Help on way for Lamont in talks with
As negotiations with the Legislature heat up, the governor’s office is bringing in a ringer.
Jonathan Harris — the well-connected and wellliked former West Hartford mayor, state senator, Democratic Party executive director and consumer affairs commissioner — is stepping in as the single point of contact for all legislative negotiations on behalf of Gov. Ned Lamont.
In an April 25 email to legislative chiefs of staff, Lamont Chief of Staff Ryan Drajewicz wrote that Harris, in his role as an undersecretary in the Office of Policy and Management, would be “stepping in to formally augment the design.”
That is, apparently, Drajewicz speak meaning Harris will supplement the governor’s legislative team, which is currently overseen by Chris Soto.
The change comes just ahead of the most contentious five weeks of the session as legislators and the governor try to come to an agreement on a budget and hot-button issues like tolls and whether towns will pay some — or any — teacher pension costs.
In fact, Harris was busy on Tuesday as the General Assembly’s budget-writing panel kicked off the negotiations with Lamont, approving a two-year, $43.26 billion budget along strict party lines.
“Jonathan is well respected in both chambers and by members of both parties,” said Colleen Flanagan Johnson, a senior adviser to the governor. “And his experience as a Commissioner provides him with keen insight on executive branch functions, and as a mayor, he knows what cities and towns face too. We’re lucky that we have a group of team players who are more than happy to step in and help out when needed.”
Soto, who resigned from his seat in the House to serve as Lamont’s $100,000-per-year legislative affairs director, and Harris will both oversee the day-to-day operations of the governor’s legislative team, but only Harris will be responsible for negotiations with the legislature.
He will report to Drajewicz in this complementary role until the end of the session.
“I’m still an undersecretary, I’m still in contact with my colleagues at OPM ... but I’ve always been a part of the legislative team,” Harris said. “It’s just more of an all hands on deck now that the real action has shifted to the Capitol.”
Flanagan Johnson said that Harris, in his role with OPM, has been closely involved on municipal issues such as the teachers retirement system, pension reamortization, shared services and more.
“OPM and (the office of the governor) already work so closely, particularly during session, so it’s a great synergy,” Flanagan