After failing to enact a last-second overhaul of Connecticut”™s renewable energy laws last year, Senate Democrats have led off 2011 by reintroducing the bill for consideration by new Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell had vetoed the 2010 bill, arguing it would raise costs and objecting to it being introduced in the waning days of the session. During the campaign, Malloy termed Rell”™s veto decision “a mistake, plain and simple.” The Connecticut General Assembly did not override the veto, however, despite Democrats having had the votes to do so.
The plan would have required the state to come up with a plan to reduce electricity costs by 15 percent and to formulate a discounted rate program for low-income residents. It would have created incentives for homeowners to install at least 30 megawatts of solar panels ”“ sufficient for between 20,000 and 30,000 houses ”“ and require power companies to offer contracts to developers of large-scale solar arrays. It would allow municipalities to raise cash for loan programs to help residents install energy-efficient systems. And it would have created a Connecticut Energy and Technology Authority, with oversight of both the Department of Public Utility Control and a separate division of research, energy and technology.
Besides the new installment of the energy bill, few others were introduced in the 2011 session”™s opening days that would result in a major change for large numbers of Connecticut businesses, as Malloy and leaders in the Connecticut General Assembly meet this month and next to hash out a budget agreement.
State Sen. Edith Prague proposed immediately enacting tolls at all major highways entering the state, without immediately specifying whether she would include the Merritt Parkway in the proposal.
A legislative commission that has been designing the SustiNet near-universal health plan submitted its recommendations for a bill to enact the plan; separately, Sen. Joe Crisco of Woodbridge proposed the state create a Nutmeg Health Insurance Plan to provide coverage to low-income residents, without immediately saying how it would differ from SustiNet or the Charter Oak Health Insurance Plan created under Rell.
Malloy spent the early days of his administration readying constituents for bad news on the budget front, including in a speech to members of the Connecticut Business & Industry Association in Hartford.
“You are very kind to give me that applause even before you heard what I have to say,” Malloy said. “Pretty nice, I got to try to keep that up.”
In a speech to the Connecticut General Assembly following his inauguration, Malloy outlined his legislative priorities this year, including lowering energy and health care costs and reforming regulations to better attract businesses. He vowed to better assist cities and towns in their economic development efforts, while focusing state efforts on energy, biotechnology, nanotechnology, fuel cell technology and stem cell research. And Malloy pledged to improve the ports of Bridgeport, New Haven and New London to handle more commercial vessels, and to free up Bradley International Airport as an independent entity with an eye on growing its passenger base.
“We clearly face big problems; and in my estimation, big problems call for a big table,” Malloy said. “I will be meeting with the legislature, labor leaders, economic advisers, private industry and the not-for-profit sector so that we have a well-rounded perspective on the best solutions to our problems; and then I will begin working with the legislature to adopt the budget.”
Of bills that could impact small business, Republican Rep. Tony D”™Amelio of Waterbury and Democratic Rep. Paul Davis of Orange separately reintroduced legislation to eliminate the minimum $250 tax on businesses, which won near universal vocal support last year but which was not enacted under budget constraints. D”™Amelio also introduced legislation that would allow unemployed people to receive state benefits while enrolled in college or graduate courses meant to enhance their job prospects.
Multiple proposals emerged in the early days regarding individual income taxes. Sen. Martin Looney of New Haven proposed the state phase in an earned-income tax credit (SB 41); Rep. Gail Lavielle of Wilton wants to eliminate state income taxes on Social Security income, arguing it would make Connecticut competitive with other states that do so.
