In This Issue:
From Paddi's Desk
CT Agency Corner
Municipal Roundup
Inside Scoop
This Day in CT History
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A Trip to the Bushnell Theater and Today's American Dream
Last night I saw Hamilton the Musical at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford and one word – amazing! The production was mindboggling with the size of the cast, and the modern and upbeat song and dance it captures your attention. But as we were heading home I started to think about the lesson learned by telling that particular story.
What popped into my mind was the quote - ‘Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.’ According to those in the know, the quote probably comes from writer and philosopher George Santayana, and it originally read, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
The sentiment that history repeats aspires us to reach for common sense to examine and resolve our differences and plan for our futures. It suggests that we learn from our mistakes and the mistakes of others as we apply new knowledge and reach out to new audiences to expand what we know and how we solve the issues of the day.
As American history “played out” on the stage, we are reminded about how our country found its way towards an open and free society, despite all its warts, and the personal price many paid to ensure we were a country of the people and for the people. We learn about the arrival of Alexander Hamilton as an “immigrant” who connects with the infamous Aaron Burr who impresses him with his passion and dreams. They talk about changing the world (though back then they called it revolutionary goals!) As Hamilton becomes more invested in his role with the future of America, he’s warned that congress is a danger to him and the country. England’s King George then insists on his authority - enter the revolutionary war.
As Hamilton rises in the eyes of General George Washington, his personal life becomes a serious issue. There’s a lot of behind the scenes drama about his faithfulness and appropriateness for leadership. He tussles with Washington, gets “sacked” and then disappears from public life. Time passes and Washington, now president, needs to bring Hamilton back to help end the war in Yorktown. When the war is won, he co-authors The Federalist Papers and is selected as Secretary of the Treasury by newly-elected President Washington.
As American democracy starts to “jell”, President Washington pulls Hamilton aside and tells him to figure out a compromise to win over Congress. Hamilton, Jefferson, and James Madison create the Compromise of 1790 over a private dinner, exchanging Hamilton's financial plan for placing the country's permanent capital on the Potomac River. Hamilton’s foes plot to discredit him in the eyes of the President. Out of the blue, Washington decides to retire from the presidency, and Hamilton assists in writing a farewell address.
With all the chaos of forming a government, Hamilton is nervous that his personal failing will surface, so he takes the bull by its horns and openly admits to his failures.
Remind you of today’s American politics? Messy, personal, at times there is a lack of good judgement. Sometimes personal loyalty rises above common sense. As we all look forward to the long 4th of July weekend we should be reminded that democracy is hard. It involves people who have differing philosophies. We’re not called the melting pot for nothing. We should also remember that our freedom from English rule was not smooth sailing, debts were paid and many, many times the endeavor required personal sacrifices. But in today’s world, we can learn from the past and create a better future.
Watching congress in the past couple of weeks, they took on the critical issue of safety and freedom wrapped into one bill. We should take note that one of CT’s own, Senator Chris Murphy, has lead the charge and created a government of collaboration where the leaders decided to work out the difference of philosophy and personal convictions to both protect our communities and to protect our hard fought democracy.
In defending their work, members of Congress love to repeat a quotation attributed to Otto von Bismarck: “If you like laws and sausages, you should never watch either one being made.” In other words, the legislative process, though messy and sometimes unappetizing, can produce healthy, wholesome results. Congrats to all who had the determination and internal fortitude to keep at it until real changes start to take hold.
I’m hoping in the weeks and years ahead this can be the history that our elected officials, whether at the federal, state or local levels, can see, remember, learn from and repeat.
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The Silver Tsunami Approaches
As of the writing of this article, 4,400+ state employees have either retired already this year, or have formally signaled intent to do so this year. This number doubles the figures from 2021. Why are so many state workers retiring this year? Let's take a trip in the wayback machine to 2017.
In 2017, Governor Malloy negotiated a new labor agreement with the state employee union (SEBAC). An element of that agreement, the new cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) rules, is sparking a wave of retirements this year. The new COLA system, for those retiring July 1, 2022 or later, will be tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), and also features a series of caps that could produce adjustments smaller than the CPI. Under the new COLA system, retirees who leave after July 1 will receive their first COLA payment 30 months after retirement, as opposed to 9-15 months for those who retire before then. Therefore, individuals who are at or around retirement age would benefit greatly by retiring before July 1 of this year.
The state workforce now has a shocking 17% vacancy rate. This seems to correlate with an increase in overtime spending among state agencies, namely the Department of Correction, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, and the Department of Developmental Services. It surely will be interesting to see how the state plans to close these gaps over the coming years, to ensure there are enough workers to provide CT's essential government services.
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In Old Saybrook this week, local zoning commissioners heard from a developer that intends to build and develop a large scale mixed use river front area in town. The site, between Baldwin Bridge and CT River Railroad Bridge, will include multifamily housing, retail shops and a boardwalk that would connect two marinas. The site was deemed as a ‘destination resort’ for boaters and vacationers alike. The zoning approval would only be a small step in the direction of it becoming a reality. There would be several local and state approvals necessary to develop areas near the river and within the flood plain. The response from commissioners was generally positive and it could become a lengthy process, but the developers are optimistic.
Sticking with the waterfront theme, the town of Darien is embarking on the potential to buy an island on Long Island Sound. The purchase of “Great Island” would be for $103 million and includes residences dating back to the 19th century. There have been concerns from Representative Town Meeting (RTM) members who believe that the large purchase price could be just the beginning of the costs, which might include rehab and renovation of those existing structures and environmental remediation. The RTM will vote on the purchase on June 27th.
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State Senate - Part One
Last week, our focus was on the Connecticut Governor’s race. With a huge election coming up in November, we now turn our direction towards a State Senate election season that has all the drama we love to follow. This year there are seven sitting Senators not seeking re-election, for various reasons, three Democrats and four Republicans. So this is an election that could make a difference if the stars were to line up.
Senators are elected to two-year terms without term limits. With a lot of elected officials retiring, these local elections are huge for the trajectory of the state. The Connecticut State Senate is the “upper chamber” of the Connecticut General Assembly in Connecticut. The State Senate is comprised of 36 members, each representing a district with around 99,000 inhabitants. All 36 Connecticut Senate seats were up for election in 2020 and later, the chamber's Democratic majority increased from 22-14 to 23-13. The million dollar question is - this year, will that shift given the current polling and perceived negative feelings of the electorate related to sitting incumbents? Let’s dive right in for this week’s edition focusing on some newcomers running for some big Senate seats.
To begin, we should address the rash of retirements the Senate is looking at. Sen. Kevin Witkos (Canton -R), Senator Dan Champagne (Vernon - R), Senator Will Haskell (Westport – D), Senator Mary Daugherty-Abrams (Meriden – D), Senator Paul Formica (Niantic – R), Senator Steve Cassano (Manchester - D) and Senator Craig Miner (Litchfield - R) have all chosen to not run for re-election.
With a lot of new faces on the rise, let's look at a few races that could bring some fireworks. Senator Haskell, a Democrat from Westport, is on his way to Law School and we see a familiar face stepping in to run for his seat. Former State Senator Toni Boucher (New Canaan - R) and a newcomer, Ceci Maher (Wilton - D), is the Democratic nominee. With Haskell winning by a little over 3,400 votes against Boucher in 2018, this seat is up for grabs once again and could be seen as a race-to-watch given the new voters in the district.
In Manchester, Senator Steve Cassano’s (Manchester - D) seat is open after a very successful stint in the Senate. MD Masudur Rahman, the endorsed Democrat, and a local businessman has gotten his name out there over the years and had the support of all the Democratic Town Committees leading up to the convention. Due to some party infighting, it will be interesting if rank and file democrats split their votes and cast ballots for the democratic candidate or against him in tribute/loyalty to the departing Senator Cassano? It’s not a race that anyone should take lightly. Despite Cassano’s popularity around town and his successful career, this seat has had some close elections before (2010, Cassano won by under 100 votes!)
As we continue to jump around the state there is yet another race for an open seat in the 20th district! Democrat Martha Marx, a nurse from the New London area, is running for Senator Formica’s seat he has held since 2015. Marx ran against Formica in 2018 and 2020, losing the elections by 1,581 and 1,175 votes, respectively. She jumped right into the race following the announcement from Senator Formica that he would not run again. Jerry Labriola Jr. is the endorsed Republican candidate for a seat that represents Bozrah, East Lyme, Montville, New London, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Salem, and Waterford.
These are not the only races we are going to focus on. Next week, we will dive right into a few other State Senate races that could be consequential to the makeup of the State Senate. Republicans have not had a majority in the State Senate since 1994 but with so many seats up for new ownership, will the Democratic Party rule continue, or will Republicans be able to cut into the margins? Could we see a return to the 2016 numbers of an 18-18 Senate? More to come next week!
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June 24: Born to Fame, and a Famous Scandal - Celebrity Minister Henry Ward Beecher
Henry Ward Beecher, one of the most famous and influential — but also controversial — preachers and orators of 19th-century America, was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, today in 1813. Henry was one of several literary giants of the extended Beecher family: his father Lyman was also a notable preacher; his sister Harriet found international fame as the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin; and sisters Isabella Beecher Hooker and Catherine Beecher influenced many with their well-articulated views on women’s rights and education.
As a student at a preparatory school in Amherst, Massachusetts, Henry discovered he had a gift for public speaking. After graduating from Amherst College in 1834, he entered the ministry and followed his father’s family to the Midwest, preaching in Ohio and Indiana. His growing ministerial reputation earned him an offer, which he accepted, to preside over the new Plymouth Congregational Church in Brooklyn, New York. There, his popular preaching style turned him into a regional celebrity.
Like many of his siblings, Henry was an outspoken abolitionist. As antebellum tensions over slavery increased, he began infusing his sermons with powerful anti-slavery messages. He wrote scathing criticisms of the Compromise of 1850 and other political acts he viewed as concessions to the slave-holding South. These were widely circulated, earning him both national celebrity and death threats from pro-slavery advocates. Undeterred, Beecher raised money to purchase rifles for anti-slavery settlers during the “Bleeding Kansas” crisis of the 1850s, arms that were quickly nicknamed “Beecher’s Bibles” by the press.
Once the Civil War began, the question of whether the British government – whose textile-based economy was highly dependent on cotton – would side with the Confederacy loomed large. President Abraham Lincoln sent Beecher on a speaking tour of Europe in 1863 to bolster public support for the Union cause. The reception his speeches received added to the preacher’s status and elevated him to international celebrity.
Beecher’s fame had a dark side. He was dogged by rumors of womanizing throughout his career, but the undercurrent of rumors became a widely published national scandal during the Beecher-Tilton scandal of the 1870s. Beecher stood trial for charges of adultery filed by Elizabeth Tilton’s husband, which historian Walter McDougall deemed “the most sensational ‘he said, she said’ [story] in American history.” The sordid details of the lengthy trial — which involved prominent New Yorkers as well as the famous suffragists Victoria Woodhull and Elizabeth Cady Stanton — were splashed across the front pages of newspapers across America. Beecher was ultimately acquitted.
Though he lived thereafter with a stain on his reputation, Beecher remained a relatively popular speaker throughout his life. When He died from a stroke in 1887 at age 73, over 40,000 people came to pay their respects in Brooklyn, remembering a man who, despite a checkered reputation, was still one of the most influential people in the United States.
The original article from the CT Humanities Council can be found here.
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Sullivan & LeShane, Inc.
www.ctlobby.com | (860) 560-0000
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