Malloy Says Lawmakers Not Showing Leadership

In an exclusive interview with NBC Connecticut, Governor Dan Malloy accused lawmakers of not showing leadership on key issues over the past week.

 

Most recently on the issue of a UConn union contract that was eventually pulled, the governor took responsibility for the organized opposition against it arguing the agreement that had been negotiated for months wasn't affordable to tax payers because of the inclusion of $100 million in raises for the 1,800 member bargaining unit.

 

"I had been saying that behind closed doors to Republicans and Democrats" Malloy said during a visit to Mallory Industries in Farmington. "It became apparent to me they weren’t going to pull that trigger and that’s when I went public with my comments.”

 

Malloy added, "I decided to provide some leadership.”

 

Two days later, after staunch opposition from top Senate Democrats, and lacking support from the House Democratic caucus, the contract was pulled by the UConn Professional Employees Association, saying the reason had to do with a "technical glitch" with the contract, rather than lack of support.

 

On overall budget cuts, like those made to hospitals and community health centers last week, Gov. Malloy said he's the one displaying budget courage on those matters, not lawmakers.

 

"We’ve got to find $220 million dollars" Malloy said. "Before we send a whole lot of checks out, let’s put everything out on a piece of paper and decide whether there’s will to make the real kinds of changes I know have to be made.”

 

The governor argues that better spending controls that may need to total a billion dollars or more by the end of the fiscal year could lead to better investments.

 

Mallory Industries, where the governor toured Monday, manufactures high tech metal components for the aerospace and energy sectors.

 

The company has received state incentives to purchase equipment.

 

“This is big time, big stakes, big profits. Quite frankly, pretty big salaries" Malloy said following the tour.

 

He says if the state can get its fiscal house in order, then it could make even more commitments to Mallory and similar companies that would add to the state's booming aerospace industry.