Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, left, and Trumbull GOP First Selectman Tim Herbst, right.
Republican Tim Herbst is trying to disprove the maxim that all politics is local.
The brash, young Republican first selectman of Trumbull is engineering a no-confidence vote against Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and leaders of the Democratic legislative majority by the town council to protest an impending tax hike by the cash-strapped state.
The unprecedented and merely symbolic vote by the council, which is comprised of 17 Republicans and just four Democrats, is scheduled for June 11.
Herbst, who came up short last November in a bid for state treasurer and likely wants to run for governor in 2018, is an ex-officio member of the council.
“The taxpayers of Trumbull and the taxpayers of Connecticut are not Governor Malloy’s ATM machine,” Herbst said. “Governor Malloy had the dubious distinction of presiding over the largest tax increase in Connecticut history. He will now preside over the second largest tax increase in Connecticut history.”
Malloy spokesman Devon Puglia shot back that Herbst had his chance to join the ranks of state government and whiffed.
“The people of Connecticut have already given Tim Herbst a vote of no confidence,” Puglia said.