In what the Hartford Courant refers to as “a stunning rebuke” of Gov. Dannel Malloy (D-WFP), the newly let go Quinnipiac College survey finds the Connecticut governor’s approval rating has plummeted to 32%, the “lowest score for any governor in the nine states surveyed” this yr. The Courant endorsed Malloy in his re-election bid last yr, referencing to the state as “an incubator for progressive policies”.
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Malloy said the shortfall in the budget has increased by another $120 million due to the downturn in the stock market and slower income growth than projected. General Electric Co said it will make a decision before the end of the year on whether to relocate its headquarters to another state.
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“More hard decisions are going to have to be made, and I’m here to say we should make them together”, said Malloy, a Democrat.
“I think everything’s on the table”, Malloy said.
Wilton state Sen. Toni Boucher (R-26) has called for a special session “to fix the mess” on numerous occasions.
Malloy’s suggestions on where to cut the $118.4 million will be made next week.
House Speaker J. Brendan Sharkey, D-Hamden, issued a statement that suggested the governor had stolen legislative thunder. Democratic lawmakers criticized a $63.5 million reduction in funding to hospitals and a $16 million cut to the Department of Disability Services and Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
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On Monday, Senate President Martin Looney commended Malloy for agreeing to sit down and talk. “This approach would have helped maintain the critical services that thousands of families rely on every day, and keeps much needed local property tax relief intact”, Sharkey said. Malloy’s rhetoric on Monday toggled between conciliatory and combative, as he challenged his political opponents to bring ideas to the table. Malloy said the state must create a better business environment and work to be one of the most competitive states for business.
