NO TOLLS WANTS OPEN, PRO-TOLLS WANTS MOB:  Read the last line!
“We encourage the governor to hold public town hall meetings"...and "there should be a public hearing on the governor’s latest tolling and transportation proposal before any vote is held in the legislature.”

• Since this, the reconvened Special Session, is going to be Dec.18th, we have assumed there will have to be a further "sine die" for LOCIP.
  
• SPECIAL SESSION Continuation DECEMBER 16, 17, 18?  NEVER MIND...
• Bond Commission first - started at 10:30am, finished in @ an hour. 
  
• "SINE DIE" (for LOCIP) MEANS 2020.  Forget about any LOCIP $$ until then...or as the Brooklyn Dodgers always said: "Wait 'til next year."

House 3 1/2 hours late.

• How about Hospital settlement?  NOTE:  This happened after tip issue debate and vote.
  
• Tips for wait staff, and what else?  Amendment 'A' passes on voice vote.  Tip credit;  limits damages with amendment.  Attorney fees.
  

WHAT'S UP???  Dec. 18, 2019:

• Bond Commission at 10:30am met and acted upon its agenda.
  
• CALENDAR:  House at 11am and then Senate at 12 noon.  Ha ha.  Is it icy conditions that delays Session? 
  
• Or we they watching Impeachment activity?
  

It is now 2:37pm, House is now in Session.  We had had no idea what would be brought up...it is now 4:45pm and tip credit still being discussed... 

.    

IN TIME FOR DINNER, TIP CREDIT DEBATE OVER
And we are correct - this was a very interesting debate. 11 no votes.  Those who spoke against the bipartisan deal were from the Progressive Caucus

Hospital deal unan:  https://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-hospitals-deal-vote-20191218-nnmcfadgv5dwfbvkpkhh4z4ske-story.html

2 1/2 hours late.
Statements on Denise D'Cenzo's death - 33 yrs in CT TV.

7501 workforce training debate...we watched this only in the House.

    

   

   

Rather long F,R&B and Approps joint meeting Dec. 5th.   OFA starts off (we came in mid-stream - watching first part 2nd)

• Current biennium OK - Cliff in 2022.  Convergence (above) is what to watch for.  High wealth taxpayers important.
  
• 70-80%  union retirement - rate of increase in budget higher than others. 
  
• Unfunded liabilities.  OPM says rate of growth has been reduced.  ("Flatten the curve")
  
• Restructuring government.  Are you considering paying down debt?
  
• High income leaving?  401K?  Local aid and social services.  Pursuing cuts.
• Trends.  Migration rate?  Unfunded liability broken down by tier?
  

         
R.I. turkey stuck in traffic, misses confab (c);  American Trucking Assoc. v. Rhode Island news. 

SPECIAL SESSION IN JANUARY 2020?
So after the meeting at the Governor's Mansion in Hartford, the press conference that followed was more of the same:  CT MIRROR report here.

• First press part: Republicans as we heard it, stuck to "no tolls" and use the "Rainy Day" fund to avoid a tsunami of retirement payments from drowning CT to open up budgets in the future;
• Second part: Governor, flanked by House and Senate Democrats plus OPM Sec'y, back to TRUCKS ONLY (no definition whether Ford 150 is included, as Sen. Fasano pointed out);
• I thought that isn't legal ("interstate commerce clause") or have I missed something? 
  
• R.I. won the opening round on a technicality...on appeal now. 
  
• Speaking of being on appeal - Pennsylvania also in the mix...their issue involves Amtrack and PA mass transit - can PA Turnpike fees be diverted to these others?  On appeal.
  
• One familiar press voice pushed Governor and OPM responded as to how the $$ works in the Governor's plan.  On paper, that is.
  

• “...'Right now, there is no incentive to not drive in Connecticut, other than to be stuck in traffic, which really isn’t an incentive because there’s no alternative,' said Kaplan-Macey, the vice president at the Regional Plan Association. 'We need to manage the choices people are making and encourage people to travel together'.”
• CTNEWSJUNKIE on CT Port Authority:  The story -  https://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/20191111_transportation_committee_co-chairs_schedule_hearing_on_port/
• And it is pretty funny - fixing the exit at Route 7/Norwalk on the Merritt Parkway will take so long and cost so much (JMO) that the "tolls" should come down in...???
• On the other hand, Governor Lamont is on the right track (pun intended).  He acknowledges that CT owns the rails/ROW - and he suggests improving them all over the state not just commute in SWR.
• The NO TOLLS folks have a point - but more and more I sense the administration & Legislature are saying "get out of the way.. please, or else."
  

   

• Last week there was a "ballot lottery" run by the Secretary of the State Denise Merrill (l) to determine which 38 races by polling location would be "audited;"
  
• CT State Librarian, soon, as well as longtime employee who runs the CT intra-libraries book borrowing service, both retiring, announced at most recent meeting;
  
• State Library grants in aid announced (which require matching funds) PLUS these have to be placed on a Bond Commission agenda (by Governor) - and we note that $$ isn't flowing right now.

• Restaurant workers matter/Labor Department; Special Session as soon as they have written it.
  
• Labor deals not yet approved prior to budget approval.  This is admitted here. 
  
• Gov. Lamont signed the budget with no rescission, later  VETOED 3 bills.  No overrides (see above).
  

    

• Winning candidate said  during the campaign, only truck tolls;
• Then tolls blossomed everywhere a few weeks after election...
• Now, since his own Party may not want it, some other manifestation of tolls at bridges only;
• Our question:  When will the next Mianus River Bridge - like collapse happen?
• The latest proposal deals with "hub" intersections - that's where delays/accidents happen most frequently.

Now we know.
People who want to crack town on restaurant employee tips...are lousy tippers!!!  "Service compris"  here we come?

     

FIVE- G to strengthen urban corridors.
Discussion about technology.  To the Bridgeport Chamber of Commerce.  Sponsored by Pullman Comley, LLC (Rep. Stafstrom).

  
Will GOP get a Special Session to change a couple of words in grocery tax affair?
We link to Hartford COURANT story on the same subject: 

CT PORT AUTHORITY STORY HERE

  

   

PRIMED FOR SHORT SESSION

• Just our thought, here is an example;
• And another.
  

• There are similarities between the C.G.A. and "Gone With the Wind" - the book.
• Besides the length of the Long Session Implementer (there is a Short Session to come 2020-2021);
• In the novel, the last line is  "...After all, tomorrow is another day" says Scarlett to herself, making plans for a Special Session to get Rhett back.
• In the Implementer 2019, Sec. 385 - by the way, the last section (pp547-554) of new material provides for a work-around to the S.A.L.T. deduction.
  

We have to note for the record that we do not support, nor have we ever supported, gambling off-reservation.

Capitol News Briefing on Proposed Casino Expansion, Sports Betting and Other Gaming Issues in Connecticut 
Recorded On: 7/31/2019
PRESS CONFERENCE:  Sen. Osten outlines draft bill for a Special Session sooner rather than later, that includes:

• State-wide entertainment zones plan - not for out-of-state interests;
  
• Lottery Games on-line bill to be included.
• Tribes get sports betting, also a bill to be included.
• Bipartisan support (Rep. Davis's press conference as well).
• DOES BRIDGEPORT DELEGATION (AND GOVERNOR) STILL PREFER MGM?

• "Special Session ingredients" are fishy. Plus garlic, onion, pepper, cloves, over-ripe tomatoes, olive oil, etc.  Best served in a dark room with candlelight.
• FROM A RECIPE:  "Use firm fish for fillets such as sea bass, red mullet, haddock, halibut, cod, conger, or red porgy. Small whole fish can be added as well. Also traditional are mussels, squid, and crab."
• NOTE:  Trout, lobster and salmon need not apply for this dish!  Why?  JMO, but they are so tasty and so special - maybe too expensive, too, to be thrown into the pot!
  

   

COURANT EYES ETHICS:  CAN YOU EXCLUDE THE PRESS FROM ANY EVENT IN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE?

• Was there an exclusivity deal struck with the videographer and fentynl bill proponents?
• Was it a public meeting considering legislators who were present (not a "caucus" because both sides of the aisle were there)?  
  
• If you look carefully at Lamont administration, you can see your freedoms being eroded...
• The idea of public-private partnerships has always been flirting with transparency issues - the public's right to know clearly taking the back seat.  Should it?
  

• How is Puerto Rico like Connecticut?
  
• Are we falling off the "debt diet" wagon again?  Story in full:  https://ctmirror.org/2019/07/15/lamont-would-ease-debt-diet-in-final-push-for-tolls/
• Connecticut politics - the definition of "Promesas Rotas."
  

• IN EXCHANGE FOR WHAT?
• WHY THE SECRECY?   AFRAID OF CRITICISM?
  
• WHY THE PACT TO EXEMPT ITSELF FROM C.G.A. CONTROL?
  

• New CT  Governor changes State Motto to "Connecticut:  Open for...Business"

• Some background:  https://www.courant.com/politics/hc-lender-rest-areas-20161012-story.html

• Even more background:  https://ctmirror.org/2019/06/28/highway-bathrooms-to-reopen-heres-why-they-really-closed/

• AGENDA (41pp):  CT STATE BOND COMMISSION MEETING:  http://www.ctn.state.ct.us/ctnplayer.asp?odID=16496
• Here's the deal:  If inflated revenue estimates and related things doesn't come to pass, watch out for recisions down the road.
  
• OK - you have to wonder, who's running the show.  Veto Session the 22nd of. July?  In 2019?  Reporter heard about it first???

• Or are we talking about a "strike all and replace" of Sen. Bergstein's SB111?  Which was sent to Environment, which Sen. Haskell sits on...so what if it didn't get a P.H., (joke)?
  
• Was it in the Implementer?  We found in line 719 Sec. 73 of the Implementer mention of water supply, but this is not what the article means, we are sure...
• All's well (pun) that that ends...well.  We have followed the CT Water Planning Council for quite a while:  https://www.aboutweston.com/CTDROUGHT.html#ctwpc
  
• DOES CONNECTICUT QUALIFY AS A CITY ALL BY ITSELF?   (Inspired by NYTimes article on cities Tuesday);
  
• We note sHB7192 background from O.L.R.;  seems to us as if we have been ahead of the curve as it were re:  predicting (c) getting rid of local property tax!  Which might have been the idea all along, right?
  
• Also it is important to note "fiscal impacts" caused the bill to be "watered" down.  In effect it now says that there are 5 regions for taxing and there should be coordination by local assessors in method and timing.