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Senate Minority Leader John McKinney, R-Fairfield, today unveiled a “deficit clock” on his caucus’ website to reflect what Republicans say is how much the state over-spends at a given moment while revenues drop in the current 2009 fiscal year.

The Democrats quickly dismissed the clock as a gimmick. But it’s hard not to feel a bit uneasy looking at it.

If you’re interested in something similar for the federal deficit, go here.

And if you really want to freak yourself out, look at the clock on the wall and realize that you are growing old BY THE SECOND!!!

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I don’t know if this bodes well for the upcoming session or if it’s just opening-day euphoria, but House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero, R-Norwalk, was extremely complimentary of new House Speaker Christopher Donovan, D-Meriden, today.

Cafero gladly seconded Donovan’s nomination, calling it “an honor and a priviledge.”

“Now you’re thinking ‘he has to say that’. I don’t. And I want to say it because it’s true,” Cafero said, going on to add the two may disagree on issues but Donovan “has character” and is an honest man.

“I’m proud to be able to call him my Speaker,” Cafero told their House colleagues.

It will be interesting to see how their relationship evolves over the coming months as the legislature grapples with balancing a budget with a projected $6 billion deficit.

Donovan is more liberal than his predecessor, the retired Rep. Jim Amann, D-Milford.

One issue where Cafero and Donovan are clearly at odds is healthcare.

And Cafero has cautioned he believes Donovan is too close to the very employee unions that may be asked to make concessions to help cut the state deficit.

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New House Speaker Christopher Donovan, D-Meriden, during his acceptance speech today recalled for his colleagues one of his favorite memories of serving in the legislature.

The year was 1996 and Donovan, along with former Rep. Moira Lyons and the late Rep. Anne McDonald, both Stamford Democrats, were working on a managed care reform bill.

“We heard the Senate was not even thinking of bringing the bill up for a vote,” Donovan said. “We were upset. We were really upset.”

He said McDonald brought the bill “out” onto the House floor for a vote and became so emotional “she actually stumbled in her seat and kind of slumped.”

Lyons stepped in to finish explaining the bill, and then one after one other lawmakers rose to speak passionately about the legislation.

Finally, Donovan said, a vote was called and the House passed the bill by a voice vote – making sure it was loud enough for the Senate to hear on the floor above.

“And this place rocked,” Donovan said. “It was an ‘aye’ that rocked these windows … That was a wonderful, wonderful moment and I’ll always remember that.”

He added the bill failed in the Senate, but was passed in the following legislative session.

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Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell went off-script in today’s state-of-the-state remarks when she acknowledged outgoing Speaker of the House James Amann, D-Milford.

Here’s the set-up. Amann is currently the only Democrat actively pursuing his party’s nomination for Governor in 2010 and may or may not face Rell, who is exploring whether to run again.

And here’s the punchline from Rell to Amann: “I wish you all the best. But maybe not ALL the best.”

That did get quite a few laughs, including from Amann.

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In the midst of her state-of-the-state address earlier this afternoon, Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell was forced to pause when an elderly television cameraman standing in the back of the room fainted.

The incident occurred RIGHT AFTER the following paragraph from her prepared address: “The sacrifices will not be easy or painless. The recommended two-year budget that I present to you next month will reflect that. The cuts that must be made, and they will be deep, they will affect every agency, every program and every service provided by state government.”

I actually thought about turning to a colleague and making a joke about how the man who fainted must REALLY be worried about the state’s finances, then thought that was probably insensitive and kept my mouth shut.

State police quickly arrived on the scene to attend to the cameraman and Rell waited for a few minutes to make sure he was okay. Then she attempted to move forward with a quick joke.

“I know this is a somber speech. I apologize it actually made someone faint,” she said to a smattering of laughter from lawmakers who, like me, were probably working out whether the joke was in poor taste.

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Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy is up at the capitol for the start of the 2009 session today. The Democrat attended a rally on behalf of some workers who clean public buildings and are facing a loss of health benefits. Some of those employees work at UCONN’s Stamford campus and the city’s train station.

Then Malloy was in the audience in the Chamber of the House of Representatives when Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell delivered her state-of-the-state address, offering plenty of critiques to reporters afterward.

Malloy has in recent months been quite open about the fact he intends to seek his party’s nod for governor in 2010 should Attorney General Richard Blumenthal of Greenwich decide he will not pursue the job.

And yesterday Malloy was accompanied by a nice young man who said he worked on the mayor’s gubernatorial campaign in 2006 – Matt Gianquinto. While Malloy was involved in another conversation, Gianquinto clearly identified himself to me as part of Malloy’s current gubernatorial run and provided contact info for the future.

Asked about Gianquinto, Malloy was quick to state “he’s not with my campaign” because he has no campaign.

He went on to say IF he decides to run and launches an official campaign, Gianquinto will be part of it.

“I don’t have a campaign,” Malloy said. “But stay tuned.”

While we were talking, Blumenthal walked by, and he and Malloy shook hands and briefly said hello.

I asked Malloy if he shouldn’t have taken that opportunity to ask Blumenthal whether he had made up his mind about running for governor. He smiled and quickly changed the subject.

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It’s 11 a.m. on the day BEFORE the General Assembly and Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell kick-off the start of the 2009 budget session in Hartford.

And already I’ve gotten three press releases from lawmakers in both parties announcing new proposals.

Returning Senate President Donald Williams, D-Brooklyn, and new House Speaker Christopher Donovan, D-Meriden, are holding a 1 p.m. press conference to announce “changes being made to help reach budget agreement on time” – whatever that means.

At noon Sen. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, is joining Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and others in announcing a proposal to fight predatory debt reduction and mortgage rescue services. Duff is a co-chairman of the Banks Committee.

And speaking of Blumenthal, Sen. Minority Leader John McKinney, R-Fairfield, is reviving his long-standing proposal to create the position of state Inspector General. McKinney believes the position will be more independent than Blumenthal’s office, citing a recent suit by state cops against the AG, a Greenwich resident.

UPDATE: Now it’s around 2 p.m. and McKinney’s office has announced a press conference in half-an-hour to “introduce a series of proposed rule changes designed to streamline state government and increase transparency and public participation in this year’s budget-setting process.”

C’mon House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero, R-Norwalk. We’ve heard from the Democrats and twice from McKinney. Where are you on this 2009 session eve?

UPDATE 2: And now it’s the Judiciary Committee.

The group met today and, by voice vote, passed a new rule allowing the legislature to consider “the potential racial or ethnic impact of a particular piece of criminal justice legislation before it becomes law.”

The decision, which must be approved by the full House and Senate tomorrow, comes in response to a 2004 state study that concluded blacks and Hispanics in Connecticut are disproportionately involved in the criminal justice system.

“If nothing else, some types of mandatory minimum sentences have taught us that inner-city residents pay a disproportionately higher price when such laws are enacted,” Sen. Andrew McDonald, D-Stamford, a committee co-chairman said in a statement. “That may not have been a legislator’s intent in passing those laws, but it certainly was the effect. Now we will have the opportunity to consider that in advance.”

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Bridgeport Mayor and former state Sen. Bill Finch was among the local elected officials to hold a press conference at the capitol today urging state lawmakers help cities and towns address their budget problems.

The press conference, hosted by the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, attracted several newspaper and television reporters, who are no strangers to budget pressures in the workplace.

Perhaps fearing journalists have grown numb to pleas for financial assistance by CCM and other groups that frequent the capitol, Finch, who has laid-off or left unfilled 222 jobs, sought to personalize the issue.

“Every media outlet in this room is in jeopardy or has had lay offs,” he told reporters.