House Republican Press Release

April 24, 2006

Press Office: 860-240-8700

April Is The Cruelest Month

By State Representative John J. Ryan

Now what is wrong with commencing a column on state government with the opening line of T.S. Eliot's most famous poem? ("The Waste Land," if you didn't pass your 20th Century Lit course) For legislators, inexorably (now there is a good Eliot word !) shuttling back and forth in a seemingly endless cycle of trips

to Hartford for lengthy meetings and sessions while the rest of humanity is busy enjoying spring blooms and the beginnings of baseball, this is a strenuous time.

And is much being accomplished in the State Legislature after 3 months? As you know, the chief task this year is to adjust our budget, but there is no budget agreement in sight yet. Governor Rell has already chided the majority to get things moving. Is the chant "HURRY UP PLEASE IT'S TIME" appropriate yet?

We did manage to do an underage drinking bill, as noted in last week's press, but are we ever going to do a bill on the important topic of eminent domain, before our legislative clock runs out? We did manage to pass a bill telling our Boards of Education that they must have more classes on the meaning of democracy, and there are yet more bills 'in the hopper' where the all-knowing legislature can tell our local Boards of Ed how to manage every detail of their school district; as you can imagine, I think that our local boards need less "help" from Hartford, not more. But will anything get done about unit pricing of gas?

HURRY UP PLEASE IT'S TIME

You may have seen me mention in prior columns that the General Assembly in recent years has become increasingly partisan and contentious. Just how right I was became apparent when I attended a legislator alumni event last week. I guess I was not dreaming when I had remember prior State Senators and Representatives as much more cordial, well-spoken and gracious. These days, Hartford truly is the “Unreal City.”

And this year we have the unseemly situation of Governor Rell's nomination as Chief Justice of our state Supreme Court not being scheduled for review because we "are too busy." The Governor has pointed out (with increasing impatience) that Justice Zarella, already a member of our Supreme Court, has been approved (with glowing reviews) not once but several times by all the required committees first for appointment to the Superior Court, then again for his promotion to our Appellate Court, and yet again for his appointment to the Superior Court. The Governor has also pointed out that other Chief Justice appointments have been handled thoroughly, but with alacrity. So is there some reason we can't get this done either?

HURRY UP PLEASE IT'S TIME

Please feel free to contact me with your concerns and issues. As your state representative, it is my job, and my priority to represent you and to make sure that your needs and concerns are addressed at the capitol. You can write to me at Room 4200, Legislative Office Building, Hartford, CT 06106-1591, send me e-mail at John.Ryan@housegop.state.ct.us or call my office toll-free at 1-800-842-1423.