Reactions To Malloy’s Budget Speech

The Hartford Courant’s Daniela Altimari spoke to the following officials for reaction to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s budget speech:

Former U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, who is running in the August 14 primary for the U.S. Senate against Greenwich wrestling entrepreneur Linda McMahon:

“I thought it was decisive. I thought it showed leadership. The real question is how well can the sides work together.”
 
Longtime state Rep. Andrew Fleischmann of West Hartford: “I feel that this governor laid out a great vision of where Connecticut needs to go. … It’s hard for me to imagine many people in this chamber, many people in this state, who would disagree with the vision he laid out.”
 
State Republican chairman Jerry Labriola: “We will see this budget unravel.”

“The governor does not want to hear anything about the revenue projections. … He says they’re wrong. He says Moody’s is wrong. … I think it’s the wrong way to go. I’d like to see more emphasis on improving the climate for business with less government intrusion, less taxation, less regulation.”

Regarding changes in teacher tenure, Labriola said, ”I do not think that kind of reform would ever get enacted without a Republican controlled legislature. It’s probably DOA. … I’m just going by applause lines on that one.”
 
State Senator Joe Markley, a conservative Republican from Southington:
“It’s wonderful for Governor Malloy that he’s living in some state where everything’s going fine. That’s not the state I’m living in.”
 
“I don’t understand his perspective. His approach has been to keep reassuring us we don’t have to worry while the problems just keep getting larger and larger.”