Malloy is bad for business. The State Republican Committee seems apathetic. They aren’t even organizing any uprising or confrontation (peaceful) at the Town Meetings. Gee, guess we don’t care as much as the unions in Wisconsin.