Analyst: Rough week at the Capitol should force Lamont to choose a side

During the day, the governor was all smiles in New London to unveil a new wind farm project. But back in Hartford, it's been a rough week.

News 12 Staff

May 2, 2019, 6:58 PM

Updated 1,834 days ago

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Gov. Ned Lamont was threatening his first veto Thursday after his own party voted to take away the state's credit card.
During the day, the governor was all smiles in New London to unveil a new wind farm project. But back in Hartford, it's been a rough week.
On Wednesday night, the state tax-writing committee voted by a lopsided 46-4 vote, with huge support from Democrats, to strip the governor's control over state borrowing. Lamont said if the bill removing him from the state Bond Commission passes, he will veto it.
Just hours earlier, Democrats rejected Lamont's controversial sales tax plan. Instead, they're targeting the ultra-rich, another rebuke to the governor.
State Sen. Len Fasano (R – North Haven) said Wednesday: "Yet again we are seeing the governor get pushed around by members of his own party. Is he going to take a stand on anything, or is he going to continue operating in fear of Democrat legislators?"
Lamont said it's just sour grapes from lawmakers used to getting money for pet projects.
"I just think that Hartford is addicted to debt and I've tried to say we're going to be very strategic about how much we borrow and I've said we have to go on a debt diet,” said Lamont.
Former political strategist Gayle Alberda, of Fairfield University, says Lamont faces opposition on two fronts: from Republicans and more liberal Democrats.
She says the governor will have to pick a side:
"Either A – You have to get Republicans on board or B – you have to offer something to the progressives to get them to sign on.
It’s a delicate balancing act for a new governor still learning on the job.


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