Political Capitol

It’s been called “the curse” by some folks I know. Sure, Indiana Jones 4 was filmed in-state. But for every hit production lured to Connecticut by the new film tax credits, there’s a “College Road Trip” or a “Righteous Kill” that quickly disappears from theaters.

But following last week’s Golden Globe nominations, House Speaker James Amann, D-Milford, who spearheaded the tax credits, noted three of the honorees were filmed or edited in-state – “Rachel Getting Married”; “Nixon/Frost”; and “Revolutionary Road”.

Amann said the nominations will serve to “bolster” the film industry he and others have sought to build in the state since first offering the tax incentives in 2006.

The timing of Amann’s announcement surely also has to do with the fact The Advocate recently wrote about how state officials are considering whether to continue offering the tens-of-millions in tax breaks to the film and television industries when Connecticut faces a $6 billion budget deficit.

Rep. Christopher Perone’s re-election in November meant not only would the Norwalk Democrat be returning to the General Assembly, but it assured him a continued spot in the “Bad Reps” band of lawmakers.

The group, organized by incoming House Speaker Christopher Donovan, D-Meriden, has a gig tomorrow morning around 7 a.m. on Chaz & AJ’s morning show on WPLR.

Specifically they will be one of the acts featured during the station’s toy drive in New Haven.

Donovan said the “Bad Reps” were invited after he appeared on the radio show and talked about his hobby playing guitar.

Perone, who also plays guitar, said the group was asked to perform one song. And, he added, despite the occasion, it will be a straight rock n’ roll performance.

“We’re not going to do holiday songs,” Perone said.

Last week Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell joined her colleagues from throughout the nation in Philly and asked Democratic President-elect Barack Obama to include financially troubled states in the next federal economic stimulus package.

Connecticut is facing a $6 billion plus budget deficit in the coming two fiscal years.

Today Rell released testimony her office sent to Congress in advance of hearings by the House of Representatives’ Appropriations Committee.

Some celebrities might lend their face and voice to an issue for a few minutes or so. You know – travel to the capitol, hold a press conference with lawmakers, make a few comments, answer a question or two, shake some hands, sign some autographs and leave.

But Cosby, in town to discuss the importance of fatherhood, began his day at the capitol around 2:45 p.m. with a press conference.

It’s just about 5:45 p.m. and he has been sitting, testifying before a special legislative task force on fatherhood and fatherlessness, for about two hours now.

And it is not all about him. He came armed with national statistics and asked some locals from Hartford to accompany him and present their personal stories of growing up without a dad.

It’s impressive.

I just got around to reading a story that made some waves last week among political junkies.

A weekly newspaper obtained Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s daily schedule from the past few months and wrote a pretty critical story that she doesn’t do a hell of a lot.

That take on how the Governor spends her time is nothing new. The Hartford Courant wrote a similar story, also based on Rell’s daily schedules, last year.

And just about every Democrat in Hartford will, if asked, characterize Rell using words like “nice” and “disengaged.”

It was a worthwhile story to read if only to get folks thinking about how exactly a Governor should spend their day.

But as someone who has struggled with writing similar stories about elected officials and how they spend their time, I would have liked the reporter to perhaps build a better, more objective case that Rell has a too light schedule. Obviously he thinks so.

Aside from outlining a day in the life of former Republican Gov. John Rowland, the story mainly relies on criticisms from Democrats who are never afraid to go after Rell – House Speaker James Amann, D-Milford and Sen. Andrew McDonald, D-Stamford - and a former agency head Rell fired.

It might have helped to include interviews with non-partisans from in and out of state – professors of politics, good government groups, national legislative associations – who could perhaps explain the role of a Governor in a small state like Connecticut and whether Rell is meeting expectations or falling short.

What folks need to remember is that a lot of the policy-making gets done by the currently Democrat-majority legislature, which technically is only in session for, at the most, the first half of each year.

So that leaves several months where the Governor basically has to manage her various agency heads and perform ribbon cuttings and the like.

But how often should a Governor meet with her department heads? How involved should a Governor be in the daily or weekly work of her agencies? Is there even enough to do as Governor in Connecticut to warrant it being a full-time job? Should Connecticut Governors not have Chiefs of Staff or a Lt. Governor, forcing them to assume more duties? Do Connecticut residents want a Governor who is micromanaging everything or a Governor who is more hands off?

These are the things the article got me thinking about, so it did a good job there. I only wish it had also attempted to answer a few of these questions. But maybe the weekly or some of the rest of us in the capitol press will do so in the future.

What is certain is these types of stories are not going away any time soon. Rell has to decide whether to seek re-election in 2010. And whether she does or not, I’m pretty sure some of the potential Democratic contenders – Amann and Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy – will be campaigning on a platform of being more involved in state government.

So THIS is how Connecticut celebrated the 75th anniversary of the repeal of prohibition today.

According to a press release from the state Department of Consumer Protection, DCP Commissioner Jerry Farrell, Jr., who wears a second hat chairing the state Liquor Control Commission … get ready for it … paid visits to a pub and two wine and beer wholesalers.

Woo hoo.

San Francisco organized a parade and there were parties in other cities as well.

Oh but wait. I forgot. Connecticut is a state where the bars close early and you can’t buy alcohol on Sundays, holidays or in grocery stores. So never mind.

Bill Cosby will be at the capitol Monday to address the legislature’s Task Force on Fatherhood and Fatherlessness.

The announcement was just made by House Speaker James Amann, D-Milford, who earlier this year organized the task force to study the causes of fatherlessness in Connecticut and whether the state could do a better job of encouraging fatherhood.

The group is co-chaired by Rep. Bruce Morris, D-Norwalk.

“Fatherhood” is the title of the best selling book Cosby authored in the mid-1980s while playing Dr. Healthcliff Huxtable on the now classic sitcom The Cosby Show.

Cosby has come under fire in the past for some controversial statements he has made about African Americans and personal responsibility. Here’s the transcript of an interview he gave in May, 2004 following one such speech with PBS host Tavis Smiley.

No word on whether Amann, who spearheaded the state’s new film tax credit program, is going to take the opportunity to convince Cosby to film Ghost Dad II in Connecticut.

A staffer for nine state lawmakers who represent the Bristol and New Britain communities just sent out a statement touting a meeting their bosses had in Hartford today about the future of the Bristol Press and New Britain Herald.

Those two newspapers, owned by the faltering Journal Register Company, are slated to shut down if not purchased by Jan. 12.

The lawmakers have been urging the state Department of Economic and Community Development to get involved and try and find a buyer. According to the release, DECD Commissioner Joan McDonald informed them of “at least one substantive current negotiation involving a potential buyer” and she intends to “reach out to other major news organizations to gauge any interest.”

I hope I NEVER have to face what the staff at these papers are facing right now. At least when layoffs are announced, you figure you’ve got a chance at making the cut. But when the whole paper is closing, everyone goes down.

That being said, it strikes me as a very interesting scenario to have the very people the newspapers cover riding to their rescue. I wonder what journalism professors would make of this. Journalists are supposed to refuse “gifts” from the people they cover. I know someone who would not even let a source pay for a cup of coffee. Seems like saving your company/jobs is the ultimate gift. Is it going to be harder for these papers to cast a critical eye on these state officials after they guarantee their survival?

UPDATE: The legislative spokesman I referred to above gave me a call after reading this post. She said the lawmakers in question believe they are doing their part to keep a local business and save local jobs. She added those same lawmakers have been the subjects of a fare share of critical stories in the two newspapers.

“It’s not like the papers have always been rosy and sweet to these lawmakers,” she said.