Gov. Lamont Flip Flops, Again

Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano (R-North Haven) released the following statement regarding Governor Ned Lamont’s announcement that he has reached a “deal” on paid family medical leave with legislative Democrats, suggesting he no longer intends to veto the bill he pledged to veto just last week.

“With yet another flip flop from Gov. Lamont, how can anyone take him at his word? The governor has completely abandoned his principles, gone back on his word and cowered to Democrat legislators yet again. The ‘deal’ struck does nothing to change the damaging problems with the paid family medical leave bill Gov. Lamont spoke in strong opposition to just last week. In the governor’s own words, this bill creates a ‘top-heavy bureaucracy’ and is ‘not a recipe for success.’ Now, after a few inconsequential changes, he seems to have forgotten about all those issues he questioned just last week.

“This is not the governor’s first broken promise. First was a promise to toll only trucks, which morphed into 50 toll gantries for all cars. Next was his promise to have an open and transparent government, while major policies were being crafted in the dark with only one side at the table. There was a promise to work with state employee unions to get significant labor savings, but those efforts were abandoned. There were promises to be a partner to small businesses, while the governor proposed policies that would crush them. Promise after promise has been forgotten, sidestepped or ignored.

“The governor’s inconsistency has led Connecticut down a dangerous path. It’s why we are facing a budget with no vision. Gov. Lamont is pushing a ‘budget’ that is nothing more than a hodgepodge of ideas and deals struck to get votes. It is balanced on the backs of families and small businesses. The reality is this entire legislative session has been about helping Wall Street and Capital Avenue, not Main Street. The average middle-class family keeps losing, while the governor’s list of broken promises keeps growing.”