You can thank Gabe at Connecticut Local Politics for being the blogger who first call Connecticut Jodi Rowland-Rell on his dishonesty regarding her budget proposal.
http://ctlocalpolitics.net/2009/02/12/the-magic-budget/
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Last week, we had Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele on to talk about the budget. The Governor had just released her budget, purporting to close a roughly $6 Billion deficit. In mid to late January, however, according to press reports (literally, every outlet that reported on the budget) the administration had estimated the budget to be roughly $8 Billion. Here is the exchange (all quotes from previous comments omitted for space): 27 Gabe // Feb 5, 2009 at 3:56 pm · delete Hi Lt. Governor, Thanks for joining us! In mid-January, the Governors office set the projected 2010-2011 budget deficit at $8 Billion. The budget released yesterday seems to assume only a $6 Billion shortfall in 2010-2011. Did anything happen in the last two weeks to explain the difference? If not, why the discrepancy? Thanks again! 31 Lt. Governor Michael Fedele // Feb 5, 2009 at 3:59 pm · delete I dont believe that it was the Govs office that issued that number. I believe that it was OFA (Office of Fiscal Analysis) that is a legislative reporting agency. Also the Govs budget agency is OPM (oofice of Policy & MGMT). 36 Gabe // Feb 5, 2009 at 4:03 pm · delete With due respect, I do not believe that is correct. According to the JI: By mid-January, the Rell budget office had increased this years deficit to $922 million. More important, it estimated, without giving precise numbers, that the built-in shortfalls for 2010 and 2011 now approached a combined $8 billion, rather than $6 billion. So I re-assert my question: Thanks! 43 Lt. Governor Michael Fedele // Feb 5, 2009 at 4:12 pm · delete Im not aware of the JI article. You cant believe everything you read in the papers. I stand by my prior reply.
That got me curious about what exactly caused every member of the press to report that the administration was expecting a roughly $8 Billion deficit. Here is the reason: Apparently, you cant believe everything you hear from an administration official at a press conference. OMB Secretary Robert Genuario: While we have not completed our analysis I think you can start with the assumption that the base is a billion dollars lower and that will translate into diminished revenue in that approximate area in each of the next fiscal years. Q: So 8, as opposed to what was- were saying 6 for the next 2 years Secretary Genuario: I think its fair to say that we will be closer to 8 than to 6.
So there you go, the source of the multiple stories was Rells OBM Secretary and not the OFA as Lt. Gov. Fedele asserted in the live blog (or media trickery, as he implied).
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Mark Davis of WTNH take Gabe's ball and goes directly to the governor...and she stumbles.
http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/news_wtnh_Hartford_state_budget_deficit_20090213...
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Democrats in the General Assembly are accusing Republican Governor Jodi Rell of ignoring the real state budget deficit so she could promise not to raise taxes.
Almost immediately after Rell announced her budget nine days ago, Democrats in the General Assembly complained that it was over two billion dollars out of whack. They now are pointing to a news confrence, held two weeks before her budget announcement, as evidence that she knew it, because of this response by her budget director to a question from Chief Capitol Correspondent Mark Davis.
"I think it's fair to say that we will be closer to eight than six," said Robert Genuario, state budget director.
The governor was sitting right next to Genuario and made no effort to dispute what he had said. A video clip now the subject of local bloggers and even a YouTube video .
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John DeStefano kills Jodi Rell over senate questionby ctblogger2,736 views
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