"Conn. Gov. Rell vetoes tax bill" by Susan Haigh, Associated Press Writer | September 25, 2009
HARTFORD, Conn. --With the final details of Connecticut's state budget still in limbo, Gov. M. Jodi Rell surprised state lawmakers Friday by vetoing one of the remaining bills they've managed to pass because it raises state motor vehicle fees by tens of millions of dollars.
Rell, a Republican, called it "incredible" that the Democratic-controlled General Assembly would propose additional fee increases less than a month after passing the two-year, $37.6 billion tax and spending package that already raises taxes and fees by $1 billion....
(As a lifelong New Englandah, I'm embarrassed and ashamed)
Rell's office said she'll be out of the state on vacation next week.
It doesn't matter which party, does it?
Lawmakers had said they would vote on Friday, but notified rank and file in a 4:30 a.m. e-mail that the session had been postponed. Negotiations on these remaining bills has been slow and tedious for many legislators who had to sit around for hours on Thursday waiting to be called in for a vote. Just a handful of Democratic lawmakers have been meeting in recent days behind closed doors with Rell's budget office trying to finish the bills. Republicans are not part of the talks.
Related: The Perils of One-Party Politics: The Problem
"Ninety-five percent (of lawmakers) are completely without any scintilla of information about what's going on with any bills, with what's going on during the course of the day," said House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero Jr., R-Norwalk....
--more--"
Wow, does that sound familiar, brothers and sisters: The Perils of One-Party Politics: Massachusetts' Democracy
Some things are still the same:
"Emergency response crews to run drill
Well, I guess nothing happened -- so far, four hours in (I just checked CNN).
The Federal Aviation Administration requires the preparedness drills every three years. Up to 50 local, state, and federal emergency response agencies will be taking part in Saturday’s the drill. The state Transportation Department said the goals are to test the airport’s emergency plan, mass casualty management, and communications between emergency agencies (AP)."
That just SPOOKS YOU RIGHT OUT, doesn't it?
