State Rep. William Tong, whose inclusive “Team Tong” slogan vaulted him into the Connecticut General Assembly this year, soon realized after taking his seat in Hartford that he was going to have to pick a team.
On one side was the Democratic party apparatus that had supported his candidacy, and that was proposing a tax increase on wealthy residents. On the other side were his Stamford constituents, many of whom would get hit the hardest by the budget proposal.
It was the political equivalent of an executive joining a company and being asked on day one to take a stance to benefit customers or shareholders ”“ but not both. For Tong, an associate with the Stamford law firm Finn, Dixon & Hurling L.L.P., it marked a particularly memorable entrée into politics as a second career.
“It”™s frustrating, but ”¦ we did what we had to do in Stamford with respect to the tax package,” Tong said. “You can”™t be afraid about (political fallout) in a future session. We did what we did; there was no way we could support a package that placed a tremendous (tax) burden on our constituents.”
Tong numbers among a handful of freshman state lawmakers from Fairfield County who work at area businesses or law firms, including Rep. Jason Bartlett, a mortgage broker from Bethel; Rep. Joseph Taborsak, an associate with Cramer & Anderson L.L.P. representing Danbury; and Sen. Dan Debicella, a Stratford resident who is director of strategy at Pepsico in White Plains, N.Y.
Debicella said he did not face a similar situation to Tong”™s in his first term, but, as a minority Republican in a heavily Democratic chamber, suspects he will face his fair share of fights.
“Any (statutory) change helps somebody and hurts somebody else,” Debicella said. “You actually spend more time building consensus to get something done then you spend on the bill itself, in some cases.”
Debicella said his own first impression of the General Assembly is that bills are backed by businesslike analysis.
“Coming from the business world, you expect there to be a lot of emotion (in proposed laws) and there is some of that,” Debicella said. “But you identify a problem, you look at the impact ”¦ You can bring a lot of the skill set you have learned in business to make an impact in the community, as long as you are willing to deal with the inherent inefficiencies in politics.”
“It”™s a very disorienting place,” agreed Tong, speaking of the Connecticut General Assembly. “I am very used to the corporate mentality and way of doing things. The focus in the corporate world is on strategic thinking; pursuing excellence all the time; a really regimented way of problem solving. The General Assembly is much more chaotic and disorganized ”“ things that may be important to you are happening all the time all around you.”
Lt. Gov. Mike Fedele, who is president of Stamford information technology company Pinnacle Group, served in the General Assembly between 1992 and 2002.
Fedele was drawn to the lieutenant governor”™s race last year by what he calls “the white space” inherent in the position after constitutional responsibilities are met. Given his business and technology background, he has focused his early energies on building out the Rell administration”™s economic-development capabilities, and finding ways to improve the state”™s IT infrastructure.
“The frustrating components of government are all the different hurdles you have to clear to get something accomplished,” Fedele said. “Take the budget (delay) ”“ here we have an economy that is very robust ”¦ and we are having a tough time coming to a decision.”
For business people who are having a tough time coming to a decision on whether to pursue a second career in public office, Fedele advises them to break the decision process down much as they might a business problem.
“I would say the first step is to get involved in the process,” Fedele said. “A lot of time folks are somewhat talked into this role. I would be working on campaigns ”¦ so you get a sense of what it takes, the sacrifice involved. And then if it”™s something you like, go after a position you think you are best suited for.”
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