Although not running for governor former Congressman Christopher Shays has this to say about the state of the state. From www.ctcapitolreport.com
Betsi and I wrestled with the fact I would relish the challenge of leading our state; felt a moral obligation to step forward; and believed I could effectively move our state government in a different direction.
The fact is “the state is in deep shit.” I say it that way because folks in Hartford (press included) and the public seem to have no clue how bad things are.
As things stand now the next Governor is going to have to veto the bi-annual budget and run the state by executive order for months and be prepare to do it as long as it takes to get the General Assembly and state employees to renegotiate employee benefits.
We have a deficit this year of three quarters of a billion dollars and projected deficits in the future of nearly 3 billions dollars annually. Our debt service is way too high. And as bad as our 9 billion dollar pension liability is, it is not even close to the 24 billion dollar liability in health care benefits owed to state employees and retirees.
It is clear wealth and jobs go where they are welcomed and they are clearly not welcomed in the State of Ct. So the long term solution is not going to be taxing the wealthy and job creators even more. They are leaving.
We need to get our financial house in order while at the same time convincing those with wealth and the folks who create jobs, employers, to stay here. And we need even more of them. That’s a challenge I could have sunk my teeth in. But for the present I have a different role.
As much as I would have loved to run and serve I know Betsi and I made the right decision. I need to do a better job of getting our own financial house in order and help elect candidates to public office who will tell the truth and make the tough decisions that will put our state and country in a better place for our kids and their kids.
(Check out my daily webzine at www.onlyinbridgeport.com)
Shays is in deep full of himself.