49 Governors Meet on Health Care, Education, Economy; Rell Stays Home

by John Dankosky - President Barack Obama addressed the winter meeting of the National Governors Association in Washington Monday.  The topics included health reform, stimulus funding, and the President’s plan to improve education.  And despite criticism of the state’s inability to get federal money for transportation projects, Governor Jodi Rell decided to skip the gathering.

49 out of 55 Governors did get together, including the Governors of Guam, Puerto Rico and American Samoa.  Rell’s office would not give a reason for the decision, except to cite the state’s travel ban for employees.

“Well, I understand what the Governor is attempting  to do, in saving on travel expenses.  But I think it’s penny-wise and pound foolish,” said Senator Gary LeBeau.  He co-chairs the State Commerce Committee.

“We have just been frozen out of two rounds of stimulus funds.  So I think the Governor should be a little more active in trying to pursue these funds,” LeBeau said.

New York Governor David Paterson was among many state leaders who used the opportunity to press the White House for more federal aid.  Paterson says he wants to get capital flowing to small businesses in his state.  “Construction is usually overflowing in the summer and the real problem is that the companies can’t get money. This is not only a problem with companies around our state, it happens in other states,”  Paterson said.  He also used the gathering to get ample face time on CNN and other networks.

Democratic political consultant Jonathan Pelto says Rell’s missing the sort of opportunity that Paterson and others have taken.  ”The irony is that corporations, unions, advocacy groups would spend millions and millions, and millions of dollars to try and get face time with the President and the President’s people, and here we have a Governor who is invited and not participating,” Pelto told me.

The meeting between President Obama and the Governors allowed them to swap their ideas about health care reform.  Mr. Obama laying out his new proposal, and Vermont Governor Jim Douglas detailing his Rx for Health Reform. A year ago, Rell was chosen to be part of the NGA task force on the issue.  The leaders heard from surgeon (and former Where We Live guest) Atul Gawande about how to transform health care delivery.  And, First Lady Michelle Obama talked about what states can do to combat the childhood obesity epidemic.

The President called on governors to boost educational standards, especially in math and science, as part of his “Race to the Top” reform efforts.  Some state lawmakers have been critical of Connecticut’s attempt to get funds from this project.  Congressman Joe Courtney told The Day of New London that the state’s plan was “kind of cobbled together pretty last-minute.”  And the education reform group ConnCan said Monday that the state handed in an “incomplete application” with 120 spaces left blank.   ConnCan CEO Alex Johnson used the report to call for “collaboration between the executive and legislative branches” to enact the type of education reforms spelled out by the Obama administration.

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