By GREG EHLERS
Many believe the answer to better governance is to change Connecticut’s Constitution to implement term limits for members of the state Legislature — hoping it will end the sense of entitlement or tenure by the political class. It is a tempting idea but given the current leadership in the state Senate, unlikely.
Greg Ehlers / Greg Ehlers
Greg Ehlers, GOP candidate for the 25th state Senate district
We have elections to end political careers fattened by the sense of entitlement and smug righteousness demonstrated all too often by lawmakers who have been around well past their expiration date.
A pristine example of this arrogance and self-righteousness can be found in Sen. Bob Duff’s pompous claim in his Darien Times Q&A, that voters should choose him over me because he has earned tenure in the legislature. This is how he feels about his constituents! Bob the career politician thinks he essentially deserves your vote because he is “seasoned” and has been there the longest, so you are obligated to vote for him every two years.
This year, though, voters in Norwalk and Darien are onto our state Senator, Bob Duff, who cannot hide anymore behind phony claims of blue skies and endless horizons; Bob sells it as our “new economic reality.” No amount of glad-handing, having cake at the senior center or glowing self-tributes can deceive families that are worried about their present and future. After 16 years of working the system, Sen. Duff has no answers that work — if they ever did.
That is why I decided to challenge Sen. Duff, to show that there is a better way to unleash our potential.
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— Greg Ehlers’ campaign website
— State Rep. Bob Duff’s official Web page
— Bob Duff’s campaign website
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As I meet voters face to face this summer, even those who have voted for Bob Duff understand Connecticut is on a knife’s edge. It could either fall into the abyss and become a permanent non-growth wasteland surrounded by dwindling pockets of wealth or we can take the bold steps needed to return to our promise as a place of innovation and prosperity.
Sen. Duff doesn’t want to talk about the lack of job growth, flat wages, millions wasted in corporate welfare, an epidemic of drug overdoses or expedient reductions to service that the government should be providing.
We won’t be getting any better with Sen. Duff in the state Senate — let alone as a powerful leader who follows the directions of Gov. Dannel Malloy. Over the last six year alone, the Malloy-Duff team have plundered our children’s resources to raise taxes twice to record levels, blow the lid off our debt ceiling and to further saddle taxpayers with pension and health care benefits for state workers.
After each state budget is secured, both Malloy and Duff congratulate each other for doing the right thing for our state. It would be comical if the results weren’t so tragic for Middle Class Connecticut.
Then Sen. Duff simply lies about what his policies have done to the hard working people of Darien and Norwalk. Calling someone a “liar” is not something anyone should do lightly, but Sen. Duff has such a callous disregard for his responsibilities, “liar” is almost too soft a term.
When Sen. Duff continues to say recently that the current state budget did not require taxes to be raised — he shows true arrogance by assuming the public is too dumb to figure out the true effect of another Duff-Malloy budget. Cuts to aid for cities and towns means local property taxes will need to be raised to cover those costs. That’s a tax increase. The current budget, like the five before it, is already out of balance and will require a hike in the personal income tax after this Election because it assumes an unrealistic amount of revenue will be collected by Connecticut’s economy.
Sen. Duff won’t tell you he plans to raise your taxes after Nov. 8 — but he will. He has no choice.
It doesn’t have to be this way for the people of Norwalk and Darien or any citizen of Connecticut. A better way is to start with honesty and honest numbers to show what the state of Connecticut is on the hook for short-term and long-term. State budgets shouldn’t be cooked up in a private room with Sen. Duff calling the shots, but in the open.
Any budget proposal should be posted on-line 72 hours before either chamber votes on it. That would be a start of a real conversation that includes those who pay for the largess of state government. Maybe if people found out how well Sen. Duff has been doing these last few years, how he has qualified for lifetime gold-plated health care coverage for working part-time — people who ask some hard questions.
It’s time we ask the right questions, demand a plan and get on with it for the sake of our children.
Greg Ehlers of Darien is the Republican nominee opposing state Sen. Bob Duff in this November’s election for the 25th state Senate District seat.