It was supposed to be different this year.
With support from Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, advocates believed that the legislature would change the law and allow Sunday liquor sales at package stores and supermarkets.
But after intense lobbying on both sides in recent weeks, the issue was blocked once again Tuesday as a key committee avoided a direct vote on changing the law. The lack of action by the general law committee was important because bills under the committee's authority needed to be acted upon by the committee's deadline at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
The issue, though, is clearly not over because the pro-Sunday sales advocates are vowing that the issue will come up again in the form of an amendment or as part of the state budget.
The lack of action was another victory for Carroll J. Hughes, the chief lobbyist for the Connecticut Package Stores Association. He realizes, though, that the game is not over.
"There's always the 9th inning,'' said Hughes, a fan of the Boston Red Sox. "A lot of people don't take no for an answer here.''
Hughes has been lobbying for decades and has multiple clients at the Capitol. But Sunday sales has clearly been taking up a large chunk of his time and energy lately as he lobbies on the issue.
"You just tell the truth here,'' he said. "You just tell people what the issues are, and they listen to you. You tell the truth. You educate people, and you work at it.''
Jay Hibbard, vice president of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, said, "Some legislators appear to be more concerned about good politics than good policy.''
Hibbard, who is based in Washington, D.C., traveled to Hartford on Tuesday to watch the committee's deliberations. His organization, as well as the Connecticut Food Association, has paid for full-page newspaper advertisements to push for Sunday sales.
"There is still a significant budget deficit that has to be reconciled,'' Hibbard said after the committee adjourned. "There is a budget that has to be put together. Who knows if this makes it into the budget?''
Hibbard predicted that Connecticut will continue to lose sales - and tax revenues - as residents drive to surrounding states to purchase beer and wine on Sundays.
"It happens every week on every side of the state, and those that have a boat are probably crossing over Long Island Sound to buy there,'' Hibbard said.
After some procedural maneuvers Tuesday, the committee failed to approve the Sunday sales legislation because the two Democratic co-chairmen - state Sen. Paul Doyle of Wethersfield and state Rep. Joseph Taborsak of the border community of Danbury - failed to place the bill on the committee's agenda. Doyle said the issue had been given a public hearing for the first time by the committee, and the chief advocate, Rep. Kathleen Tallarita of the border community of Enfield, did not have the votes by 8:30 p.m. Monday - when the committee's agenda had to be posted in advance of Tuesday's meeting. It was decided if the votes were not secured by Monday night, it would not be placed on the agenda - and that's what happened, Doyle said.
"The advocates could not get the votes in time,'' Doyle said. "We went above and beyond.''
Personally, Doyle said he is not yet committed on Sunday sales.
"In the past, I voted no, but we have a $3.6 billion deficit,'' Doyle told Capitol Watch. "If there's any money on the table, you have to consider it. ... I don't think it's dead.''