Hold the Front Page! Rell Doesn’t Threaten Veto! Donovan Says Her Pants are on Fire

Of course, it was just a Finance Committee vote and it may never come before the House and Senate for actual debate and votes. But spending $180 million over 10 years for $130 million in revenue, as part of the securitization deal on consumer charges that were supposed to finally go away, doesn’t seem anything short of desperation on the part of majority Democrats. Sen. Len Fasano, R-North Haven, came up to the Capitol Press Room and called it a hidden tax. Yep, those Ds, with margins of 114-37 in the House and 24-12 in the Senate, are really getting business done. The May 5 adjournment date is less than a month away and has the General Assembly accomplished anything in this election year?

Here’s Gov. Rell’s release from mid-evening Tuesday:

   “The Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee’s proposal to securitize revenue from charges on consumers’ electric bills is not the solution I would pursue.

            “Ratepayers, who have paid these charges for the last 10 years, have rightfully been expecting the charges to soon be expiring – by the end of this year for Connecticut Light & Power customers and in 2013 for United Illuminating customers.

            “Some sort of securitization is necessary. This option, however, is the least desirable for Connecticut’s beleaguered families.

            “As to the Committee’s tax proposal, I will simply say this: Last week the Appropriations Committee proposed a budget that increased spending by $345 million. Today the Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee is proposing $405 million in new taxes. It has not been a very good legislative session, so far, for Connecticut’s taxpayers.”

Speaker of the House Chris Donovan says Rell’s messin’ with Democrats’ heads:.

“The Governor is being less than truthful in her criticism of the Finance Committee’s securitization plan. On February 3rd, Governor Rell’s OPM Secretary sent us a securitization financing plan,” Donovan said in a statement. “This proposal was the first option listed in that plan. The description of this financing option in that letter says that ‘it is possible that electric customers could still enjoy a rate decrease of some magnitude.’ This proposal was a recommendation from her office. Not only did this specific securitization proposal come from the Governor, but she was the original proponent of securitization as a budget item more than a year ago. She has to be responsible. Let’s be serious and get the job done.”