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Sen. Lieberman's N needs work

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Today's must-watch video clip features Sen. Joseph Lieberman doing the UConn chant on the Senate floor.

 


Transgender non-discrimination bill passes Judiciary -- without any amendments

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The legislature's Judiciary Committee on Tuesday endorsed a bill that would add gender identity and expression to the state's non-discrimination statutes.

Similar bills have been introduced several times since 2006 but has never won passage. In 2007, both the Judiciary Committee and the state Senate approved it but it died before reaching the House of Representatives.

Supporters managed to swat down several proposed amendments that they say would have diluted the protections afforded to transgender individuals and enshrined discrimination into law.

One of those amendments would have permitted local school districts to transfer elementary school teachers who are undergoing gender-reassignment during the duration of their transition.

State Sen. John Kissel, a Republican from Enfield, said he proposed the amendment out of concern that young children might become confused by a transitioning individual. "It's not to say that transgender individuals will have any deleterious or negative effect on young children. That's not the basis for this,'' Kissel said.

But "having an individual transition from being female to male or male to female in grades 6 5 4 3 2 or first graders is going to cause those children to ask questions and that's what school is all about. They may start off with ms rose and by the end of that school year be Mr. Rose.'
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Such an experience may prove thorny for parents who have not yet had what Kissel refereed to as the "birds and the bees conversation" with their elementary age child.
 
State Sen. Beth Bye, D-West Hartford, said she understands the spirit of the amendment but said it is nevertheless discriminatory.
 
"I'm opposed to this amendment,'' Bye said. "I imagine there was a time 15 years ago when there was a gay rights bill and someone put forth a teacher amendment there and said I don't  want someone gay teaching my children.''
 
Bye, who is gay, said she has worked in institutions as an educator where her job was threatened because of her sexual orientation.
 
"Now that wouldn't be [the case] but I imagine maybe within that institution...there would be discrimination based on someone's gender identity. I think as a state were moving along and I want to move ...toward acceptance of people as who they are.''
 
The bill makes it illegal to discriminate against people who identify with a gender different from their biological sex as well as people blur gender lines. It is being supported by a broad coalition of groups, including the Connecticut chapters of the Anti-Defamation League, the American Civil Liberties Union and several gay rights and women's groups.

The Bysiewicz bill?

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The legislature's Judiciary Committee is set to take up a proposal that would clarify -- once and for all -- what it takes to serve as state Attorney General.

Raised Bill 6342 -- AN ACT CONCERNING THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING ELECTION TO THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL -- would stipulate that anyone seeking the post must have been admitted to the Connecticut bar for "a continuous period of at least 10 years immediately prior to taking office."

The hearing is set for Tuesday.

The qualifications for the AG's job became an issue last year, when lawyer and legal blogger Ryan McKeen first raised questions about whether Susan Bysiewicz was qualified for the job.

Gov. Malloy on SustiNet: Not "The Right Vehicle'' - Advocates Concerned That Momentum Is Slowing

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Gov. Dannel P. Malloy says the current SustiNet health care bill is not "the right vehicle'' for health care reform.

Advocates are concerned that Malloy's stance will slow down the bill as the legislature heads into the final two months of the regular session that ends on June 8.

The issue has gained attention lately because the legislature's nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis released a fiscal note on the controversial bill on Monday night.

Juan A. Figueroa, the former unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate who is president of Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut, said that the game is far from over.

"Contrary to clever obituary reports and negative headlines, SustiNet is alive and kicking," Figueroa said in a statement. "SustiNet is the right opportunity, in the right place, at the right time to solve our state's short- and long-term fiscal and health care challenges.''

"The foundation is working diligently to help the public and lawmakers navigate through the blizzard of misinformation and confusion,"  Figueroa continued. "This is only the mid-point of a healthy and dynamic legislative debate.''

Murphy says he raised $1.1 million in 1Q

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Chris Murphy's U.S. Senate campaign says it brought in $1.1 million in the first quarter of 2011.

"Raising $1.1 million in just over two months is amazing,'' Murphy said in a statement announcing the total. "But I'm most proud of the 1,100 small donors who helped us get there. Thousands of people are investing in our campaign because they want a new, fresh voice in the Senate who has a proven record of fighting for progressive values. This campaign is off to a fantastic start, and I can't wait to see where this journey takes us in the coming months.''

Murphy's press release touts the fact that 70 percent of the donations came from individuals who gave $100 or less.

What Murphy's doesn't say is that the bulk of the money raised came in the form of large contributions - up to $7,500 each. 

Federal rules allow a maximum contribution of $2,500 for each of three election "cycles" - first, the party's nominating convention; second, the nominating primary, if that happens; and, third, the general election in November. In the case of a $7,500 maximum contribution for all three election cycles, Murphy can only touch the first $1,500 at this stage and has to hold the other $5,000 in reserve.  If he's in a primary, he can use the second $2,500, and if he wins the primary he can use the third $2,500.  If he didn't make it into the primary or general election, he would have to return the $2,500 for each of those cycles to the contributor.
 
Murphy campaign manager Kenny Curran told the Courant's Jon Lender that the campaign received 50 large donations.

Meanwhile, one of Murphy's Democratic party opponents, Susan Bysiewicz, announced last week that her campaign has brought in about $500,000 in the first quarter. \

When asked today how many big-money donors the campaign had, Bysiewicz campaign aide Mark Bergman said, "We had seven max out contributors." He also pointed out that 90% of her contributions came from inside Connecticut. (Murphy said 85 percent of his donors were Connecticut-based.)

 

Malloy Administration Sends Out Instructions On Layoffs; No Orders Yet, But They Are Part Of Contingency Plan; Veteran Employees Must Receive 8 Weeks' Notice

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With closed-door state budget talks still inconclusive, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy turned up the heat Wednesay by taking the next step to tell commissioners to prepare for layoffs of state employees.

No layoffs have been ordered, and it's possible that they might not be ordered at all. But Malloy is moving forward with his contingency plans in case the ongoing talks with the state employee unions collapse. Malloy is seeking $2 billion in savings and concessions from the unions over the next two years.

Malloy's budget director, Benjamin Barnes, sent out the notice about the potential layoffs.

"On Monday, I asked all commissioners to provide 10 percent reduction options, beyond those included in the governor's budget proposal,'' Barnes wrote to the agency heads. "It is clear that in many instances it will be impossible to achieve these levels of reduction without reducing the number of employees, both through attrition and also through lay-off. In order for your agency to make orderly plans for implementing whatever layoffs are required, I am providing the most recent guidance from the Office of Labor Relations with respect to layoff procedures by bargaining unit.''

Barnes continued, "Please be mindful that your budget reduction options accurately reflect the limitations and timing that are reflected in these agreements. OPM budget staff will assist you in accurately recognizing separation costs that may need to be reflected as offsets to your proposed savings. Benefits savings will be calculated centrally. Thank you for your efforts in completing this challenging task in a short amount of time.''

For months, Malloy has said that he wanted to avoid layoffs, but he maintained that layoffs are a real possibility if he cannot reach concessions from the 13 bargaining units in the State Employee Bargaining Agent Coalition, known as SEBAC.

Sen. Andrew Roraback, the third-ranking Senate Republican, said that layoffs are "a very unappetizing option'' that seem to be approaching quickly.

"This whole process has held in abeyance the storm that seems to be getting closer and closer,'' Roraback said in an interview. "Now, we're hearing the thunder, and the lightning is not far off.''

Another name in the ring for state GOP chair

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Rick Torres, a Republican businessman from Bridgeport who made an unsuccessful run for the 4th Congressional District last year, is running for state GOP chair.

In an email pitch to party members last week, Torres touts his qualifications, including the fact that he is a Cuban-American and speaks Spanish fluently. He also said he grew up "abjectly poor" in Bridgeport and graduated from city schools.

"[T]he simple act of electing me will send a strong message to state residents that the Republican Party is reaching out to urban voters and especially to minorities," Torres wrote. "The simple reality is that recognizing our shortcoming in this area and wanting to reach out to minorities is half the battle. We must be bold."

"But,'' he added, "is electing me too risky? Will I ostracize too many Republicans? Will white voters be put off by my candidacy? I believe that I easily fit into any forum, be it ethnic or rural or corporate."

Torres, 51, has been described by the Connecticut Post as an "ultraconservative." His congressional candidacy won the endorsement of Texas U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, but he lost the primary to Dan Debicella.

"I understand that electing a new state chairman is for the most part a beauty contest,'' Torres writes. "This letter will demonstrate to you that in consideration of where our party finds itself today, I am ideally "good-looking" to help restore our party to a position of relevance."

The term of the current state Republican Chairman, Chris Healy, expires in June. Healy has yet to formally announce whether he will seek reelection.

Southington Republican Doug Hageman has also indicated he intends to seek the chairman's post.

 

 

 

 

 

ABC News: Outspoken New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie Refers To Teachers' Union Leaders As "Political Thugs''

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New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is steadily gaining a reputation for his outspokenness.

In the latest development, Christie told veteran journalist Diane Sawyer in an interview on ABC News that the teachers' union leaders in New Jersey are "political thugs.''

The interview was conducted in the library at a school in Kearney, and Christie focused squarely on the union.

"I believe the teachers in New Jersey in the main are wonderful public servants that care deeply,'' Christie said in the interview. "But their union, their union are a group of political thugs.''


Malloy Names Terrence Macy, Ph.D. Of Madison As New Commissioner Of Developmental Services - Former DMR

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Gov. Dannel P. Malloy nominated Terrence Macy of Madison on Thursday as the new commissioner of the state Department of Developmental Services.

Macy will replace Peter O'Meara, one of the longest-serving commissioners in recent state history, in the agency that was previously known as the Department of Mental Retardation. O'Meara served under three governors, starting in 1995 under Republican John G. Rowland and continuing throughout the entire term of Gov. M. Jodi Rell. He then continued at the start of the Malloy administration as a successor was being sought. Some of Rowland's appointees were retained by Rell, but relatively few commissioners have served under three governors.

A registered Democrat who turns 65 next week, Macy will begin his new job on April 25 and will be paid $150,000 per year - the same as the governor.

"This is an agency that many people don't know much about,'' Malloy said. "I'm hoping that will change.''

Since 1990, Macy has served as the executive director of SARAH Tuxis Residential & Community Resources Inc. in Guilford. A former professional in Ohio, Macy holds master's and doctorate degrees from Ohio State University.

Terry Edelstein, president of one of the state's major non-profit organizations, was already publicly congratulating Macy on Thursday morning before Malloy made the official announcement at 11:30 a.m. at the state Capitol complex. 

"The Connecticut Community Providers Association appreciates that Governor Malloy has chosen a nonprofit community-based provider to lead the Department of Developmental Services,'' Edelstein said in a statement. "Dr. Macy has a great deal of experience supporting individuals with developmental disabilities and intellectual challenges.  We look forward to working with him and his team in the months ahead to expand community-based services for people with disabilities, reduce administrative redundancies and provide cost savings to the state through the utilization of community-based services and supports.''

Edelstein says her organization hopes to work with Macy on five key points that she listed as follows:

• "Converting services provided in an outmoded institution to community-based settings
• "Restructuring rates for day programs and residential services to meet federal requirements under the state's community-based waiver without endangering service provision
• "Integrating the rollout of a major, costly, data system with other electronic data systems in place at other state agencies
• "Addressing the impact on service delivery with the continued freeze in residential "room and board" reimbursement despite rising energy and maintenance costs
• "Assuring the viability of the community provider system when flat funding does not match general inflation.''

Finance committee endorses Amazon bill

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A bill that paves the way for the state to begin charging sales tax on online purchases cleared the legislature's Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee this afternoon.

Connecticut, like many cash-strapped states, is contemplating a law to tax online retailers as a way to bring in revenue while providing parity with "bricks-and-mortar" businesses.

But Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's point man on taxes, Department of Revenue Services Commissioner Kevin Sullivan, testified against the measure at a hearing last month.

Sullivan told lawmakers the administration supports the "policy reasons" behind the bill but said the logistics need to be worked out.

A chief concern is the impact any tax would have on the online retailers state-based affiliates. Several of those affiliates testified that such a tax would be devastating to their business.

 

State Pensions Ballooning; 378 Pensioners Got $100,000+ In 2010; Top Was $263,047; UConn Retirees Had 8 Of Top 10

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A total of 378 retired state workers collected pensions of more than $100,000 in 2010 - with the highest at $263,047 - and 24 retirees received pension payments exceeding the governor's salary of $150,000, according to new figures posted by the nonprofit Yankee Institute for Public Policy on its website, www.CTSunlight.org.

The total of 378 pensions exceeding $100,000 was up from 175 in 2008, and 299 in 2009, according to statistics released Thursday to news organizations by the conservative-leaning think tank. The state made a total of $1.2 billion in pension payments to 43,070 beneficiaries in 2010, the institute said, basing its report on information it obtained from the state comptroller's office.

The institute's statement immediately provoked a sharp debate in the context of a state's budget crisis that has Malloy seeking $1 billion in savings and concessions from state employee unions in each of the next two years.

Fergus Cullen, executive director of the institute that has offices on the Trinity College campus, said the figures show that the state's pension system is outdated and too expensive, and needs to be reformed.

But a spokesman for state employee unions said Cullen is unfairly damning the pension system based on a list of elite etirees who receive several times what the vast majority of pensioners get.

Despite the eye-catching list of top pension recipients, the typical state retiree's pension is much lower. Dividing the total 2010 pension payments of $1,263,784,641 by the total number of beneficiaries - 43,070 - yields an average of $29,342 per recipient. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has said the average state retiree's pension is $26,000.

The institute did not release figures Thursday on what the typical pension is for the majority of the state's pension recipients, and the comptroller's office didn;t have that information immediately available, either. For example, there was no breakdown on what the typical pension is for retirees who worked for the state for 10, 20, or 30 years. All it takes is five years of service to collect a pension, once one reaches retirement age, and such small pensions would bring the average down.

Malloy: Layoff Preparations Should Not Be Interpreted As Talks Being Stalled With Unions; 8 Weeks' Notice Needed

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One day after starting the process toward layoffs, Gov. Dannel Malloy said Thursday that his actions should not be a signal that the closed-door talks with the state employee unions are stalled.

Malloy said the moves were made because the state needs to provide 8 weeks' advance notice to senior employees before any layoffs can begin - and the current fiscal year ends on June 30. As such, the state needs to start making preparations for possible layoffs that could begin in the next fiscal year.

Prompted by reporters' questions, Malloy rejected the idea that the layoff moves are a negotiating ploy to force the unions into an agreement.

"No, that should not be the interpretation,'' Malloy said. "The interpretation is that the calendar marches on, and because of contract language, we have to be prepared to give notices should we not reach an agreement. It is appropriate that our commissioners be aware of that and start to do early work to be prepared if the negotiations don't go well. I remain hopeful.''

For a senior employee to be notified 8 weeks before the start of the new fiscal year on July 1, the layoff notices would need to go out in May.

"That's correct,'' Malloy said of the timeframe.

When asked if he continues to be as hopeful as he was when the discussions started, Malloy responded, "Listen, I am hopeful because we are continuing to have discussions, and I will remain hopeful as long as we're having those discussions and as long as we're operating within the confines of a calendar that would allow us to develop a budget by May 6.''

The ongoing talks with the unions are crucial because Malloy is seeking $1 billion per year in savings and concessions from the unions in each of the next two years.

For each 1,000 layoffs, the state would save about $100 million in the first year and more in the second year of the two-year budget. 

When asked about the possible layoffs of state troopers and prison guards, Malloy said, "I don't think there's anything being taken off the table by me'' if there is no agreement.

"I want to be very clear that we are not taking anything off the table,'' he added.

When asked to rate the actual chances for layoffs, Malloy responded, "I think that you are reading entirely too much into this at this moment. I believe in government being prepared. These discussions have gone on for a long time. Obviously, there's not an agreement yet. I'm hopeful there will be an agreement.''

He added, "I'm not sending a message. Listen, let's all take a deep breath here. I'm not sending any message other than I'm trying to lead an administration that prepares for the possibility, not the eventuality'' of layoffs.

When a television reporter said that it was a classic negotiating ploy by management, such as when corporations threaten to hire replacement employees, Malloy said, "I am absolutely not looking for replacement employees.''

Malloy: State Pensions Are Not "Sustainable'' - Does Not Have Details On 378 Pensions Above $100,000 Per Year

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Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said Friday that the state's pension system is not "sustainable'' under the current system.

The pension system has been underfunded for years, and the fund paid out $1.2 billion per year for 43,000 beneficiaries in 2010.

Pensions are currently a topic of discussion in the ongoing, closed-door talks as Malloy is trying to obtain $2 billion in concessions and savings from the unions over the next two years. Public records, compiled into a database by the Hartford-based Yankee Institute, show that 378 retired state workers received pensions last year of more than $100,000. 

"If I had known about that earlier in life, I would have begun my state career years ago,'' Malloy initially said when asked about the high-end pensions.

Concerning the six-figure pensions, Malloy said, "I don't know the specifics of each of those cases. So, to make a blanket judgment might be unfair. Having said that, what we're not on is a sustainable course, and we have to get on a sustainable course. There are different ways to do it, whether it's a different type of system or properly funding, both by the state and with the appropriate level of employee contributions, the system. It's got to be one or the other.''

U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, Fresh From Avoiding Government Shutdown, Speaks At Prescott Bush Awards Dinner; Budget Deal Reached Near Midnight Friday

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STAMFORD -- U.S. House Speaker John Boehner remained wrapped in the thick of the fight all week in sensitive White House talks as a key player in the last-minute compromise that avoided the federal government shutdown.

With about three hours' sleep after the late Friday night agreement, Boehner flew to Connecticut on Saturday to rally Republicans at the 33rd annual Prescott Bush Awards Dinner - the biggest annual fundraiser for the Connecticut Republican Party.

Despite nationwide fears and preparations in advance of a possible shutdown, Boehner told the crowd that he always believed the shutdown would never happen.

"The chance is zero,'' Boehner said he maintained. "The goal is not to shut down the government. The goal is to cut spending in Washington, D.C.''

Boehner had spent three straight days at the White House in high-level meetings that led to a three-way compromise among Republicans, Democrats and President Barack Obama. None of the three sides wanted the shutdown, and they all declared victory in their own way.

During a speech that lasted less than 20 minutes Saturday evening, Boehner told stories about the behind-the-scenes negotiations at the White House.

"What happened last night was just the first step in what has to be a lot of steps'' to cut federal spending, Boehner said. "We ought to celebrate when we balance the budget.''

The nighttime talks pushed Boehner past his normal bedtime, and he said his raspy voice came from having three hours of sleep for four nights in a row.

"I go to bed at 10 o'clock, and so does Harry Reid,'' Boehner said, referring to the Nevada Democrat who serves as the U.S. Senate majority leader.

Boehner then said that Vice President Joe Biden had raised his voice in blustery remarks at about 9:05 p.m. Thursday night in the White House as the talks were heating up. Boehner said he would have none of "this feigned moral outrage'' by Biden and said to him, "Joe, what the hell is that?''

"I think he forgot that I have 11 brothers and sisters, and my father owned a bar,'' Boehner said as the crowd of about 550 Republicans laughed.

The partisan remarks came in sharp contrast to those by Democrats who said that Republicans had caved in on some of their top priorities. All sides boasted of their particular victories and had their own spin on the results.

The House Republicans, led by Boehner, achieved $39 billion in spending cuts that they had sought in an effort to reduce government spending. The Senate Democrats were happy, too, because the final deal did not include the controversial Republican plans to defund Planned Parenthood and reduce the powers of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Much of the debate centered around those issues, but Democrats said they had little to do with the fiscal health of the federal government.

Since passing a bill in the House in February, Republicans had tried to limit the powers of the EPA from regulating various pollutants. They had also tried to strip millions of dollars in funding from Planned Parenthood, an organization that performs abortions and health services for women.

In the end, lawmakers and Obama reached an agreement that will fund the federal government for about six months - until the 2012 federal fiscal year begins on October 1.

The GOP dinner attracted a crowd of about 550 party stalwarts, including former U.S. Senate candidate Linda McMahon. Numerous Republican legislators, including Livvy Floren, Pam Sawyer, and John Piscopo, were in the crowd during the pre-dinner reception. Two well-known former members of Congress, Nancy Johnson and Christopher Shays, attended, along with former Congressional candidate Janet Peckinpaugh, former state party chairman Dick Foley, former Bristol legislator Wallace Barnes, and former White House spokesman Ari Fleischer. They all gathered under a large tent that was connected to the Stamford Hilton Hotel on the south side of Interstate 95. The tent was erected because Republicans had only five weeks' notice, based on Boehner's schedule, in a hotel that was already booked with other events.

Politically, the federal government shutdown could have been a disaster as national monuments and famous museums in Washington, D.C. would have been shut down starting Saturday. Governors around the country, including Connecticut's Dannel P. Malloy, had been preparing to take the necessary steps if the shutdown had occurred. About 800,000 federal employees would have been forced to take unpaid furlough days, but most employees in critical agencies like Homeland Security would have continued working. Now, the government will continue functioning as usual.

Boehner, who rose to increased national prominence when the Republicans regained control of the U.S. House in November 2010, is one of a long line of well-known speakers to serve as the keynoter at the Bush Awards Dinner. Previous speakers have included the late Lee Atwater, political strategist Karl Rove, then-Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, and presidential candidates Bob Dole, John McCain, Jack Kemp, and Mitt Romney.

Even before the federal compromise was reached, the Bush Dinner had become controversial among Democrats after the state Republicans announced that the dinner would be closed to the press. That would have marked the first time in the dinner's recent history that reporters and camera crews had been kept out. Reporters were always allowed inside the dinners in the past, and major figures such as McCain, Atwater and Jeb Bush held press conferences alongside Connecticut officials in the hotel before their keynote speeches at the dinner. Boehner did not take any questions from reporters, and left through the side of the tent.

In a last-minute change after the compromise was reached late Friday night, Boehner agreed to allow the press inside the event to cover Saturday night's remarks.

The biggest award winner of the night was House Republican leader Larry Cafero of Norwalk, the winner of the Prescott Bush Award. The award is given for outstanding service to the party, and previous winners have included then-Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele and the three biggest party fundraisers from Greenwich over the past two decades - Malcolm Pray, Charlie Glazer, and L. Scott Frantz.

Cafero was overwhelmed by his award - bringing his mother and 91-year-old father to the occasion.

When asked if he ever thought he would win the party's top honor, Cafero said, "Who knows? You do what you do, and you see if anyone notices. I'm truly thrilled. It's quite an honor.''

Cafero was humbled to share the dais with Boehner on what he called "a historic day'' from the budget agreement in Washington that had occurred less than 24 hours earlier.

"There's a lot of people who would be catching some sleep now,'' Cafero said of Boehner. "It speaks volumes of him. He's the second in line to the presidency. ... I'm sure he's exhausted. We're just thrilled to have him. It's quite an honor.''

After being introduced to the crowd by his deputy, state Rep. Themis Klarides, Cafero said, "This little Italian boy from Norwalk has this incredible opportunity to be on the stage with the Speaker of the House of the United States of America and the chairman of the national party.''

"After November, we were a little down here in Connecticut,'' Cafero said, referring to losses in major races by McMahon and Foley. But he noted that the GOP gained 15 seats in the state House of Representatives in the November election and subsequent special elections earlier this year.

With Foley standing in the back of the room, Cafero started talking about Malloy's decision to proposed the largest tax increase in state history.

"He talked about shrinking government. He talked about the fact that we would have to make a shared sacrifice,'' Cafero said. "We liked what he said. ... And we saw what he did, and it was a little different from what he said. ... We thought he was going to shrink the size of government. We thought the last thing he was going to do was raise taxes. ... He didn't decrease spending. He actually increased spending. And we said, I don't get it.''

"You name the tax, he raised it. Haircuts, yoga, things we never paid taxes on before,'' Cafero said. "So what do we do about it, as Republicans? ...  What we are going to do about it is set forth a vision. ... Within the next 10 days, you will see our vision for the state of Connecticut.''

"You want to talk about shared? How come the public sector has a 0 percent unemployment rate? They haven't given up a dime,'' Cafero said. "I am so proud to be a Connecticut Republican. We will not let you down. ... We will lead this state to its past grandeur once again. Thank you so much.''

Republicans were happy about the agreement in Washington, but Democrats did not have the same view of the spending deal.

"Last night, Republicans took the nation to the brink, not over deficits, but over a social agenda: impending economic recovery and boasting that this is just the start of what they want to do,'' said U.S. Rep. John Barry Larson of East Hartford. "Their next target: Medicare, Social Security, and working families.''

Larson continued, "While they bask in the glory of tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, and no jobs created under their watch, I am committed to fighting for working people in my district, and for Social Security, Medicare, and the jobs that are critical for my constituents.''

Dan Roberti launches congressional bid

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Dan Roberti, a Democrat from Kent, announced today that he is running for Congress from the 5th District.

Roberti, the son of a former state representative, has never held elective office before but he has a wide-ranging resume: He ran a homeless shelter in Spokane, Wash., helped Hurricane Katrina victims in New Orleans and worked on filmmaker Ken Burns on his national parks project.

"As I watch the mess in Washington unfold - with Republican threats to shut down the government, end Medicare, and hold our economy and middle class jobs hostage - I have been inspired by the way Congressman Chris Murphy has served Connecticut and sought innovative solutions to our economic challenges," Roberti said in an email announcing his bid.

"With his decision to run for the US Senate, I'm proud to announce that I'm running to serve the people of Connecticut, following in his tradition of active, energetic, and engaged leadership.  And in the months ahead I will be travelling to every town in the district to listen, share ideas, and talk about how we can fight back against Republican plans that will undermine our economy and destroy Social Security and Medicare.''


Kip Bergstrom Approved By State House As Head Of Culture And Tourism; Worked In Stamford, Chosen By Malloy

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The state House of Representatives approved the nomination of Christopher "Kip'' Bergstrom on Wednesday to be the next commissioner of culture and tourism.

The current Commission on Culture and Tourism is one of 27 agencies that are scheduled to be restructured under plans by Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. The commission would be merged into the state Department of Economic and Community Development if approved by the legislature.

A holder of a master's degree from Harvard University, Bergstrom previously worked for Shawmut Bank in Hartford and served for 10 years as the executive director of a Rhode Island policy council.

With no controversy, Bergstrom was approved on a voice vote early Wednesday afternoon. No one spoke on the nomination after Rep. Claire Janowski, the co-chairwoman of the nominations committee, outlined Bergstrom's qualifications.

Bergstrom, who now lives in Old Saybrook, is passionate about developments in Stamford - the city where he worked and met Malloy.

In an article in Stamford Magazine, Bergstrom sounded off about the non-expansion of the University of Connecticut campus in downtown Stamford. UConn took over the former Bloomingdale's store on a busy corner north of downtown and has been there ever since. The school, though, has not expanded its footprint, and that was the topic of the article in Stamford Magazine.

Some excerpts are as follows:

"It's appalling," says Kip Bergstrom, head of Stamford's Urban Redevelopment Commission. "It should have expanded a long time ago." In 1998, when Bergstrom was director of economic development, UConn Stamford was finally moving from its old location on Scofieldtown Road into the former Bloomingdale's on Broad Street, a space that had been vacant since 1990. Everything looked good. Then Bergstrom moved to work in Rhode Island.

New York Times: U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal's Family Considering Selling Piece Of The Empire State Building

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The New York Times is reporting that the Malkin family, headed by Peter Malkin of Greenwich, is considering creating a new company to sell a piece of the Empire State Building.

The Malkin family currently controls the Fifth Avenue landmark in Manhattan, and various details would need to be settled before the general public could buy stock in the new company that would own the building, according to The Times.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal is married to Cynthia Malkin, the daughter of Peter Malkin.

Lawmakers push for open-space immunity bill

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A bipartisan group of lawmakers held a press conference today to drum up support for a proposal that would grant limited immunity from lawsuits to municipalities that open their land to the public for recreational use.

The Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the bill last week, but supporters say they are concerned because the measure is not on the committee's agendas for tomorrow or Friday. The committee's deadline for approving bill is Friday.

"This bill is being held hostage by the trial lawyers' association,'' said state Sen. Kevin Witkos, a Republican from Canton. "It's a means of getting more money into their pockets.''
 
The proposal drew support from scores of walkers, hikers, runners and bikers. It has also received the backing of municipal leaders, who say it is needed to protect cities, towns and water companies from lawsuits brought by people injured on their property.
 

Exclusive: Malloy Expected To Change Tax Package On Property Credit; Leo Canty Says Wealthy Won't Flee, But GOP Says Rich To Leave If Taxes Reach Tipping Point

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After hearing complaints from taxpayers during 17 town hall meetings, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is expected to announce changes in his tax package as early as Thursday that would increase taxes on the wealthy and help the middle class.

Malloy is expected to drop his plans for eliminating the maximum $500 property tax credit that chiefly benefits middle-class homeowners, Capitol sources told Capitol Watch. Instead, the level would likely be set at $300, rather than zero as Malloy had proposed.

To help pay for it, Malloy would propose higher taxes on the wealthy by changing the levels that tax hikes would take effect. Democratic legislators were told about the changes Wednesday during a closed-door caucus.

Malloy's chief adviser, Roy Occhiogrosso, would neither confirm nor deny Malloy's tax plans Wednesday night. He noted that Malloy will hold a press conference at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in Hartford to talk about what he learned from citizens who complained at the town hall meetings.

"Come to the press conference and hear it from the governor himself,'' Occhiogrosso said.

As the state legislature prepares to vote in the coming weeks on Malloy's proposed $1.5 billion in tax increases, Republicans and Democrats are battling over the potential impact of those taxes.

Republicans have argued repeatedly that increased taxes can reach a tipping point and cause wealthy residents to flee the state.

But Democrats and various advocates disputed that notion Wednesday, saying that Connecticut's standard of living is so good that the wealthiest residents would not bolt to another state. The Better Choices Coalition, which supports higher taxes, cited several studies Wednesday that the rich would not head to other states.

"Tax them, and they will not leave,'' said Leo Canty, a longtime union leader and coalition supporter. "There is no data that says they will leave. I think Malloy's view on taxing wealth is trying to be the same as Foley. There's no data that says what Foley was saying is actually true.''

During the gubernatorial campaign, Greenwich Republican Tom Foley had said that he would close the state's budget deficit with spending cuts and no new taxes.

Canty disputed the notion that the rich, "like in the Grapes of Wrath, would pack up the Mercedes and the Lamborghinis and load the Perrier up on the roof'' and flee to a tax haven.

"It's time to get real,'' Canty told Capitol Watch in an interview.

The left-leaning Connecticut Voices For Children, which is part of the Better Choices coalition, has been pushing for years for higher taxes on the wealthy.

"Residents of all income levels benefit from the education, health, job training, public safety, and environmental protection services that our taxes fund,'' said Jamey Bell, the executive director of New Haven-based Voices. "We all have a stake in protecting these services and a more progressive income tax can help close our budget deficit while minimizing damage to our state's economy.''

But House Republican leader Larry Cafero said that high-flying hedge-fund managers can leave very easily by simply disconnecting their computers in Greenwich and re-plugging them in across the border in Westchester County, N.Y. or anywhere else.

"That hedge fund guy, who just moved here five years ago from Manhattan, is just going to stay here and take it?'' Cafero asked. "That's the myth. That's the joke.''

In 2009, the state legislature raised the top marginal rate on the state income tax to 6.5 percent for couples earning at least $1 million. That was an increase from the previous top rate of 5 percent. At the time, the tax hike on millionaires was supposed to close the budget deficit with increased revenues.

"It was documented and said by the Voices for Children that that was the solution to our problem,'' Cafero said. "Was that a myth?''

Malloy Proposes $300 Property Tax Credit, Down From Current $500; Phases Out At $130,000 For Joint Filers; Effective Tax Rate Of 6.15 Percent For Millionaire Couples

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Prompted by complaints from property taxpayers and Democratic legislators, Gov. Dannel Malloy changed one of his key tax proposals Thursday and now favors a maximum property tax credit of $300.

Malloy had originally proposed eliminating the popular $500 credit, which thousands of taxpayers are currently taking as they fill out their 2010 state taxes before the April 18 deadline.

Malloy, though, is now calling for restoring $300 of the credit. As such, it would still be a cut of $200 from the current level for middle-class homeowners.

The overall change amounts to increased taxes for the wealthy and a reduced impact for the middle class. Taxes would still go up for middle-class homeowners but not as much as previously expected when Malloy unveiled his original budget in mid-February.

Another change is that the $300 credit would completely phase out for joint filers at incomes above $130,000 per year. Currently, only those couples earning more than $192,000 per year are not eligible for the credit.

Under Malloy's new plan, a couple earning $100,000 per year would be eligible for the maximum credit - which is the same earning level as now.

The change to $300 was first reported in Thursday's Hartford Courant.

Republicans were not impressed with Malloy's change, and they said they will offer a no-tax budget as soon as next week. Both House Republican leader Larry Cafero and Senate GOP leader John McKinney said there are no Republican votes for Malloy's budget at this point. While Malloy's plan would raise $1.5 billion in taxes, the Republicans refer to it as an overall tax increase of $1.9 billion because it includes about $300 million in increased hospital taxes and new taxes that municipalities would be allowed to impose on rental cars and hotel rooms. 

"We think there is no reason to get rid of the $500 property tax credit,'' McKinney said. "This was definitely a change that was done at the request of the Democratic majority in the House and Senate.''

Malloy held a news conference to say that he was making the change after holding 17 town hall meetings and hearing feedback from constituents. But Republicans weren't buying it.

"The changes today are not the result of the listening tour because the listening tour said to cut spending,'' Cafero said.

McKinney agreed, saying, "I think he had selective listening. We've heard extremely loud voices that it's time to cut spending.''

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