House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero, R-Norwalk, earlier this afternoon “applauded” the announcement by Sen. President Donald Williams, D-Brooklyn, and incoming House Speaker Christopher Donovan, D-Meriden, to hold a vote on a deficit mitigation plan Jan. 14.
Cafero had ideally wanted the Democratic majority to agree to return to the capitol Friday to take up Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s proposal to address the current, $356 million budget shortfall. But he said he was willing to put it off as long as the Democrats scheduled a future date.
The regular legislative session begins Jan. 7 so any plan up for adoption Jan. 14 will come before the newly sworn General Assembly as opposed to the “lame duck” legislature in place for this final week.
But in a statement sent this evening, Senate Minority Leader John McKinney had the opposite opinion of Williams’ and Donovan’s announcement.
“If the Democrats are serious about passing the Governor’s mitigation plan, then there isn’t a moment to lose; certainly not two more weeks. We should be in special session Friday, or at the very least be prepared to vote on opening day,” McKinney wrote.
