No joke.
While most lawmakers, state officials and political observers are picking apart Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s latest budget proposal and the tax hikes and cuts contained therein, former House Speaker James Amann, D-Milford, the only declared candidate for Governor in 2010, announced he will be attending a ground breaking ceremony tomorrow for a new elevator at the Milford VFW.
I’m quite sure the VFW needs the elevator. But allow me to observe that earlier this week Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy, a Democrat who is exploring a run for governor, convened a press conference at the capitol to discuss budget issues and take a few shots at Rell.
You’d think Amann, who is actually running, would do the same.
Anyway, I’m sure he’ll be more than willing to discuss the budget during tomorrow’s 11 a.m. event.
But if he doesn’t put more effort into making his views on the fiscal crisis and how he would try to solve it known, that VFW elevator won’t be the only thing going down.
UPDATE:
A good-natured Amann gave me a call today to point out he has made a couple of campaign stops at the capitol this summer.
“I went up there to do a press conference and I got squat,” Amann said.
We spoke a bit about the Governor’s most recent budget proposal. Amann said it’s an example of the Governor trying to constantly take control of the debate.
“It’s classic Rell,” Amann said, arguing the Governor wants the public to see her and think “she’s doing the compromise again and those damn Democrats still won’t cut anything.”
But rather than seeing Rell’s budget fight as a sign she is running for re-election in 2010, Amann continues to believe she plans to retire.
“I think she wants to leave a legacy of being someone that is a leader and a very popular leader,” Amann said. “It’s not about re-election.”
