Political Capitol

I. Gotmore and Mimi Knott-Yew – two of the so-called Billionaires for Budget Cuts who have been traveling the state criticizing Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s opposition to an income tax hike on the wealthiest (many of whom live in lower Fairfield County), were in Stamford today greeting Republican legislators attending a press conference at Avant Business Services.

The Republicans last week issued a “no tax increase” alternative budget to the most recent two-year spending plans the legislature’s Democratic-majority and Rell put on the table the week before. Although mainly critical of the Democrats, the Republicans also oppose Rell’s proposed tax increases on corporations, cigarettes and liquor.

Billionaires for Budget Cuts, sponsored by the Working Families Party, have mainly stuck to the Hartford area since launching their protest, so it was interesting to see them make their way to the southwestern corner.

“Jodi’s been doing a good job but it seems the House and Senate Republicans will do a better job protecting us,” I. Gotmore (real name Stacey Zimmerman) said in a brief interview.

I got a bit of a laugh out of them when I asked why none of the Billionaires is using the moniker L. Scott Frantz - the name of the wealthy Republican Senator from Greenwich. I have no clue if Frantz is really a billionaire, but he is financially secure enough to forgo his legislative salary.

Frantz was one of the eight Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Minority Leader John McKinney, who spent about an hour meeting with Avant Vice President Charles Chiusano and touring the facility.

Chiusano, a Republican who lives in Fairfield and is involved enough in the party to use terms like “Democratic majority” when speaking of the General Assembly, said tax increases will not only prevent Avant from further expanding it’s warehouse operations in Stamford and Hartford, but could drive the company and its 55 employees out of state.

“The Democratic majority want to make us struggle so much we may have to move back into New York and abandon Connecticut,” Chiusano said. Chiusano afterward said he has been involved in some Republican campaigns, but is no “zealot.” He said he is simply pro-business, and that is why he is so concerned about the prospect of damaging tax increases that could further hurt the state’s economy.

He said Avant’s management and rank-and-file employees have all taken pay cuts and unpaid furlough days and the business is reluctant to raise prices on hurting customers.

Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton, took a shot at the Billionaires for Budget Cuts, arguing the protestors are “trying to demonize the concept of excelling, of succeeding.” No one used the word “Communist” to describe the Billionaires/Working Families Party.