Free Daily Headlines :

  • COVID-19
  • Vaccine Info
  • Money
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Justice
  • More
    • Environment
    • Economic Development
    • Gaming
    • Investigations
    • Social Services
    • TRANSPORTATION
  • Opinion
    • CT Viewpoints
    • CT Artpoints
DONATE
Reflecting Connecticut’s Reality.
    COVID-19
    Vaccine Info
    Money
    Politics
    Education
    Health
    Justice
    More
    Environment
    Economic Development
    Gaming
    Investigations
    Social Services
    TRANSPORTATION
    Opinion
    CT Viewpoints
    CT Artpoints

LET�S GET SOCIAL

Show your love for great stories and out standing journalism

GOP looks to compete with Malloy outside Capitol

  • by Mark Pazniokas
  • June 9, 2011
  • View as "Clean Read" "Exit Clean Read"

Outgunned and out-flanked during the 2011 legislation session, the Republican minority hopes to best Gov. Dannel P. Malloy outside the Capitol, convincing voters that the governor’s legislative victories weaken the state economy.

Republican leaders acknowledged Thursday that Malloy, the first Democratic governor in 20 years, steamrolled them during the five-month session, imposing his budget, his tax increases and his social agenda.

Now, their goal is to frame the new governor’s accomplishments as anathema to business and to link them not only to Malloy, but the legislature’s Democratic majority.

“There’s a lot of anger and frustration, and a lot of difficult questions as to why in this economy, why in this difficult time, Connecticut went down a path that no other state seemed to go down, the largest tax increase in our history,” said Senate Minority Leader John P. McKinney, R-Fairfield.

But they are up against a governor who wages a permanent campaign, fighting to dominate nearly every news cycle.

In his end-of-session speech, Malloy already was trying to frame the political narrative for the coming months, announcing an economic development tour with one of his star appointees, Catherine Smith, the former top ING executive who is running the Department of Economic and Community Development.

The governor also is calling a special session for the fall to focus on jobs.

McKinney and House Minority Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr., R-Norwalk, will not compete on equal footing. Simply by virtue of being governor, Malloy has a built-in advantage in commanding attention.

While Republicans and the Connecticut Business and Industry Association criticize him over taxes and his pivotal support for a bill making Connecticut the first state to mandate paid sick days, Malloy will be stressing his economic-development achievements.

A bill-signing ceremony is expected at the UConn Health Center to celebrate the passage of an $864 million expansion plan – and his vision for transforming bio-science research at the medical school into an economic development tool.

“The governor has always had a bigger microphone, a louder microphone than any legislator,” McKinney said. “How do we compete? We compete with ideas. We compete by working hard.”

Cafero said that the Republican minority is committed to debating Malloy over competing visions for economic development.

“We have had one singular message. A lot of times parties, regardless of which party is in the minority, have a diluted message. They are all over the lot.,” Cafero said. “We have focused on economic issues.”

The governor’s senior adviser, Roy Occhiogrosso, used to be in their shoes, advising Democratic legislators how to compete in the press with a media-savvy Republican governor, John G. Rowland. It was a mismatch, he said.

“I feel their pain,” he said.

Occhiogrosso said he believes the Republicans are overly optimist about how the tax increases will hit voters on July 1. The governor already has conceded that his budget calls for significant sacrifice to stabilize the state’s finances.

“People will feel an impact,” Occhiogrosso said. “But it’s not like the income tax battle in 1991, a large, new tax coming out of people’s paychecks for the first time. It’s nothing like that.”

Besides, Malloy intends to move the debate forward, away from taxes and toward ways Connecticut can end 22 years of job stagnation. Republicans intend to counter by holding Malloy responsible every time a company leaves the state.

On Thursday, the Republicans mentioned plans by UBS in Stamford, the city where Malloy was mayor, to relocate jobs to Manhattan, a trucking company in Branford whose owner says he is fed up with the business climate, and camera company in Enfield.

“Gov. Malloy can go on the road and talk about jobs,” McKinney said. “But what’s he going to do when he goes to Enfield, and they say, ‘You know, governor, we had an award-wining company called Precision Camera and Video that cut 234 jobs and left the state?”

Sign up for CT Mirror's free daily news summary.

Free to Read. Not Free to Produce.

The Connecticut Mirror is a nonprofit newsroom. 90% of our revenue comes from people like you. If you value our reporting please consider making a donation. You'll enjoy reading CT Mirror even more knowing you helped make it happen.

YES, I'LL DONATE TODAY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mark Pazniokas

SEE WHAT READERS SAID

RELATED STORIES
More than 300 teachers vaccinated at Southbury clinic; State says older residents should come first
by Dave Altimari

Some teachers are getting vaccinated while the state is trying to get the COVID-19 vaccine out to older residents first.

Joe Biden takes office: ‘At this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed.’
by Mark Pazniokas

America took a deep breath and watched Joe Biden uneventfully inaugurated outside a Capitol invaded two weeks ago by rioters.

Lamont to lead NGA task force on pandemic response
by Mark Pazniokas

Gov. Ned Lamont will co-chair a National Governors Association task force on pandemic and disaster response.

Lamont sets the stage for a debate on marijuana taxation by mid-2022
by Keith M. Phaneuf

The governor's draft bill proposes taxing marijuana and erasing convictions for possession that occurred prior to Oct. 1, 2015.

In the grip of a pandemic: What would Dr. King say?
by Suzanne Lagarde MD

No one can dispute that we are in the midst of a history making week —the inauguration of a new President and the departure of a President under the cloud of accusations that he incited an insurrection against American democracy. However, the coming week will prove to be a week like no other in American history for more reasons than what is happening in our country’s capital.

Support Our Work

Show your love for great stories and outstanding journalism.

$
Select One
  • Monthly
  • Yearly
  • Once
Artpoint painter
CT ViewpointsCT Artpoints
Opinion In the grip of a pandemic: What would Dr. King say?
by Suzanne Lagarde MD

No one can dispute that we are in the midst of a history making week —the inauguration of a new President and the departure of a President under the cloud of accusations that he incited an insurrection against American democracy. However, the coming week will prove to be a week like no other in American history for more reasons than what is happening in our country’s capital.

Opinion Connecticut’s broad access to internet making at-home work more doable
by Timothy Wilkerson

When it comes to ranking public access to broadband networks, Connecticut has been consistently among the top five U.S. states for over a decade. In 2020, Connecticut topped two lists including best broadband access by BroadbandNow and WalletHub recognized the state as No. 1 in internet access to households as part of their Best States for Working from Home report.

Opinion The elephant in the Metro-North station
by David Moyer

All over the world, businesses are discussing their revised needs for space as a result of the pandemic. White-collar professionals who have successfully adapted to working from home will have, when they do go to their companies’ offices, fewer of them, with less square footage. Exactly how much is still a matter of debate since the post-pandemic habits of and requirements for in-person face time are still in flux. One thing’s for certain. It isn’t going to increase.

Opinion Separating myth and reality in aid in dying
by Lisa Blumberg

The virus is surging and the death rate is increasing as the already overburdened health system is in crisis. Yet, there is talk of the legislature again considering a bill to permit doctors to provide lethal prescriptions to terminally ill adults requesting them. This is despite the fact that such bills have stalled in committee five times in the past and due to the pandemic, the legislature may meet virtually for much of the upcoming session. Proponents will be talking about choice and compassion. Let’s separate rhetoric from reality.

Artwork Grand guidance
by Anne:Gogh

In a world of systemic oppression aimed towards those of darker skintones – representation matters. We are more than our equity elusive environments, more than numbers in a prison and much more than victims of societal dispositions. This piece depicts a melanated young man draped in a cape ascending high above multiple forms of oppression. […]

Artwork Shea
by Anthony Valentine

Shea is a story about race and social inequalities that plague America. It is a narrative that prompts the question, “Do you know what it’s like to wake up in new skin?”

Artwork The Declaration of Human Rights
by Andres Chaparro

Through my artwork I strive to create an example of ideas that reflect my desire to raise social consciousness, and cultural awareness. Jazz music is the catalyst to all my work, and plays a major influence in each piece of work.”

Artwork ‘A thing of beauty. Destroy it forever’
by Richard DiCarlo | Derby

During times like these it’s often fun to revisit something familiar and approach things with a different slant. I have been taking some Pop culture and Art masterpieces and applying the vintage 1960’s and 70’s classic figures (Fisher Price, little people) to the make an amusing pieces. Here is my homage to Fisher -Price, Yellow […]

Twitter Feed
A Twitter List by CTMirror

Engage

  • Reflections Tickets & Sponsorships
  • Events
  • Donate
  • Newsletter Sign-Up
  • Submit to Viewpoints
  • Submit to ArtPoints
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Commenting Guidelines
  • Legal Notices
  • Contact Us

About

  • About CT Mirror
  • Announcements
  • Board
  • Staff
  • Sponsors and Funders
  • Donors
  • Friends of CT Mirror
  • History
  • Financial
  • Policies
  • Strategic Plan

Opportunity

  • Advertising and Sponsorship
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Use of Photography
  • Work for Us

Go Deeper

  • Steady Habits Podcast
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Five Things

The Connecticut News Project, Inc. 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105. Phone: 860-218-6380

© Copyright 2021, The Connecticut News Project. All Rights Reserved. Website by Web Publisher PRO