In a time of bipartisanship and congratulations in the post-election happiness for the winners, Republican legislators made calls for bipartisanship Tuesday with the newly elected Democratic governor, Dannel Malloy.
But the bipartisanship of November 9 might not be there when it comes time to vote on a state budget in late May or early June as the state tackles a projected $3.5 billion budget deficit for the next fiscal year.
When asked if Republicans will vote for any tax increases proposed by Malloy and the Democratic legislature, Senate GOP leader John McKinney said, "If the problem is $3.5 billion and there's a $3 billion tax increase on the table, as there was in past budget proposals, the answer is there probably won't be any Republican support for that.''
House GOP leader Larry Cafero had a similar response when asked how many lawmakers in his 51-member caucus would support a tax increase.
"If I had to guess right now, and it was put before us right now - none,'' Cafero said.
Only hours after Republican Tom Foley conceded the race to Malloy, the House GOP caucus met with Malloy in an unplanned meeting Monday. The lawmakers vowed their cooperation, and McKinney said Malloy is welcome in the Senate caucus, too.
Malloy had just finished a press conference at the state Capitol on Monday when he heard that the House Republicans were holding their first caucus at the Legislative Office Building, which is connected to the Capitol by an underground tunnel. After being alerted by an aide that Malloy was outside the room, Cafero invited Malloy and Lt. Gov.-elect Nancy Wyman inside to greet the lawmakers.
"We pledged our good wishes, our support, our cooperation,'' Cafero said. "It was a very nice, special moment for everybody.''
One of the most controversial issues at the Capitol in recent years has been paid sick leave - in which lawmakers have considered a law that would make Connecticut the first state in the nation to mandate paid sick leave for businesses. Malloy pledged his support for a new law during the campaign, and insiders say that the issue now has its best chance of passage ever.
"Obviously, by sheer numbers, it seems certainly hopeful for anyone who is in favor of it,'' Cafero said of paid sick leave. "I think Senator McKinney and I, and our caucuses, stand firmly opposed to that and will continue to. Hopefully, we can engage the public in that debate and maybe change their minds.''
The Connecticut Business and Industry Association - the state's largest business group - has lobbied heavily against the paid sick leave bill, which has never passed both chambers of the legislature in the same year.
Roy Occhiogrosso, the chief strategist during Malloy's election campaign, said the unplanned meeting with the House Republicans came up when a lawmaker mentioned that there was a caucus going on at that very moment.
"Dan and Nancy went in, and they were warmly received,'' Occhiogrosso said Tuesday. "He said, 'l know that we won't always agree,' and people in the room laughed. He said you will receive nothing but respect from my staff and me.''
He added, "Dan and Nancy, when they were in the caucus, were clear that they want to work together. You can disagree without being disagreeable.''
Occhiogrosso said the new administration is seeking common ground with the Republicans as the state faces a massive budget deficit.
"I think there is a general sense that Dan and Nancy have that the problems are so severe that the old way of doing politics just isn't going to work,'' Occhiogrosso said. "Dan and Nancy are committed to working with whoever wants to work with them. ... I think they hope to find common ground more often than not.''
Occhiogrosso said it is understandable that the Republicans might not agree on all issues, such as taxes and paid sick leave. But he noted that the Republicans - like Malloy - want to change the state's financial procedures and switch to a system that uses generally accepted accounting principles, known as GAAP.
"Nancy has been talking about this for years in Hartford at the Capitol,'' Occhiogrosso said, adding that Malloy - like other mayors - kept the books on the municipal level according to GAAP accounting.