Wishing for the fairy-tale ending

Gov. Rell is not a happy camper.

Democratic leaders are opting not to take up her deficit mitigation plan during Friday's special session, and she feels that time is of the essence.

Instead, Democrats plan to address the state's $365.3 million deficit Jan. 14 -- after the General Assembly's new members take their oaths of office. Some Republicans, like House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero, are happy that a specific date has been set for the deficit discussion, but Rell is frowning.

"If legislative leaders are determined not to act right away, they should at least wait until revenue estimates from the Jan. 15 tax collections are in," she said in a prepared statement. "My fear is that if the legislature acts on Jan. 14, they will be a day early and potentially millions of dollars short.”

But Jan. 2 -- only two weeks earlier -- is a fine time to deal with the deficit?

Let's say Democrats had decided to act Jan. 2, and they eliminated the deficit -- all of it. My guess is that they would be addressing another deficit of maybe a smaller amount before the end of the fiscal year.

Rell is likely right. Numbers do change and the most recent projections will help lawmakers make better decisions. However, does two weeks make a huge difference when we still have six more months left this fiscal year?

Should lawmakers wait until after the tax collections are in to act, or should they make decisions Jan. 14? Do you think they were wrong in deciding that they would not deal with the deficit Friday?

Just a little something to think about in these finals hours of 2008. Maybe if Connecticut residents wish really hard, when the clock strikes midnight, the deficit will be erased and the drama that comes with budget cuts can be avoided.

Happy New Year!

Are you planning to go to D.C.?

Today, I'm beginning to work on an inauguration story, and I'm looking for people who are heading to Washington, D.C., in January for the festivities. I hope to talk to people from Meriden, Wallingford, Cheshire and Southington who were lucky enough to get tickets from their local U.S. congressman or U.S. senator. I also want to talk to those who will be checking out the ceremony from the National Mall.

Once I find people going to D.C. for inauguration events and write an initial story, I hope to incorporate people's thoughts, experiences and reactions to the inauguration into my blog, particularly on Jan. 20 -- Inauguration Day. Submitted pictures would also be a great addition to Political Potpourri.

It is worth noting, that each U.S. congressman is distributing 198 free tickets to the inauguration. U.S. senators get to give out 393 tickets. That may seem like a lot, but offices are getting thousands of requests.

Anyway, if you are going to the inauguration, or if you know someone who is, please contact me. I want to tell my newspaper and blog readers about the inauguration, but to do so, I need your help!

Deep Throat dead at 95

W. Mark Felt played an important role in American history. He was Deep Throat, the famous anonymous source who helped two Washington Post reporters investigate the Watergate scandal. After details surfaced, President Nixon eventually resigned.

During Watergate, Felt was an associate director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

For years, Deep Throat was depicted in books and films as a prominent government figure who often tried to loom in the background, challenging authority so that the truth would be known. For over 30 years, people tried to guess who Deep Throat was, but Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, would not reveal their source. Then, in 2005, Felt told the world that he had helped the reporters, ending speculation.

Felt died Thursday at 95.

As a political reporter, the Watergate story and the relationship between Felt and Woodward has always captured my interest. People, particularly journalists and politicians, can learn a lot from the story. But with Deep Throat's identity revealed and Felt and Nixon now dead; will Watergate just become another page in a history book?

When I was studying journalism in college, we learned about Watergate. If I remember correctly, we were required to watch "All the President's Men." The printers in our computer lab were even named Woodward and Bernstein.

But as the years pass, I worry that people are going to forget. To make sure that doesn't happen, I am going to suggest a few books for you to add on to your last minute Christmas list. "All the President's Men," of course, is a must if you haven't read it already. I also thoroughly enjoyed "The Secret Man," which was published after Felt revealed that he was Deep Throat. "Shadow: Five Presidents and the Legacy of Watergate" is also a good choice. All are written by Bob Woodward. Happy reading.

New appointments announced

Gov. M. Jodi Rell made some new political appointments this week and two of them have been from Wallingford.

Monday, Gaetano Zappala was nominated to the Elevator, Installation, Repair and Maintenance Examing Board. He will serve as the board's public member. Zappala is 71 and a self-employed hair stylist, and I'm gathering he's interested in elevators.

Today, Rell nominated Amalia Vazquez Bzdyra to be a commissioner of the state's Department of Public Utility Control. Since 2007, Bzdyra served as deputy commissioner of the Department of Social Services.

Rell's other appointment means a vacant Republican state House seat this January. Rell has also asked Rep. Kevin DelGobbo, a Republican from Naugatuck, to be a commissioner of the Department of Public Utility Control.

The minority party, which only holds 37 of the House's 138 seats, is losing someone who has served in the House since 1997. DelGobbo was a ranking member of the Appropriations Committee and was also a member of the Energy and Technology and Public Safety committees.

All legislative and executive nominations must be approved by the General Assembly.

Let's talk about jobs

I've been researching the state of our state today and saw that Connecticut has lost 7,100 jobs this fiscal year. October preliminary estimates show that only 3,600 jobs were lost.

The state comptroller points out that the rate of job loss is accelerating, and for many, that is scary.

I wonder if President-elect Obama will really save the day? What will it take for Connecticut, and the nation, to bounce back? Have you or your place of employment had to deal with layoffs?

If you are willing to share your story, please do. At the very least, in uncertain times, readers of Political Potpourri should know that they are not the only ones wondering what the future will hold.

The economy and unemployment rates are hot topics -- topics, I personally, wish we didn't have to talk about. But the problems are there, and we have to deal with them. So, let this blog serve as a place in cyber space where people can help one another by offering advice and trading stories.

Donovan makes appointments

The General Assembly does not convene for another month, but Chris Donovan, the incoming speaker, is getting down to business. He appointed his leadership team and his committee chairmen Thursday.

Donovan made his Meriden colleagues House leaders. Buddy Altobello remains a deputy speaker, and Cathy Abercrombie moved up in the ranks. She will be an assistant majority leader.

Add Sen. Tom Gaffey into the mix, and it looks like Meriden's delegation of four will all be leaders this year. Gaffey hasn't been named a Senate leader for 2009 yet, but he served as chief deputy president pro tempore last year. I don't expect that to change.

Towns near Meriden also are represented well when it comes to Donovan's leadership team.

Corky Mazurek and Zeke Zalaski are assistant majority whips, Joe Aresimowicz is an assistant majority leader and Mary Fritz is keeping her role as assistant deputy speaker.

Vickie Nardello will get to chair the Energy and Technology Committee -- a committee that tends to play a large role in today's society, and Mary Mushinsky is looking to foster systemic change by chairing the Program Review and Investigation Committee.

I know it's great for cities and towns to have people in high places, but did Donovan favor New Haven County? Did he make the right decisions?

For more on Donovan's appointments, check out tomorrow's Record-Journal.

Time to revisit state income tax?

Gov. Rell has sent testimony to Washington, D.C. Her thoughts on the economy will be given to the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations.

In her testimony, Rell specifically points out that bonuses for top executives and for those working on Wall Street will likely drop dramatically, which will impact Connecticut. The state is home to many of those workers, and Rell notes that Connecticut relies heavily on that sector for income tax revenue. She adds that income tax revenues are already down significantly.

I wonder if Rell's mention of the state income tax in her testimony means something? Does the state income tax system need to be restructured? Will it be?

Maybe it's too soon to tell. In addition to the state income tax, Rell also mentioned several other aspects of the economy in her testimony. I guess we will find out more about Rell's vision for the future in her February budget address.

But as we wait, we do know that Rell recognizes one thing when it comes to Connecticut's economy.

"Connecticut’s projected budget deficits make one thing crystal clear: Connecticut’s government today is larger than our taxpayers’ ability to pay for it," Rell states in her testimony. "In Connecticut, we cannot afford to pretend otherwise."

Praise comes Donovan's way

So there was this guy from Meriden at "Chris Donovan this is your life" last week. His name was Jeffrey Freiser, and he is actually the executive director of the Connecticut Housing Coalition.

I mention him, because he is a local guy who has known Chris for years through the Connecticut Citizen Action Group, and while we had a nice chat, his comments never made it into my story. Like it or not, a reporter can't always fit everything they know into one article.

Anyway, Jeffrey, who first met Chris in 1991, was talking about how much the soon-to-be speaker of the House likes people. (It's a good thing, because Chris had to mingle and make the rounds Thursday. More than 400 people showed up at the CCAG fundraiser.)

Jeffrey also spoke about how years ago, politicians were the enemy for community organizers like Chris. Community organizers were always angry that policians would not listen or make committments, he said. Now as a politician, Chris doesn't want to repeat those sins, Jeffrey said. People can be so cynical about politics and Chris wants to show that there is a different way to represent communities, he said.

Jeffrey was not the only one to praise Donovan last week. He got a lot of praise from many different people, including his wife and kids and his colleagues in the legislature.

Rep. John C. Geragosian, a Democrat from New Britain, mixed his praise with several jokes, including a reference to when Chris began to plan his climb up the leadership ladder. He had plenty of time to plan after former Speaker of the House Moira Lyons stripped him of a chairmanship about six years ago, Geragosian said, and the packed room at the Four Points laughed. Moira was sitting in the audience.

Geragosian also referenced Donovan's ties to labor unions. He works for one, but says he will leave his job when he becomes speaker next month. Unlike some, Geragosian didn't see Donovan's union background as a negative.

"I say it's about time that we have a speaker that is for working families," he said.

These details show that many are excited that Chris will be taking the reigns. They see him as a charasmatic and capable leader. My question to Political Potpourri leaders is; what do you see? After reading the newspaper stories, watching him in action and possibly meeting Chris, what do you think he brings to the table? And who do you think he will represent as speaker of the House?

Just a little update

So, if you are anxiously waiting for interesting tidbits from the Chris Donovan / CCAG event, I'm afraid you are going to have to wait until next week. I've had a busy weekend with some police and local news to report on, and this blog has had to take a back seat. But keep checking, because I plan to write something more on Thursday's event soon. I promise!

Donovan rocks the House

Want to make Chris Donovan turn bright red? Give him a large audience, the spotlight and some praise.

I just returned from "Chris Donovan this is your life." It was a fundraiser for the Connecticut Citizen Action Group, but it was basically a Donovan love fest. And I have to say...it was hysterical.

You should have heard all the teasing he got from family and friends! And of course, there was a performance by The Bad Reps. That's Donovan's band. He plays the guitar.

Anyway, I'm heading home now, but I'm going to write more about the event tomorrow. It was quite the political gathering--well Democratic gathering. Many of the state's power players were there, and I want to share more. Stay tuned!

Talk of a stimulus plan continues

To Political Potpourri readers: I'm sorry it's been a while since my last entry. I was on vacation.

But I'm back now, and I want to know what you think should be included in a second economic stimulus package.

Gov. Rell and several of the nation's governors met with president-elect Obama Tuesday and an economic stimulus package was at the heart of the discussion. Many, including Rell, want to see a stimulus package that channels federal money to public infrastructure projects.

Should this happen? Would it work to revive the economy? What Connecticut projects should get the funding, and who will make those decisions?

It appears to be a decent plan -- one that will benefit the 50 states, but I'm still left with many questions.

And on a personal note, I would not mind seeing another stimulus plan that requires the federal government to send me a check. It's tough times for all, and I'm willing to bet most people would not mind the extra cash. I'll take it.