NEW HAVEN - Standing outside the Elm City's renowned Science Park, Greenwich cable television entrepreneur Ned Lamont unveiled his seven-point plan to revitalize Connecticut's cities.
The plan calls for transforming urban education, improving local manufacturing, tying new development into transit, making the cities into transportation depots, reimbursing cities with increased state funding, establishing a gun registry to prevent criminals from obtaining firearms, and helping families by creating a state earned income tax credit for the first time in Connecticut history.
When questioned Tuesday by reporters if the plan is actually an expensive idea that will lead to a series of tax increases, Lamont said no.
"We're not going to solve this thing overnight,'' Lamont said, referring to the state's projected deficit of more than $3 billion in the 2012 fiscal year. "We're not going to solve this in one term.''
Lamont, who is best known for defeating U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman in the August 2006 primary before losing in the general election, is running in the Democratic gubernatorial primary on August 10 against former Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy.
The announcement was made outside the 80-acre science park, which has been transformed into a major job creator in an area beyond New Haven's downtown.
New Haven Mayor John DeStefano then stepped to the podium and said he would not be banging on Lamont's door in an attempt to get more money for his city.
"I certainly don't have any expectation of increased funding,'' DeStefano said, referring to the state's current fiscal plight. "We have to get our own house in order in the cities.''