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Tales from the audio tape
The Blogster, at Gov. Dannel Malloy’s monthly news conference after the State Bond Commission: “So for $800,000 for the tote board in the House, shouldn’t they be getting, like a couple relief pitchers or maybe some tutors for the UConn basketball team, too?”
Governor Malloy before launching into a serious answer in which he used the word infrastructure: ”Or a House to be named later.”
Don’t expect things to move quickly today, because lawmakers, like armies, move on their stomachs. After gaveling into special session, the House will adopt rules, then recess into caucus/lunch, where they will review the changes to the $516-million jobs bill that Republicans agreed to last night. The Jackson Labs piece of the puzzle, with an additional $291 million in state grants, is expected to start in the Senate, where GOP opposition awaits.
For those science, technology, engineering and math types who want to be able to stay in the state after graduation, Gov. Dannel Malloy said Tuesday he is negotiating with UConn President Susan Herbst to get a new Biomedical Engineering Department at the state’s flagship university. Malloy first made his public statements on it yesterday in Westport, speaking to about two dozen business leaders. Today, in an interview with the Blogster, the governor said he’s pursuing further details with Herbst. “I think it will begin with a discussion, but it won’t be too not hard to push people through the door. We have a pretty good engineering program. Biomedical engineering is a specialty within engineering. People would be graduating with a far superior concentration. This would be a magnificent opportunity to be recognized as a leader.
The State Bond Commission on Friday is set to approve $800,000 for the purchase and installation of new electronic
voting boards for the House of Representatives in the State Capitol. Let’s see, $800K divided by 151 House members equals $5,298 per lawmaker. That’s putting it in terms that taxpayers can graphically understand.
Gov. Dannel Malloy, caught in Westport this afternoon, discounted Rep. Tim Larson’s (D-East Hartford) idea that the governor should declare the last Saturday of each October as Halloween, so kids and their families wouldn’t have to cope with changing days of the week for the candy craving, costume making, door-banging holiday, which this year comes on a Monday. Malloy laughed a couple times at the Blogster’s request for a reaction: “You know Tim’s a great guy and I think he makes a valid point about if we can move other holidays, why can’t we move Halloween? Having said that, I think that’s something the Congress should take up as opposed to a state-by-state basis.”
The guest of honor of honor over in Bridgeport’s Brooklawn neighborhood wasn’t US Sen. Dick Blumenthal who told about 100 supporters of Mayor Bill Finch: “Hey I’ve crashed better parties than this,” after he surprisingly cruised in behind Dannel P. Malloy, who stayed a half hour, greeted a few high-rolling local Democrats, then said a few nice words about Finch deserving another four years come Election Day November 8. As he was finishing up his laudatory comments on Finch, Malloy said “governor” when he meant “mayor.” Finch, taking his turn, gratefully thanked Malloy for attending the $500-a-head cocktail party. “I wouldn’t want your job for all the tea in China,” Finch assured Malloy.
The CCM just issued their proposal for the special session on jobs set for Wednesday:
1) create state/local economic teams to expedite permitting and development assistance.
2) allow munies to contract licensed professional engineers to review development proposals and reduce the state backlogs.
3) force state agencies, including environment, transportation and economic development to act on applications within 90 days or trigger an automatic approval.
4) streamlining state funding procedures.
5) create ombudsmen positions in state agencies to interact with local governments.
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