New Leadership Needed At State Capitol
Democrats will have firm control over both chambers of the General Assembly when it convenes early next year, but without some other significant changes, prospects are dim for any real progress on the most pressing issues. If current leadership continues, the Senate president pro tempore will be New Haven Democrat Martin Looney, again. The Senate minority leader will be North Haven Republican Len Fasano, again. The speaker of the House will be Berlin Democrat Joe Aresimowicz, again. The House minority leader will be Derby Republican Themis Klarides, again. Mr. Looney was re-elected into his leadership post Thursday afternoon.
They had their chance to lead the legislature and achieved little, especially concerning the state budget. Their time is up. We ask these legislative leaders to consider handing off power to people with new ideas and a willingness to work together.
Last year, Connecticut saw how dysfunctional the General Assembly had become.
Republicans tried to pass a budget that made laughable assumptions about a future deal with labor unions. But at least that plan briefly achieved liftoff. The Democrats, even though they were the majority, couldn’t get a budget out of their own appropriations committee. What they finally produced, months late, was a head-shaking hodgepodge.
The legislature has known for years that the state has a serious money problem. They’ve done little to solve it.
And, at least in one case, constituents appear to have lost faith.
Mr. Aresimowicz did not receive anything resembling a vote of confidence from his own district. Only a few dozen votes separate him from his Republican challenger, Michael Gagliardi, and a recount is scheduled.
Mr. Gagliardi wasn’t even a candidate until mid-October, when the previously endorsed Republican, Steve Baleshiski, quit the race. Any absenteevotes for him simply don’t count for anyone. They could have been enough to tip the race.
The legislature tends to treat its leadership positions as inherited titles. Do enough time, bring in enough votes and money, and you get to hold the gavel. But that’s no way to select leaders. The legislature would be much better off turning to people with no fealty to the past but with bold ideas and the ability to lead — to have a vision, to inspire dedication to achieving it, and to working the organizational levers so that it comes to pass.
The leadership positions need people with the right skills for the job. These four have had years to get it right. They couldn’t.