June 13, 2011
A NEW AND BETTER WAY FOR CONNECTICUT
Legislature, Governor Sets New Direction for State
By State Representative Bob Godfrey (D-Danbury)
Remarkable! It’s the only word to describe the 2011 legislative session. We’ve turned the corner, fiscally and economically, thanks to the leadership and vision of Governor Dannel Malloy and the work of your General Assembly.
Governor Malloy has done what other recent Governors failed to do: lead, govern and offer bold, sound economic policy. It’s good for businesses and good for us because he’s creating jobs and protecting the safety net.
Our Governor is doing what Republican leaders only talk about. He’s streamlining government, reducing the number of agencies by 30 percent. He’s running it like a business with new management and upgraded technology to increase productivity. He’s negotiated a wage freeze and other union concessions now awaiting ratification, which I expect will happen. Together we made over $700 million in spending cuts. We refused to borrow or use other gimmicks. We fully funded our pension obligations. We stayed below the constitutional spending cap.
That’s why businesses large and small endorsed these proposals. Connecticut is once again open for business. We passed the “First Five Program” to encourage five businesses to create over 200 new jobs each. We expanded our reinvestments in manufacturing. We provided student loan reimbursements for green-tech degree holders. We’re building a world class bio-science research center at UConn. We invested in construction jobs.
We rejected Republican proposals to shred the safety net. We said NO! to reducing Medicare by half-a-billion dollars. Our most vulnerable residents, children and the elderly and those at risk for losing their homes are protected.
Public schools will get the money needed to meet their mission, while keeping property taxes down.
We expanded the school breakfast program to feed hungry children.
We instituted the earned income tax credit so struggling low-paid workers can get extra help.
We protected workers’ health and yours with a paid sick day so they can stay home and get well.
We created the Connecticut Healthcare Partnership to protect and increase access to quality, affordable health care, and require insurance companies to pay claims quicker.
We created a coordinated system of early childhood education.
We strengthened school bullying laws.
Like you, I watch my electric bill. I’ve reduced my use, but it’s still too costly. I regret the Rowland deregulation measures. They haven’t worked. So we passed a major act about Connecticut’s energy future. It does a lot. It invests in energy efficient and clean energy technologies in both homes and businesses. It reforms state agencies to provide tighter controls over your energy costs.
Led by Governor Malloy, we’ve started to reform our criminal justice system. By giving the Commissioner of Corrections the tools he needs to reduce recidivism through education and rehabilitation, we’ll save money for years to come. Our dramatic changes in the penalties for non-violent drug offenses will lead to better outcomes for users, and reduced costs for taxpayers.
Twenty years of pent-up demand for real leadership and bold approaches to our common problems and concerns have been dealt with – finally! We’ve set a new course that focuses on jobs and the needs and rights of each of us that will bring us to real prosperity. It’s an optimistic course I’ll hold to for you.