Let’s Lock Rell In A Room With Weicker (If We Can Find Her), And What Gives With The Registrar War?

Wouldn’t it be nice if Governor Jodi Rell did something nice for the city before retreating to full-time granny life? Maybe she figures she already performed a benevolent act when she reversed herself on the juvenile detention center she wanted to build on the Upper East Side. She deserves credit for her sensibility. Others might have been too stubborn to back off from the residential yelling and screaming.

From Keith M. Phaneuf, www.ctmirror.com

Though Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s administration hasn’t had much success to date selling surplus property to balance the budget, the General Assembly is planning to all-but-give some away later this month to help out their districts back home.

But House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan, D-Meriden, and Senate President Pro Tem Donald E. Williams Jr., D-Brooklyn, said the property conveyance bill expected to be taken up in special session later this month would be limited to a few transfers designed to help cities and towns.

“We’re going to keep it lean,” he said, adding it likely would be similar to a measure that died on the Senate calendar when the regular 2010 legislative session ended on May 5.

“My goal is to keep this special session as simple as possible,” Williams said, adding that means debating legislation with strong, bipartisan support and the governor’s backing.

The legislature traditionally adopts an omnibus property conveyance bill each year that transfers or leases dozens of surplus properties to communities, nonprofit agencies and others that are asked only to cover legal expenses.

So, how about turning over that Upper East Side property to the city for a development that’s a fit for the neighborhood? Or how about an executive order fully funding tax-exempt properties? Or how about a real working relationship with the feds to dredge the harbor? All I’m asking for is a six-month benevolent dictatorship. Or maybe we can talk Jodi into receiving a blood transfusion from Lowell Weicker. In fact, a pint of blood from Lowell for every state commissioner. You see that Housatonic Community College downtown with its 5,000 students? Weicker made that happen. The State Police Barracks downtown? Lowell did that as well. The governor’s office downtown? Yup, Lowell put an office there, except he actually spent time there. Hundreds of millions of dollars to the city as a result of slot money from the casinos? Weicker did that too. In his four years as governor, 1991-95, the man was a godsend for the city.

There should be a statue, a monument, a street and jubilee declared for Lowell Weicker for the city’s 175th birthday in 2011. Sound the horns, poise the cannons, strike up the band. The Pleasure Beach Bridge burned after Lowell left office. I have no doubt we’d have a new bridge with access to a resurrected peninsula if he was still in office. Ah, wishful thinking. Wait a minute, here’s an idea: since Rell is missing in action, how about a special session of the Connecticut Legislature declaring the governor’s office vacant and installing Lowell as benevolent dictator?

Pleasure Watch

A cool documentary has been loaded at www.savepleasurebeach.com featuring Morgan Kaolian’s insight into what was once one of the greatest amusement parks in the country. Check it out.

GOP Gossip

Good grief, what’s going on in the Republican Registrar of Voters office? Check out www.ctpost.com/local/article/Registrar-of-Voters-office-Missing-cards-gossip-513674.php by Keila Torres of the Connecticut Post.

From SuBy

BYSIEWICZ: PETITIONS FOR AUGUST 10TH PRIMARY DUE TOMORROW

JUNE 8TH DEADLINE FOR DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS SEEKING TO PETITION THEIR WAY ONTO AUGUST PRIMARY BALLOT

HARTFORD: Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz today is reminding any candidates who did not receive at least 15% support from state and district convention delegates that they have until tomorrow, June 8, 2010 to turn in primary petitions if they wish to appear on the August 10th statewide primary ballot. The primary petitions are obtainable at the Secretary of the State’s Office at 30 Trinity Street in Hartford and must be delivered in person to the Registrar of Voters offices in the towns where the petitions were collected.

“Now that all of the conventions are over, there is still a window for candidates who wish to petition their way onto the party primary ballot for August 10th, but that window is closing fast,” said Secretary Bysiewicz, Connecticut’s chief elections official. “It is crucial that those Democratic and Republican candidates who did not qualify for our statewide primary to turn in their signatures by tomorrow in order to ensure their names get on the ballot for August 10th.”

Any candidate who wishes to petition their way onto the August 10th statewide primary ballot for statewide office and Representative in Congress must collect the signatures of at least 2% of the enrolled party members in the district in which they are seeking office. Anyone wanting to join the primary via petition for a General Assembly seat must collect signatures from at least 5% of the enrolled party members in a particular district. Polls will be open from 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. for registered Democrats and Republicans to cast ballots in the statewide primary August 10, 2010.