The Senate Republicans have shaken up their staff, laying off seven employees in the biggest reorganization in years.
The seven GOP staffers who were laid off include the staff budget specialist, two veteran press aides, a researcher, and other aides. Some will continue working until a few days before Christmas.
Some Capitol insiders believe that the new budget guru for the Senate GOP will be Michael J. Cicchetti, the deputy secretary of Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell's budget office.
Cicchetti told Capitol Watch on Thursday that he has heard those rumors, too, but said he is not sure where he will be working next. The top officials at the Office of Policy and Management are expected to be replaced when Democrat Dannel Malloy takes over the governor's office on January 5.
"Like any organization, we're constantly evaluating ourselves and evaluating whether we're achieving our goals and objectives,'' Senate Republican leader John McKinney told Capitol Watch. "We'll have some new hires. I don't know the total yet.''
McKinney declined to mention any names and said he was not sure whether seven new employees will be hired to replace those who are being laid off. He said, however, that the caucus expects to have some money left over in a difficult budget year, and they will be returning money to the state treasury.
McKinney declined to comment on whether David Cappiello, a former Senate Republican budget chief who worked this year for the unsuccessful campaign of Linda McMahon for the U.S. Senate, will be returning to his former position.
"It hasn't been my practice to comment on personnel matters,'' McKinney said. "There are always rumors around the building and very rarely are they true.''