Former U.S. Comptroller General and candidate for Governor took some time out of his busy day to answer a couple of questions. See below.
Connecticut
Commentary: In your campaign literature, you style yourself a
“turnaround specialist,” and your background suggests you have walked the walk.
You served as Comptroller General of the United States for 10 years under three
different presidents, Reagan, Bush (41) and Clinton, during which time you “led
a widely praised transformation of the GAO and spearheaded related efforts for
the accountability community both domestically and internationally.” The state
of Connecticut certainly could use a CPA governor who can add one and one and
get two. Other governors have in the past more or less fudged the numbers
through overly optimistic revenue projections and outright thievery – by
flitching money from so called “lock boxes” and using the loot to balance
chronically out of balance budgets, relieving the pressure, such as it is, on
the General Assembly to reduce spending. Politics, not rational economic
decisions, are driving these revenue distortions. How will someone like
yourself, who has little experience dealing with the personalities and
interests that shape Connecticut politics, manage to turn around Connecticut?
Walker:
Connecticut is badly broken and it needs a proven problem solver who is not a
professional politician but who has a successful track record in transforming
government. I will turn around Connecticut because I have the
demonstrated experience to transform large government organizations
when I led the federal GAO. Under my leadership we saved federal
taxpayers over $300 BILLION. I am confident that if we can make the
federal government more efficient we can do the same for
Connecticut. Frankly, the people of Connecticut are fed up with the
politics as usual and are yearning for change. They are eager for a
professional problem solver to get to work. When we win the Governorship
we will have a mandate to deliver common-sense reforms to save our state. I am
committed to saving Connecticut.
I have conducted extensive research and outreach activities
since moving to Connecticut a number of years ago, including my time as head of
the Comeback America Initiative based in Bridgeport, CT. I have traveled all
over the state engaging with business, professional, political and community
leaders as well as with the general public in my various professional (e.g., Comeback
America Initiative, CSCPA), community service (e.g., Rotary) and other
activities.
Importantly, I have already demonstrated my ability to
effectively address various interest groups in my past government, private
sector and non-profit activities. In addition, I have a proven track record of
making every organization that I have led in the public, private and non-profit
sectors more future focused and results oriented. For example, my
responsibilities as Comptroller General involved the entire scope of the U.S.
Government, the entire U.S. Congress, and heads of accountability organizations
at the international, federal, state and local levels of government.
Connecticut
Commentary: It would be a considerable understatement to say that leading
Republicans are dissatisfied with the policies of
Governor Dannel Malloy. To touch on just one point: When Malloy
achieved office back in 2011, the first Democrat governor since Bill O’Neill,
he quickly put Republicans in the legislature in Coventry. All his budgets were
hammered out after consultation with Democrat legislative leaders and, of
course, unions, regarded by some as Connecticut’s fourth branch of government.
You would reform some statutes that surrender legislative authority to union
heads. What are those statutes and, in view of the calamitous condition of the
state’s economy, what are the prospects for successful reform?
Walker:
Connecticut’s current SEBAC agreement and several of its labor laws are
unreasonable, uncompetitive and unsustainable. Connecticut cannot wait
until 2027 to address the issues covered by the SEBAC agreement (e.g., pension
and health care benefits, anti-layoff provisions). I am committed to addressing
these issues in an equitable manner. This involves a number of steps, including
overriding the current SEBAC agreement using the sovereign power of the state,
if necessary; restricting the scope of bargaining to exclude pension and health
care benefits; reducing the allowable length of bargaining agreements, and;
reforming current arbitration and prevailing wage rules.
I am conducting an issue-based, solutions-oriented and
referendum-style campaign that is designed to help elect and install a
Connecticut Turnaround Team and create a referendum for action. This includes
electing Republicans as Governor, in several other Constitutional offices, and
taking control of the State Senate and House. It also includes selecting a top
flight cabinet based on merit. In traveling around Connecticut it is clear to
me that the people of this great state know that the status quo is unacceptable
and unsustainable. They want a proven problem solver who can take steps from
Day 1 in office to put our state’s finances in order and make other needed
reforms. The voters’ desires are well aligned with my background and campaign
approach.
Comments