Malloy Pressed On SustiNet

As Gov. Dannel Malloy took his budget road show to New Haven, organized opponents urged him to back ​“health care for everyone” — while he challenged them to tell him what cuts they’d support to pay for it.

Malloy showed up at Wilbur Cross High School Wednesday evening to take questions from the public on his proposed $40 billion biennial budget. It was his 10th of a series of 17 town hall meetings planned around the state.

The New Haven event drew a crowd of about 150 people, maxing out the high school parking lots and half-filling the school auditorium.

Wearing a bright blue tie against a red stage curtain, Malloy took the podium at 7:07 p.m. after a brief introduction by Mayor John DeStefano. Malloy, who inherited a $3.5 billion deficit, gave a six-minute rundown of his solution, which holds cities harmless, raises taxes by $1.5 billion, and calls for $2 billion in union concessions over two years.

Under Malloy’s proposal, the average New Havener would pay $262 more in income tax as well as $33 more in sales tax, the governor calculated. That’s based on a median income of $37,460.

Armed with two Dasani water bottles, Malloy then opened the floor for questions. In the crowd, the most visible presence came from a few dozen people wearing bright red shirts that read: ​“healthcareforevery1.”

Lateefa Williams (pictured at the top of this story with fellow Connecticut Center for a New Economy (CCNE) organizer Shirley Lawrence) was the first of that group to take the mic. After expressing dismay over rising taxes, Williams popped the question: ​“Will you support SustiNet?”

She was referring to the universal health care plan currently making its way through the legislature.

Along the campaign trail for governor, Malloy endorsed universal health care and the ideas behind Sustinet.

Wednesday, he earned applause when he told Williams that he believes health care is ​“a form of a right.” But he said he can’t yet commit to signing the Sustinet bill until he sees what the ​“fiscal note” is. That’s the official government estimate of the proposal’s cost; the issuance of such a note has killed support for SustiNet in the past.

“We’re waiting to understand what the cost of Sustinet would be,” Malloy said. ​“What I have said very clearly is that we are pledged, and are being recognized for moving as rapidly as we can to implement the federal changes that were enacted one year ago today.”

An organizer for CCNE who lives in the Dixwell neighborhood, Williams was the second of 15 people who won a drawing to ask Malloy a question. Called up to a microphone by Mayor DeStefano, the lucky 15 took turns firing questions from the center of the room. Some groups, including a union-backed coalition organizing against Bank of America, didn’t get a chance to speak.

SustiNet took a turn in the spotlight twice.

The second time, Malloy engaged in a blunt back-and-forth with a retired West Haven teacher, Mary Elia (pictured).

Elia, who sits on the board for the Alliance for Retired Americans, said she’s concerned with potential cuts to services affecting retirees. She decried the ​“disparity in wealth” and urged Malloy to raise taxes on the top 1 percent of earners in the state.

“There’s a misconception” out there that the state doesn’t have a progressive income tax, Malloy said. His proposed budget moves from three to five income tax brackets. The wealthiest people will pay more under his proposed budget, he said. Taxes on those in the top bracket will increase 36 percent over the course of two years, Malloy said.

Then Elia asked about SustiNet.

“We need to move Sustinet along,” she said. She commended the U.S. Congress for ​“courage and vision” in passing national health care reforms last year. ​“I think you have the same courage and vision to sign the SustiNet bill when it gets to your desk.”

Applause broke out across the auditorium.

Malloy defended his stance: ​“We have not received a fiscal note, as you know,” Malloy said. ​“I have a 3.3 billion dollar deficit.”

Then he turned the tables on his questioner.

“You began your comments tonight by complaining about your worry of what additional cuts would do, and how that might play itself out. And then you’re asking me at the end of your comments to agree that I should sign something without knowing what the cost is.”

“You got to ask me things,” Malloy told Elia. ​“Do you see the incongruity of that? Do you understand that asking someone to say that they’re simply going to support anything that comes out of the legislature without knowing what the cost is, without knowing what the deficit is that that would otherwise create, without knowing what other programs might have to be sacrificed and eliminated to accomplish that, without actually knowing whether [SustiNet] would actually qualify for federal reimbursement” under the new federal health care act, ​“you’re asking me that question?”

“Yes!” came the reply from a chorus of red-shirted audience members, including Elia.

“Then my hunch is you know the answer,” Malloy replied.

Elia gave a quick rebuttal. She said while the governor may not know the cost of SustiNet, he also doesn’t know the cost of health care without Sustinet, because private insurers are apt to boost up their rates.

The exchange gave a glimpse of the governor’s straight-shooting speaking style. He engaged questioners directly and didn’t always tell them what they wanted to hear. Throughout the hour-long event, he wasn’t afraid to say ​“I disagree with you” or, when he didn’t know an answer, ​“you stumped me.” (Click here to read about how he took the same approach recently with New Haven’s Chamber of Commerce.)

Williams, the first SustiNet questioner, said she walked away dissatisfied with his reply. ​“I don’t even think he’s in support of SustiNet at all,” she mused.

Elia said despite the state’s financial crisis, she’s holding out hope that Malloy would come around to her side on the health bill.

“He has to look at it as an investment,” she said. ​“It’s the right thing to do for everybody.”