Malloy’s Take On Democrats’ Surviving His Tax Hikes

Two days after Democrats in the state House and Senate fared well, reporters at the Capitol Thursday tried to get Gov. Dannel P. Malloy to agree that the election was a referendum on his policies.  After all, Republicans in many races, and a private policy group, had targeted the governor’s $1.5 billion in tax increases as a reason to vote for the GOP.

Malloy wouldn’t bite, but he still had a lot to say about the subject.

“Democrats should have a takeaway,” he said. “You should not be afraid to make tough decisions.”

He added, “The people of Connecticut are smarter than…at least one party gives them credit for…people in Connecticut understand what leadership is.”

Pressed further, he said of the Republicans, “They chose a strategy and it’s quite clear what that strategy was.”

If the strategy of attacking tax hikes backfired, does that mean Malloy will feel free to hike taxes further?

“I have no intention of raising taxes,” he said, and repeated that comment at least once. It falls short of a “read my lips” promise, but if Malloy does propose more tax increases next year, the line is sure to come back at him.

As for Republicans debating whether the time has come to stop putting up self-funded candidates without political experience, Malloy quipped, “I hope they air their dirty laundry.”