tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post7371408340408821503..comments2023-10-26T08:02:44.948-04:00Comments on Connecticut Commentary: Red Notes from a Blue State: Malloy On Bipartisan Budget NegotiationsDon Pescihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11167988001948356357noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post-9116372362463458762015-02-04T08:12:20.899-05:002015-02-04T08:12:20.899-05:00"...Thoughtful people need to work together. ..."...Thoughtful people need to work together. As always, I look forward to working with both my Democratic and Republican colleagues on smart financial solutions."<br />--------------------------<br />As the dimensions of last years budget shortfall are divulged by Governor Drib and Comptroller Drab, and revealed by the non-partisan OFA, we are increasingly impressed with the opacity of our budget process. And, it's also very difficult to understand what the Nutmeg Government actually does with $20 billion per year. Our historic gay Comptroller appears to be as dishonest as our historic dyslexic Governor. This, not withstanding Mr. Lembo's self-proclaimed reputation for "transparency." But, pay no attention to the Dem lies and distortions. It's time for Republicans to grow up and work together with the Party of Progressive Pukes to solve Connecticut's problems, "get things done" for its citizens and aliens (not necessarily in that order).<br />---------------------<br />Lembo, who reported a deficit projection of $89.4 million, did not reject the concerns raised by legislative analysts, but noted that the administration has a strong track record of meeting savings targets built into past budgets.<br /><br />But legislative analysts, who finished their review of the governor’s latest cuts, concluded they only effectively saved the state about $20 million.<br /><br />More importantly, OFA said the deficit actually stands at $182.3 million. That’s $7.7 million above the level that triggers a formal gubernatorial plan to balance the books, and $92 million worse than Lembo’s estimate.<br />http://ctmirror.org/2015/02/03/gop-says-lembo-played-politics-ignored-deficit-to-shield-malloy/<br />--------------<br />Comptroller Lembo also serves as the chief fiscal guardian -- monitoring and reporting on the state's financial status, coordinating health care and payroll for hundreds of thousands of public employees and retirees, and administering the statewide electronic accounting system. He has been hailed by advocacy groups and the media as a "champion of transparency" for his efforts to promote public access to vital state financial information.peter brushnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post-40652544391621258102015-01-31T09:00:49.137-05:002015-01-31T09:00:49.137-05:00Isn't this the same Dan Malloy whose commitmen...Isn't this the same Dan Malloy whose commitment to "transparency" is so great that he suggests it's OK to FOIA the utility regulator guys (PURA) when two of them "meet" in the hall? I suppose one could characterize budget finagling by a tight cadre of insiders behind closed doors as "consolidation" of management in the interest of efficiency. Can we FOIA the Governor's office?<br /><br />As I read the Constitution the Governor is to execute what the legislature legislates. Wouldn't we expect the budget to come from open deliberation in the Assembly, and from thence to Dan's Desk? Comparing our Nutmeg Constitution to the Fundamental Orders, our original one,we notice that the latter doesn't refer to individuals and their rights, but to the community and its duties. Yet, we can't help but think that our Puritan forbears enjoyed far more open government than do we who have so many governmental "benefits." The Governor was just one of seven magistrates who all served one year terms. They didn't even have FOIA. Is there a necessary causal relation between unlimited government actively seeking abolition of all Nutmeg inequities and increasingly closed bureaucratic autocracy? There certainly seems to be a statistical correlation. <br /><br />Speaking as a detractor of our Governor and his pusillanimous progressive Party, I'm happy that their colossal fraudulent fiscal sand castle is unquestionably theirs alone. I look forward to Dan's Big Speech of Explanation with almost as much anticipation as I do the Stupid Bowl, if not spring training. At this time of year we take entertainment wherever we find it.<br />--------------<br />...well knowing where a people are gathered together the word of God requires that to maintain the peace and union of such a people there should be an orderly and decent Government established according to God, to order and dispose of the affairs of the people at all seasons as occasion shall require; do therefore associate and conjoin ourselves to be as one Public State or Commonwealth; and do for ourselves and our successors and such as shall be adjoined to us at any time hereafter, enter into Combination and Confederation together...<br />-------------<br />The People of Connecticut acknowledging with gratitude, the good providence of God, in having permitted them to enjoy a free government; do, in order more effectually to define, secure, and perpetuate the liberties, rights and privileges which they have derived from their ancestorspeter brushnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post-23311424559904340812015-01-30T16:08:55.238-05:002015-01-30T16:08:55.238-05:00We are in BIG trouble.We are in BIG trouble.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00473994121260378538noreply@blogger.com