Malloy: No Labor Deal? “We’ll Lay Off Lots Of People”

Governor Dannel Malloy, Photo by Chion Wolf

by Diane Orson and John Dankosky - Governor Dannel Malloy stopped by WNPR’s Where We Live to take calls from listeners and to talk about negotiations with state employee unions.  His stance seemed pretty clear: Without $2 billion in concessions over the two-year budget cycle, he’s got no more good options for balancing the nearly $3.5 billion deficit.

“You want me to cut the budget more? I’ll cut the budget more.  You want me to eliminate more programs I’ll do that.  And in the absence of reaching a restructuring agreement we’ll lay off lots of people. I don’t want to do any of those things.  Having thousands and thousands of state employees become unemployed in the midst of a downturn in the economy where we can reasonably predict that Connecticut will be one of the last states to recover from makes no sense, but if it’s the only option, it’s the only option to pursue.”

Malloy later told the capitol press corps that he’s working on, in his words, a “nasty and ugly” alternative budget in case state employees don’t  agree to concessions.

Rell Says No To WFSB’s Face The State; Host House Wonders Why

by John Dankosky – WFSB’s Dennis House and I have been circling some of the same ground this past year, trying – in vain – to get substantive, long-form comment from outgoing Governor Jodi Rell.   Last year at this time, we were asking whether Rell was “done taking serious questions from reporters in 2009.”  Now, another year has passed, and as he writes in his blog, Rell’s handlers have refused to give him an exit interview on his weekly political program, Face The State.

After listening to our exit interview with the Governor last week, House writes that he was taken by Rell’s statement that she was “unaware of the slight,” against Where We Live by refusing to come to our studios to answer listener calls.  From Dennis’ Blog:

My experiences with Governor Rell have given and reinforced the impression that the governor is a honest person.  I believe she  told Dankosky the truth.    That raises the question, why was she unaware of the slight?    Surely her handlers would not have withheld an interview request from her, in this case, repeated invitations?

Incoming Governor Dan Malloy has made a pledge to be more open to the press, and as he told me on his most recent interview, he thinks “communication” is the biggest part of the Governor’s job.

Monday’s Where We Vote: More Dan Malloy!

by John Dankosky – Well, now it’s getting down to it.  One week and one day until the August 10 primary.  Like Colin McEnroe, I’m not really sure who in our listening audience is paying attention, but we are going to end up with nominees in the race for governor pretty soon regardless.  We’re trying to keep you as informed as possible with a marathon session of Where We Vote.  Today, it’s Democrat Dan Malloy, fresh off of three endorsements over the weekend, and in advance of his much-anticipated debate with Ned Lamont on WNPR, CPTV and WFSB this week. I’m pretty sure we’ll spend some time talking about the increasingly ugly ad campaigns being waged.

Tomorrow, we’ll take a break from the state race and check back in on the senate contest.  We’ll have Rob Simmons, the “stealth” candidate, who was pretty unwilling to directly take on front-runner Linda McMahon during his last appearance in March…we’ll see if that changes.  (McMahon didn’t want to come on the show again before the primary, Peter Schiff was on recently.)

Then, on Wednesday it’s Mike Fedele, Lt. Governor and fast-car enthusiast, who is – by some accounts – closing the gap between himself and front-runner Tom Foley.

You can call in your questions (9-10 am ET) at 860-275-7266, email wherewelive@wnpr.org or tweet us @wherewelive.  And, to ask questions for our gubernatorial debates on August 3 and 4, just go to YourPublicMedia.org, and click on “You Ask The Questions.” Dennis House and I will be sorting through them starting this afternoon.

Friday’s Where We Vote: Ned Lamont Returns

Ned Lamont, taking part in the only televised debate this primary season - courtesy NBC Connecticut

Update: Here’s the link to the audio from today’s show.

by John Dankosky – Ned Lamont is still leading Dan Malloy in the race for the Democratic nomination for Governor – but that race is tightening, down to just 9 points. On his appearance on Friday’s Where We Live, I’ll ask about whether this might be due – in part – to his reluctance to debate Malloy multiple times on statewide TV.

This issue has dominated the last few weeks of the Lamont campaign, first with his rejection of a WTNH/New London Day debate, slated for next week – and then his campaign’s decision not to participate in an August 3 debate, presented by WNPR, CPTV and WFSB.  Dennis House of Channel 3, my co-moderator for that debate, writes that this really has become the story of the gubernatorial campaign.

And, it’s not just cynical, big-story loving media guys at newspapers, radio and TV stations who want to see the candidates debate the issues…it’s guys like former Governor Lowell Weicker, a Lamont fan who told Colin McEnroe that Lamont should debate.

As Dennis has already offered, we plan to keep a podium available to Mr. Lamont all the way until 1 p.m. – the time we start taping.  I know there are some who’ve wondered whether this really should be an issue at all – but we’ve all noted the lack of transparency, dialog and access provided by the current governor.  And the state’s media will continue to ask questions about whether this trend will continue into a new administration.

As a reminder, we’ll be taking questions here and at wherewelive@wnpr.org for the candidates in both debates, as well as our Lt. Governor debate between Mary Glassman and Nancy Wyman next Monday.

Gov. Hits The Hub

by John Dankosky – For those who think I only cynically report news about Governor Rell NOT attending such events:

Public Schedule for Gov. M. Jodi Rell

Friday, July 9, 2010

Attend National Governors Association Meeting

Boston, Massachusetts

The Annual Meeting will officially begin at 10 AM with a news conference at the Massachusetts State House.

Meetings will then take place at the Sheraton Boston.  Highlights include:

11:30 AM session focused on health reform implementation

• 2:45 PM Conference Call – Gov. Rell will join Washington Gov. Gregoire to discuss Boeing’s formal bid for the U.S. Air Force refueling tanker contract.
• 3 PM – A joint session of the Health and Human Services Committee and the Education, Early Childhood and Workforce Committee focused on childhood obesity and nutrition. Gov. Rell serves as Vice Chair of meeting.

Monday’s Where We Vote: Larry DeNardis

Larry DeNardis

by John Dankosky - The field for Governor is narrowing all the time.  Today, we hear that Mark Boughton, Danbury Mayor and Republican candidate, will be joining the ticket of current Lt. Governor Mike Fedele.  That leaves Tom Foley, the free-spending Greenwich businessman, as a clear front-runner heading into this weekend’s convention.  And, it leaves just a few candidates left in the pack.

Among them is Larry DeNardis, a former 3rd district congressman who, as his official bio points out, is:  “The only Republican to ever defeat Joe Lieberman in a general election in Connecticut.”

He also served as President of the University of New Haven, and has just released a new “Republican Roadmap to Recovery.”  He also has crafted a document he calls “Ten Points to Connecticut’s Freedom” – a PDF complete with Declaration of Independence-style script (not sure what the font is, but it’s pretty cool!)

Join the conversation 9-10am ET.

Thursday’s Where We Vote: Mary Glassman

by John Dankosky - UPDATE: Listen to today’s show here. The race to be the next Governor of Connecticut has a kinda theme this year: White Guys From Fairfield County.  One of the only candidates busting up this “theme party” is Simsbury First Selectman Mary Glassman.  In case you don’t know much about her, check out Rick Green’s profile in the Courant.

(SHANA SURECK / HARTFORD COURANT / December 3, 2007) Simsbury First Selectwoman-elect Mary Glassman raises her right hand to take the oath of office, administered by Assistant Town Clerk Anita Schwager. Glassman then conducted a series of briefings and meetings with department heads.

Glassman adds a different kind of narrative to this race.  With most of the candidates talking job creation – some touting their business background – she’s likely to talk about government, and ways to make it work better.

It’s a message we heard from Dan Malloy yesterday, when he announced that his long “exploration” is over.

Glassman’s resume doesn’t have on it the leadership of a large city, like Malloy.  But running a town like Simsbury seems to put her right in the middle of many of the state’s burning questions: So-called “smart” growth, transportation, tax policy (and property tax burden), educational equality.

If nothing else, Where We Live will welcome back Democrat Glassman to the studio where she took part in the only debate between Lt. Governor candidates in 2006.

Yes, in one of our humble program’s true coups, we played host to the only televised forum to pit Glassman (then running with New Haven Mayor John DeStefano) against Mike Fedele (now running for Governor himself).

Sadly, this epic hour of radio-on-the-TV is no longer available online. But the good folks at CTN will be happy to sell you a copy!

Join the conversation with Mary Glassman today from 9-10 a.m. at 860-275-7266, email wherewelive@wnpr.org or tweet us @wherewelive.

Deja Vu at the Capitol, While Real Life Goes On

Governor Jodi Rell - Christine Stuart, ctnewsjunkie.com

by John Dankosky – As I talked with Mark Pazniokas of the CT Mirror, and Keith Phaneuf of the Manchester Journal Inquirer CT Mirror this morning, I had a strange sense of deja vu.  Were we about to be treated to another “punting” of the state’s big problems down the road?  Would Governor Rell “scold” lawmakers for an inability to tighten their belts in a tough financial time?  Would she present a plan that actually balances a state budget?  Would she talk about Keno?

We seemingly got much of what we expected – what some called a “caretaker budget” that finds enough ways to solve short-term deficits, but won’t touch the massive structural problems the state faces.  Both Mark and Keith have been reporting, accurately I think, that even with big cuts, state worker givebacks and new taxes, we’ve dug a hole that we can’t soon get out of.  So, instead we got the promise of a new state task force/commission to examine how state government works.  This was met by Senate President Don Williams with a predictable response.

“I think it’s a good idea, but I think we ought to actually dig in and do some of the hard work about agency consolidation and streamlining the bureaucracy in government now,” he told WNPR’s Jeff Cohen.

Thinking back to this morning’s Where We Live, it seems like we’re back where we started: Acknowledgement of serious governmental crisis…with a pledge to study it and wait until a new governor takes over in Hartford.  Jon Pelto told us we need leadership now – and a willingness to work together.  When will it come?

This comment closed today’s Where We Live – after an hour of doom and gloom prognosticating:

Today Rell will be giving a eulogy for our late, great State of CT.  There seems to be no voice in the wilderness, no leadership from either party and NObody with any backbone!  We need a Lowell Weicker type to take over the executive branch and make some tough, intelligent decisions! –  Email from Rich

Among the news that was met with smiles today?  Jeff reports that among the “highlights” – at least for mayors and selectmen -was a pledge not to cut aid to cities and towns.

Meanwhile, take a look at Chion Wolf’s photographs from today’s free clinic in Hartford (a story by Lucy Nalpathanchil to come soon).

Free clinic in Hartford - photo by Chion Wolf

Here’s where the real news was happening today.  Hundreds of people – too “rich” for state aid, too poor to afford real care of their own – they lined up to get treated, only a few miles from where Connecticut’s decision-makers gathered to politely applaud, and pat themselves on the back for a situation gone out of control.

You can read Christine Stuart’s account of the day’s events from ctnewsjunkie.com here.

Mark Pazniokas’ budget analysis at ctmirror.org is here.

Dan Malloy, “Explorer”

Update: Here is a link to audio from today’s conversation with Dan Malloy.  More coming soon.

Dan Malloy is back on Where We Live today, answering listener questions about his run for governor.  Or, maybe it’s not a run yet.  As the Connecticut Post’s Ken Dixon says it’s still an “exploration.” We’ll find out.

It’s not the first time Malloy has been on the show – he was part of our “State of the Cities” series when he was still running the city of Stamford.  His decision to leave that post and start a statewide campaign backfired for Democrats there, who lost the subsequent mayoral race to Republican Michael Pavia.

Given that gamble, this seems to be a time of big decisions for Malloy.  With Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz leaving the governor’s race to run for attorney general, he could benefit.    But the numbers aren’t looking real good for Malloy in the latest Quinnipiac University poll.  From the Courant’s Capitol Watch:

Bysiewicz had 26 percent, while Greenwich entrepreneur Ned Lamont had 23 percent. Former Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy had 9 percent, while former House Speaker James Amann trailed in fourth place with less than 5 percent.

So, will Malloy be able to capture some of those Bysiewicz supporters by making a push now?

Malloy was one of our first ever guests back in 2006, when he was running for the gubernatorial nomination – which he lost to New Haven Mayor John DeStefano.

Now, he faces a Democratic field that’s mostly got only one toe in the race:  Businessman and former senate candidate Ned Lamont;  Mary Glassman, the Simsbury First Selectman who ran with Malloy briefly in 2006, then jumped onto the ticket with DeStefano as a candidate for Lt. Governor;  Former House Speaker Jim Amann is the only “announced” candidate – but so far he’s raised about $35,000 toward his campaign.  That’s not likely to get him very far.

On the Republican side, current Lt. Governor Mike Fedele is in, despite lukewarm support from his boss, Governor Rell.  Former Ambassador Tom Foley is also in, as a front-runner on the Republican side, and in the fundraising sweepstakes.  Sorry, not really “fundraising” per se, but check-writing.  He’s already put $2-million of his own money in. Now, we’re just waiting for his “plan forward for Connecticut.”

And, I can’t forget Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi, who – if there’s nothing else going for him – seems to have Colin McEnroe’s support.

As for Malloy, he’s raised more than $440,000 toward his bid, qualifying him for state money – and he’s expected to press Lamont to accept a pledge to use public financing.

Today, I’ll be asking about that, about this little item dug up by Rick Green, which shows a letter by Malloy touting Republican senate candidate Linda McMahon’s “keen insights” into public policy, and about how, specifically, he’ll deal with the looming state budget disaster, and miserable jobs climate that’s being left for the next governor.

Listen today 9-10 a.m. – call-in 860-275-7266.

Friday’s Where We Vote: Dan Malloy

Former Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy joins us Friday morning from 9-10 a.m. for Where We Live, as we continue our Where We Vote series.   We’re talking to candidates for the major offices in the state, and Malloy is up next.  Leave your questions here, email wherewelive@wnpr.org, tweet @wherewelive or call 860-275-7266.  At the very least, he’s gotta be happy Bysiewicz is out of the race for governor…