Investing in Transportation

By DAN MALLOY

As we continue to focus on economic recovery and growth, I’m convinced that one of the most essential factors in building a strong state is making sure we have a transportation system that puts people to work and is consistent with the global mission of reducing our environmental impact.

Yesterday, I traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and mayors from seven other large cities to discuss the transportation concerns in our respective states, and to come up with creative solutions to mitigate the problems we face.

As the sole representative from Connecticut, I stressed the urgent need for vast improvement to our transportation system so that our highways no longer serve as roadblocks to economic growth.  In part, that means investing in our existing rail and the building of high-speed light rail.  Light rail is a smart investment because it has multiple benefits: it takes care of our highways by reducing the traffic nightmares we’ve been enduring for too long, it eases the burden on our infrastructure, and it makes it easier for people to move around the state while at the same time, reducing our carbon footprint.

It’s important to consider these long term investments, and it is past time to stop making short sighted decisions about transportation at the expense of the public good.  I’ve made those long term transportation investments a priority as mayor of Stamford, and as I go around the state talking to people, it’s one of the issues on which I receive the most positive response.  People understand that we didn’t get stalled by accident, and it’s time for leadership that understands the problem, and most important, knows how to fix it.

I am encouraged that the Obama Adminstration is making every effort to work directly with leaders of metro-economies to fund sustainable transportation solutions that address energy and climate concerns.  The fact that President Obama is directing cabinet secretaries to be more hands-on and supportive of local economies is a progressive plan that stands in sharp contrast to the goals of the previous administration and should bode well for Connecticut’s future.  It was a significant victory for our small state to have a seat at the table I will continue to push for much needed funding to get Connecticut moving again.

Leadership Forum

By DAN MALLOY

This past weekend, I visited the shoreline to speak alongside fellow Democratic leaders to a packed hall in the Groton City Municipal Building. The “Leadership Forum” gave me a great opportunity to speak candidly about my plans for the future and to address issues and concerns specific to people in the shoreline region.

Representatives from six different towns in the area introduced issues for each member of the forum to discuss. The question regarding small businesses shined light on a multitude of issues, from transportation to property taxes to healthcare. I stressed that in Connecticut, our local economies would be more apt to thrive if we created an environment that nurtured families and businesses, rather than creating impediments. The people in this state are in desperate need of a leader who will address unfair property tax laws, restructure a broken transportation system and provide high quality affordable healthcare. Someone who is focused on making our cities and towns better places to live, work and raise a family. That’s something I’ve been able to accomplish as mayor, and would expand state-wide if given the opportunity.

The bottom line is that we need a leader who will turn Connecticut around; a leader with a vision for the future and the experience and background necessary to make that vision a reality. A proven leader who knows how to balance a budget and grow jobs, who understands health care needs for working families and who comes to work every day to fight on behalf of our state. This forum was a great way to prompt a much needed dialogue, and I am looking forward to continuing the conversation with you.

Click here for a more complete rundown of the event on Saturday, and if you missed it, please join us again at the Vanilla Bean Cafe in Pomfret, CT on March 24, 2009 at 7:00 PM.

No Love for Rush

By JAMES LISKA

A few weeks ago, the Conservative Political Action Committee met for its annual dinner. Generally, this dinner is seen as an important event for conservatives as it draws from the entire spectrum of that ideology to come together for a conference. This dinner is seen as a good barometer of conservative feeling, as it draws together politicians, activists, lobbyists and commentators. This year, Rush Limbaugh was the keynote speaker, while the annual dinner “straw poll” that fielded possible GOP nominees for the 2012 election saw Mitt Romney take the lead, followed by Gov. Jindal. Ron Paul and Sarah Palin were the lower two. Other guests included Ann Coulter, “Joe the Plumber”, Rep. Michelle Bachmann, and Mike Huckabee.

I agree with Rahm Emanuel when he says that Rush Limbaugh has become the new face of the GOP. Sadly, it’s true. I haven’t seen or heard any strong leadership from anyone in the GOP since McCain lost in November. No one has really stepped up. Rush, however, has been on the offensive, hoping that President Obama “fails” in his duties as President. Once again, Limbaugh brings out the old Republican buzzwords of “socialism”, “big government” and “freedom” to scare everyone into thinking that all these things will happen tomorrow with Obama as president.  I think Limbaugh is more interested in his own vision of reality than how things actually are. What I’m more concerned about is not the fact that he’s still spouting his nonsense, but the fact that the Republican Party is actually putting stock in his leadership. This shows something very dangerous – still clinging to their outdated and dry principles that lost them the presidential election in 2008, the Republican Party has now chosen fear and irrelevant claims over that of truth.

Effectively, the Republican Party has abandoned their policy wing leaving people like Limbaugh to run the show.  This latest move has shown just how much power the conservative media outlets have over the philosophy of the party. If they ever decide to put Rush up for any elected position, well, the circle will be complete and the Republican Party will cease to be about ideas and only be about rhetoric.

Meeting with the President

By DAN MALLOY

Last week, I travelled to Washington, D.C. to meet with President Obama and Vice President Biden.  I joined a group of about seventy mayors from around the country, as the only representative from Connecticut.  After we passed through an extensive security process, we were ushered into a room to be introduced to Vice President Biden, who introduced President Obama.  Both men spoke eloquently and outlined a vision for the coming months that did not detter from the promises made during the election.  After the formal speaking portion was over, the press was asked to leave for a more frank and open conversation between the President and the mayors regarding the recently passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

President Obama spoke about the need and urgency for the act, and stressed that it is an important first step in economic recovery.  The President also used a cautionary tone, urging mayors to be careful to properly allocate the money so it used in a way that would best meet the needs of the communities they serve.  It was great to be back at the White House for my first time since the Clinton administration, and even better to witness in the person the type of leadership that we elected in November.  This new administration understands the importance of working in tandem with municipal leaders and funneling resources directly to the localities that are struggling the most.

I left the meeting on an extremely positive note, confident that we are headed into a new era, one that is marked by leadership that listens to people and is sensitive to their needs, and that the days of government pursuing an agenda that differs from the mindset of the American people are finally over.  Our new President and Vice President understand that recovery starts on a local level, and that families will benefit most from money being allocated to education, emergency food and nutritional assistance, highway and transit funding, homelessness prevention, community development, crime prevention, public housing energy programs and employment grants. That’s the type of action that will help us climb out of this crisis and that’s why I am looking forward to working with our new president.