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August 1, 2008
Public Financing OF Elections Is Almost As Good As Free-Media Exposure In Special Session
Friday August 1, 2008
Looks like minority Republicans will have the opportunity to get free exposure for their House and Senate campaigns, when the General Assembly meets on home-heating issues later this month.
August 22, a Friday, seems to be the date, but majority Democrats were balking today on committing until they get the OK from rank-and-file. Meanwhile, within hours of her meeting with leaders, Gov. Jodi Rell "officially" called for the date.
Either way, lawmakers have to abscond with that $22-million surplus from the last fiscal year before it reverts to the $1.4-billion Rainy Day Fund on September 1.
So someone's August vacation is going to be partially ruined. And if you're watching CTN, the free government-propaganda network, that day, you'll see Republicans offering yet another round of amendments, doomed for failure in the 107-44 Democratic House and 23-13 Senate, to cap the so-called gross receipts tax on wholesale petroleum sales.
And why not? It's a good issue for Republicans, who really need to buck the blue-state tide and get some viable numbers, particularly in the House.
Speaker of the House Jim Amann, standing next to Senate Minority Leader John McKinney, called it "a dumb idea," as much as he personally respects the senator, while the gross receipts tax is accomplishing what lawmakers wanted three years ago: raising revenue for transportation related issues and the general fund
News Channel 8 Capitol reporter Mark Davis tried to stir the pot."How do you feel about being respected and being called dumb in the same sentence," Davis asked McKinney, who waved it off. "I did not call him dumb," Amann protested.
"There are no dumb ideas, there are only dumb people with ideas," Mckinney quipped.
Posted by Ken on August 1, 2008 4:00 PM
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