nothin Stefanowski: Single-Issue Campaign Was A… | New Haven Independent

Stefanowski: Single-Issue Campaign Was A Mistake

Christine Stuart / CT News Junkie photo

Bob Stefanowski.

Former Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Stefanowski admitted that he messed up by running a single-issue campaign focused solely on repealing the state income tax.He should have focused instead on how best to lower property taxes, he said.

Stefanowski made that confession on this week’s episode of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities’ WNHH radio program The Municipal Voice.”

Stefanowski, who missed becoming the state’s governor in 2018 when he lost to current Gov. Ned Lamont, said he shouldn’t have focused so exclusively on the income tax during his campaign.

In hindsight, I probably should have focused more on property taxes,” he said.

Stefanowski also shared a variety of views on the state budget, property taxes, tolls and more.

Beginning with the state budget, he said that government is too big, too expensive, and too inefficient” in Connecticut, and that there’s something wrong with us if we can’t find even 5 percent’s worth of savings in a $20 billion budget.

This is something that both Lamont and his predecessor, Dannel Malloy, have actively worked towards. Malloy over his eight years in office cut government spending by 4 percent, just one percent short of Stefanowski’s goal, according to an analysis done by the CT Post.

Many of Stefanowski’s economic ideas may not have found a home in Gov. Lamont’s administration, but even Stefanowski couldn’t argue with the additional funds Lamont has dedicated towards the state’s Rainy Day Fund. I think having a cushion is a good idea,” he said.

He said the state should be making even greater payments into the state Teachers’ Pension Plan instead of refinancing debt for future generations to bear. 

And, more than ever, Stefanowski is against tolls, which he described as essentially a tax. Stefanowski said the federal government, not the state government, should be able to provide enough money for necessary infrastructure improvements. If we allow one gantry, we’re going to have tolls throughout the state within three to five years. We cannot open that door to one gantry.”

One thing candidate Stefanowski and post-election Stefanowski have in common is the belief in eliminating the income tax, but now that call is a little softer.

When talk turned to the property tax, Stefanowski heaped praise on state’s municipal governments, which rely heavily on the property tax to fund their annual operating costs. He said many cities and towns manage their budgets better than the state.

He believes that the property tax is creating a death spiral” which pushes values down, and that the only way to end that spiral is to get those values appreciating, which means cutting taxes.

I’d like to give more empowerment to the cities,” he says, give the certainty to the towns and cities, and let them manage their budgets.”
Many of these proclamations are what-ifs, glimpses into what a Stefanowski governorship might have looked like.

When asked if he’s running again, he demurred, but that hasn’t stopped him from becoming an outspoken voice for Republicans since the election.
I get it, we lost, but I owe it to [the 650,000 people who voted for me] to stay vocal.”

Watch the full interview below.

Tags:

Sign up for our morning newsletter

Don't want to miss a single Independent article? Sign up for our daily email newsletter! Click here for more info.


Post a Comment

Commenting has closed for this entry

Comments

Avatar for alex

Avatar for BevHills730

Avatar for cellardoor

Avatar for vpaul