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

Malloy’s State of the State: ‘Real progress’ in Connecticut

  • Money
  • by Mark Pazniokas
  • February 7, 2014
  • View as "Clean Read" "Exit Clean Read"
Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy delivering his State of the State address.

Jacqueline Rabe Thomas / The CT Mirror

Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy delivering his State of the State address.

In his fourth and final State of the State address before facing re-election, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on Thursday delivered a ringing defense of his response to an inherited fiscal crisis and a rebuke of critics who he says refuse to acknowledge a slow, yet measurable recovery from recession.

The first-term Democratic governor, who often displays a strident confidence, struck notes of both defiance and humility in a televised midday speech to the General Assembly that formally marked the opening of the 2014 session and a new phase in his undeclared candidacy.

“Our work hasn’t been easy. No person – and certainly no government – is perfect. And, Lord knows, I’m not. All of our progress has come with setbacks along the way,” Malloy said. “But together we’ve proven that positive change, while hard, is possible. That progress is possible.”

Malloy, 58, whose narrow gubernatorial victory in 2010 was the first by a Democrat in 24 years, stood before legislators marked as wounded in public opinion polls, yet buoyed by a degree of fiscal stability that allows him to propose modest tax cuts, reduce long-term debt and set aside cash reserves.

In a promise to voters and a warning to legislators, including some in his own party eager to use a portion of a projected $506 million surplus to expand services, Malloy outlined a simple formula for handling improving revenues.

“We do three things: we shore up our savings, we reduce our debt, and we give some back to taxpayers,” Malloy said. “Finally, let me say this: If our surplus increases in the months ahead, the extra funds should be split between our Rainy Day Fund and long-term obligations – not spent.”

Every State of the State is a political document, none more so than in an election year, as evidenced by the squads of critics and supporters who stood ready to offer instant analysis and by some of the dramatic flourishes the governor employed.

The governor emulated what is now a standard practice at State of the Union speeches, recognizing individuals in the audience who illustrate themes: the UConn grad hired by a company that expanded with state aid; an urban mother whose children are benefiting from early learning.

Malloy’s 43-minute speech was a synthesis of a message he will repeat throughout the year: The state has come far from the day he took office three years ago, greeted by a $3.7 billion deficit that was the worst per-capita shortfall in the U.S.; there is more work to do, even among signs of improvement; he has a plan to go forward; and the naysayers are wrong.

In a brief passage near the conclusion of his speech, the Democrat quoted a popular Republican president, now the subject of a best-seller by Doris Kearns Goodwin, to rebuke GOP critics as petty.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy

Jacqueline Rabe Thomas / The CT Mirror

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy

“Teddy Roosevelt said a century ago that it’s not the critic who counts, but those who strive to do great things,” Malloy said. “We hear plenty of critics, even now. Even as sunshine begins to break through the clouds, there are some intent on hoping for thunderstorms.”

As an example, he said Connecticut’s state-run health exchange has led the most successful implementation of the Affordable Care Act, but small missteps bring howls.

“We should not listen,” Malloy said. “Connecticut is moving forward.”

The governor’s audience included at least three Republicans seeking his job: Senate Minority Leader John P. McKinney of Fairfield, Tom Foley of Greenwich and Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton. All three said Malloy was downplaying the state’s continuing economic struggles and overplaying a surplus inflated by gimmicks.

Senate Minority Leader John P. McKinney, R-Fairfield.

CT Mirror

Senate Minority Leader John P. McKinney, R-Fairfield.

“This is all about getting re-elected,” McKinney said.

“This is a ‘Happy Days are Here Again’ speech,” said Foley, the 2010 GOP nominee. “And people are still struggling.”

“He lives in a fantasy land in terms of what the average middle-class families are experiencing across the state of Connecticut,” said Boughton, a former state represenative. He attended with his running mate, Heather Bond Somers of Groton.

With a mix of new initiatives and those recently previewed, Malloy showed he will run on a platform that overlaps with priorities outlined by President Obama, including a pledge to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 by the beginning of 2017 and to end homelessness among veterans by the end of 2015.

He reiterated his support for early childhood education, setting a goal of universal pre-kindergarten. He laid out a tax-free college-savings plan with a modest matching grant from the state.

With no U.S. Senate race in Connecticut for the first time in three statewide elections, Malloy will lead the Democratic ticket. The prospect rattles some Democrats in swing districts, given the governor’s failure to top 50 percent in job-approval or other measures in public polling.

But House Speaker J. Brendan Sharkey, D-Hamden, and Senate President Pro Tem Donald E. Willliams Jr., D-Brooklyn, said the governor’s agenda was one welcomed by most rank-and-file Democrats.

“I think it sets the tone in a very positive way at the beginning of the session,” Williams said.

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, center, and his running mate, Heather Somers, listening to Malloy.

CT Mirror

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, center, and his running mate, Heather Somers, listening to Malloy.

Sharkey said the governor’s cautious approach to spending the surplus is good advice for legislators and will play well with voters.

“He is doing responsible things,” Sharkey said. “He is doing what families do whenever they run into a financial crisis.”

Resilience and patience were themes sounded by Malloy in the opening minutes.

He compared the state, and by implication his administration, to a small business owner he recently visited: Steve Weinstein, whose farm in East Hartford was devastated by a snowstorm last year, destroying 80 percent of his production capacity.

“His business was close to failure. Steve had a choice to make. What did he do? He dug in. He pushed ahead. He did the hard-but-necessary work of rebuilding,” Malloy said. “Today Steve’s company is back in business sending locally grown products to towns and cities across Connecticut. He isn’t back to 100 percent – rebuilding takes time – but thanks to his hard work and just a little help from the state, he’s making real progress, and he’s part of Connecticut’s economic recovery.”

Tom Foley, the 2010 GOP nominee, is seeking a rematch with Malloy.

CT Mirror

Tom Foley, the 2010 GOP nominee, is seeking a rematch with Malloy.

Aware of complaints that he too often points to the shortcomings of his predecessors, Malloy offered a tempered critique of bad fiscal habits that he is trying to correct: Incurring debts in bad times and deferring pension obligations.

“I say this not to lay blame for past problems, but because those who forget their history are doomed to repeat it,” he said. “I say it so that we can understand what we’ve changed, and precisely what that change has meant to the people of Connecticut.”

Economists say no governor should bear blame or take credit for employment statistics, but Malloy said his administration has helped create an economic environment in which the private-sector has added 40,000 jobs, unemployment has dropped from 9.4 percent in 2010 to 7.4 percent today.

Connecticut has a prominent place on many negative lists, especially those measuring business attitudes toward the state’s business. Malloy reeled off some positive measures: home values are up, crime is down and the state ranks “nationally as top five in energy efficiency, top four in worker productivity, top three in the number of advanced degrees, top two in production efficiency, and number one in the health of its citizens.”

A campaign talking point he will share with legislators — the state has helped 1,000 small businesses with cheap capital and tax incentives to hire the unemployed — was greeted with a standing ovation 20 minutes into his speech.

He introduced Emily Thomsen, a University of Connecticut student who studied biomedical engineering, as the beneficiary of the state’s policies: She was hired by Oxford Performance Materials in South Windsor, which has expanded and hired a dozen employees with state assistance.

“Because of the people in this chamber, there are thousands more stories like Emily’s across Connecticut,” Malloy said.

Republicans have criticized the governor for his aid to large companies, including $71 million to CIGNA, a Fortune 500 company that has designated its Bloomfield campus as its corporate headquarters.

Without addressing those major awards, Malloy took issue with those who question the role of the state in supporting the expansion of private employers.

“I fundamentally disagree,” he said. “A balanced approach that supports both workers and their employers is not only possible, it’s the only responsible path.”

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 is the Capitol Bureau Chief and a co-founder of CT Mirror. He is a frequent contributor to WNPR, a former state politics writer for The Hartford Courant and Journal Inquirer, and contributor for The New York Times.

SEE WHAT READERS SAID

RELATED STORIES
Connecticut House joins national civil rights campaign over Black hair styles
by Mark Pazniokas

The Connecticut House voted for a bill intended to protect Black women from discrimination over their hair.

House approves big municipal aid pledge, tax incentive bills
by Keith M. Phaneuf and Mark Pazniokas

The House approved bills Wednesday pledging $100 million-plus in new municipal aid and offering tax incentives to attract data centers.

CT legislature poised to make early budget pledge to help cities and towns
by Keith M. Phaneuf

The state House is expected to approve more than $100 million in new, annual PILOT grants to municipalities.

Connecticut GOP picks Susan Hatfield as state chair
by Mark Pazniokas

Susan Hatfield, vice chair of the Connecticut Republican Party, will complete the term of the former chair, J.R. Romano.

Senator alleges voter fraud, but no complaint was filed
by Mark Pazniokas

Rob Sampson said a voter in his district was told an absentee ballot already had been cast in her name.

Support Our Work

Show your love for great stories and outstanding journalism.

$
Select One
  • Monthly
  • Yearly
  • Once
Artpoint painter
CT ViewpointsCT Artpoints
Opinion Gas pipeline will threaten water quality, wildlife and wetlands
by Susan Eastwood

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has granted tentative approval of the 401 water quality certification for the Pomfret to Killingly natural gas pipeline. I urge DEEP to deny the 401 certification, as the proposed pipeline would violate the Connecticut’s water quality standards, and the conditions in the draft certification fail to protect our streams, wetlands, and wildlife.

Opinion Connecticut and the other Connecticut. Which will endure?
by Ezra Kaprov

What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘Connecticut’? Possibly, you think of a 43-year-old Puerto Rican man who arrived here with his family following Hurricane Maria. He works full-time as a machinist at the Sikorsky plant, and he coaches a prizefighter on the side.

Opinion COVID-19 increases urgency for legislature to pass medical aid-in-dying law
by Dr. Gary Blick

The COVID-19 crisis has exposed the profound tragedy of loved ones dying alone, in a hospital or nursing home, without the care and comfort of loved ones surrounding them. This pandemic also demonstrates the fragility of life, the limits of modern medicine to relieve suffering, and has magnified the systemic racial disparities in our healthcare system, resulting in higher hospitalization and death rates for people in communities of color. We must eradicate these disparities, so everyone has equal access to the full range of end-of-life care options.

Opinion Three fallacies and the truth about vaccines
by Kerri M. Raissian, Ph.D. and Dr. Jody Terranova

Connecticut’s Public Health Committee recently heard public testimony regarding HB6423 and SB568 --  bills that would remove the religious exemption (the medical exemption would rightfully remain in place) from vaccination in order to attend school.  The religious exemption allows parents to effectively opt their children out of vaccines. In doing so, these families can still send their children to Connecticut’s schools, daycares, colleges, and camps.  This places other children at risk of contracting vaccine-preventable illnesses, and it is imperative the Connecticut legislature remove this exception.

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