Amann, Williams in Showtime Showdown

Tuesday February 19, 2008

What’s the difference between a threat and a bargaining chip? Among Democratic leadership, not much.
Word comes from spies in the governor’s office that all is not wonderful in the Democratic majorities of 107-44 in the House and 23-12 in the Senate, pending that special election to fill Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch’s seat.
Seems that during a recent meeting, Senate President Don Williams, D-Brooklyn, offered to hold part of Speaker of the House Jim Amann’s plan to expand tax credits for film productions, unless the speaker bought into the Senate caucuses proposed “refund” program.
In particular, Amann wants credits for Blue Sky Studio’s move of 300 jobs from White Plains, over to line to that depressed burg of Greenwich.
That Senate proposal, for which Amann voiced initial lukewarm-to-tepid support, would send back $100 to $300 to singles who make less than $42,5000 and couples who make less than $80,000.
At about 2:30, Amann, D-Milford, wouldn’t use the word “threaten,” for Blog-o-rama, but had a hard time coming up with a better description.
“Threatening? Who ever used that word, it certainly is not true. He didn’t threaten it. It’s not just the tax credits I’m interested in, it’s home-heating oil, which he’s interested in; it’s also the housing pilot, which he’s interested in.”
Amann said that typically, there is a kind of back and forth among leaders’s agendas.
“It’s not unusual for people wanting to bargain, but I think it’s kind of unfair to bargain for that particular piece because A) it’s a growing industry B) the company is already committed to come here C) we already agreed 6-8 months ago that this would be part of our fix-it-up whenever we came back into session,” Amann said.
He said the confrontation – Blog-o-rama’s word, not his – occurred about two weeks ago. “Right after that meeting we all had lunch together and it was all cordial and fine,” he recalled.
“Do I think they should be using this particular item as a bargaining chip? No.
The problem is we have a known, an industry that’s growing and a digital company that’s moving its headquarters to Connecticut, versus an unknown. The unknown is the economy. We’re not quite sure what’s going to happen in April. The senator may be absolutely right that we’ll end up with a surplus and may be able to do some of the stimulus package that he’s wants,” Amann continued.
Amann said at this point, he’s siding with Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who believes that lawmakers should wait until at least April to see what kind of surplus – currently pegged at $160 million to $260 million – may be left at the end of the fiscal year June 30.
“It’s a known versus an unknown and that’s what gives me pause to agree upon it, to let it go at this point,” he said. “I’m probably with the governor at this point. We need to be extremely cautious on that one. I guess I’m a little frustrated that that’s being used as a bargaining chip. I think the difference is we’re both playing poker. My known is that I have four aces in my hand and he’s trying to draw for a straight. He’s bargaining with the wrong chip. He should put a new chip on the table.”
Derek Slap, William’s spokesman said at about 5:15 that Rell’s throwing some hand grenades.
“It’s unfortunate that the governor dispatched her gremlins to try to sow dissention in the Legislature, instead of actually leading the way on tax relief for families and businesses,” he said. “The speaker and Senate President have been talking about a host of issues, like they always do and at this point they’re all moving forward. We hope that the speaker does not fall into the governor’s trap of trying to divide Democrats.”