Crowded field of 7 candidates in Conn. governor’s race gather in 1st bipartisan forum

Candidates for Conn. governor gather in 1st forum

CROMWELL, Conn. — Attracting high-tech jobs, reinstating highway tolls and pushing for more state employee givebacks were among the ideas floated Wednesday by candidates hoping to become Connecticut’s next governor.

Seven of the approximately 12 people running, or considering a run, for governor appeared at the first bipartisan forum of the 2010 governor’s race. A couple of potential candidates who recently jumped into the crowded field also attended the event, organized by the Council of Small Towns.

The race appears to be wide open following Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s announcement Nov. 9 that she will not seek another term.

“I think everybody brought something different to the table, but I think we’re going to see a difference in the candidates very quickly as we go through this process,” said Simsbury First Selectwoman Mary Glassman, a Democrat with an exploratory committee for governor.

Nearly all the candidates at Wednesday’s forum said the state’s fiscal problems are serious, requiring a governor who will play an active role in finding a solution. The event came the same day that Rell’s budget office officially informed the state comptroller that it believes the current fiscal year deficit is $500 million.

Until recently, the deficit was believed to be $337 million.

Asked about how they’d solve the state’s budget woes, several candidates said they believe state employees need to give back more in concessions. Rell had negotiated a two-year, $700 million agreement last year with the promise of no layoffs in return.

State Sen. Gary LeBeau, D-East Hartford, who has an exploratory committee for governor, called the deal “somewhat of a joke.” He said the number of state government employees will have to be reduced unless “real concessions” are found to help balance future budgets.

Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele, a Republican candidate for governor, said Connecticut “will be bankrupt” if it continues to spend large sums on state employee salaries, pensions and benefits. He said the next governor needs to have a frank discussion with the unions.

After the forum, Fedele, who made a point of saying he was not part of last year’s discussions between Rell’s office and the unions, stressed the importance of being flexible in labor negotiations. But he held back from criticizing his running mate’s promise not to lay off state employees in return for the concessions.

“I think at the time she made the best decision that was available to her under the circumstances that were available to her,” said Fedele. He said he believes the agreement should be revisited in light of the continuing deficit problems.

Some of the candidates said the state should revisit another idea: highway tolls.

Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi, a Democrat with an exploratory committee for governor, said the state needs to create an electronic toll-collecting system at the state borders, similar to ones used in neighboring Massachusetts and New York, to reap about $1 billion a year in revenue.

Money generated by the tolls would far exceed the federal highway funds that Connecticut might lose, he said. The governor could encourage the federal congressional delegation to try to exempt Connecticut from any loss in federal highway money if the state promised to dedicate the revenue for transportation needs, he said.

Despite the state budget woes, most candidates said they still support spending taxpayer money to finance political campaigns. This year will mark the first time that statewide candidate races would be funded with unclaimed revenues such as closed bank accounts.

However, a federal judge recently struck down the system as unconstitutional, and it remains in limbo as the state appeals the decision.

Former Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy, a Democrat with an exploratory committee for governor, urged two of his wealthy colleagues — Democrat Ned Lamont and Republican Tom Foley — to abide by the campaign spending limits included in the public financing law.

“Do we have to buy elections in this state?” Malloy asked. “I don’t think so.”

Foley, a millionaire businessman and a former ambassador, said he considers spending public funds on political campaigns “absolutely ridiculous.” Lamont, also a millionaire businessman and a 2006 Senate candidate, said he supports public financing but is concerned about other candidates not abiding by the spending restrictions.