Gov. Ned Lamont wants state legislators to approve new highway electronic tolls this summer in a special session. Ain’t going to happen.
So says a state legislator who very much wants it to happen.
That legislator, Hamden Democratic State Rep. Joshua Elliott, continues to support Lamont’s drive to collect toll revenue to support transportation improvements.
But, during an appearance Thursday on WNHH FM’s “Dateline Hamden” program, Elliott blamed the governor for failing to do the political work to build enough support to pass the measure this year.
“If you were a person who comes from the world of business saying, ‘I’m going to make all these changes to government,’ you’re going to have a real tough time,” Elliott, a leading member of the legislature’s progressive caucus, said of the governor, a private businessman who self-financed a gubernatorial campaign that highlighted his private-sector experience.
“Government is not a business. You have to do a much better job of getting consensus … When you’re in government, you need to work with a lot of personalities. A very few people can totally derail a bill.”
Elliott contrasted Lamont’s approach to that of his predecessor, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.
He said that “when Malloy was in there, he was very active in terms of crafting legislation.” Lamont, on the other hand, “as far as I’ve seen is not even remotely as active on any issues.”
Meanwhile, Elliott observed, during the toll debate, Lamont “kept on going to the press and saying things that were totally new compared to what he was saying in private conversations” with Democratic legislators.
Nevertheless, Elliott predicted that the legislature will pass a tolls measure in coming years. He predicted that Lamont will develop “a better understanding of the [Capitol] building and be more proactive. He’s got three more years.”
He also predicted that Democrats will increase their legislative majority in the 2020 elections, which will help as well.
“Not a single Democrat wants tolls because they like tolls. We feel that we need tolls and as the majority party we can’t just rail against the system. We have to compete up with solutions,” Elliott said. “If we don’t do this in a few years, we won’t even be able to patch potholes.”
He cited estimates that tolls will produce up to $800 million a year in new revenues; by contrast “legalizing weed” (another Elliott priority) would bring in no more than $30-$80 million, he said. In addition, he pointed out, a significant chunk of the toll revenue would come from out-of-state drivers.
The Democrats’ plan, shepherded by New Haven State Rep. Roland Lemar, would give discounts to state residents, and additional discounts to people earning up to 200 percent of the poverty rate.
Elliott noted that it often takes years to build support before a bill passes. For years he and fellow progressives advocated for a $15 hourly minimum wage and paid family and medical leave. Both those measures finally passed this session.
From Sanders To Warren
Also in the WNHH interview, Elliott said he’s leaning toward backing Elizabeth Warren for the Democratic presidential nomination. He backed Bernie Sanders in 2016; in fact that campaign propelled Elliott to launch his own campaign for state representative, backed by a team of fellow Sanderistas. He praised her command of the details of some of the same economic issues that attracted him to Sanders as well as her record in accomplishing reforms, most notably the design and creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. He also credited her for commanding a broader set of issues than does Sanders. Although, he said, his mind remains open.
He echoed sentiments expressed a day earlier by the Rev. Samuel T. Ross-Lee on WNHH FM’s “Dateline New Haven” program. Rev. Ross-Lee said he too has gravitated at this point toward supporting Warren.
“What I like about Elizabeth Warren is that although she is a Harvard Law School professor, she doesn’t talk like one. She doesn’t talk above the heads of people. She doesn’t talk down. She is plain-spoken. And she is understandable. She has the best chance to take on Biden. She’s talking about issues that affect real people” like ballooning college debt, Ross-Lee said.
“Frankly I think she’s the best candidate on the Democratic side.”
Click on the play arrow for the full interview with the Rev. Samuel T. Ross-Lee on WNHH FM’s “Dateline New Haven.”
Click on the play arrow for the full interview with Hamden State Rep. Joshua Elliott on WNHH FM’s “Dateline Hamden.”
Josh is the AOC of Connecticut's legislature. A quick study and a very effective communicator, who makes everyone else look like they're sitting on their hands.