Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Senator Kane Secures Highway Signs For “Connecticut Antiques Trail”
State Senator Rob Kane (R-32) successfully proposed legislation this year that calls for the state Department of Transportation to post signs at exits 15 east and west on I-84 in Southbury for the Connecticut Antiques Trail.
“As everyone who lives in our part of the state already knows, this is the place to come if you love shopping for antiques. We want to make sure that people travelling through here know where to find our antiques shops and dealers, and I am certain that posting these new informational highway signs will help.” said Senator Kane, adding that efforts to help the antiques businesses will also benefit other types of economic development in the region.
Senator Kane said he sought legislation for the informational highway signs with the support of area antique dealers and government officials. The requirement for the signs is included in House Bill 6649, An Act Concerning The Programs And Activities Of The Department Of Transportation (PA 09-186). Senator Kane said that posting the signs should be the beginning, and not the end, of efforts to promote the region as the Connecticut Antiques Trail.
“The fact is that bringing more people to the region to patronize antiques businesses will also help other businesses in the area. For example, people visiting the antiques shops may also stop for gas and have lunch or dinner somewhere nearby. They might need something else while they’re here and buy something in a grocery story or a pharmacy, maybe stop for coffee. All of this will have a powerful, positive, effect on the area’s economy,” said Senator Kane.
Senator Kane said that, while he is delighted that the state will post Connecticut Antiques Trail highway signs in Southbury, he said that more can and should be done to promote the antiques businesses in the area.
“The communities of the 32nd Senatorial District have a great deal to offer people who enjoy antiques. Posting signs at exit 15 on I-84 in Southbury is a terrific way to let people know what is waiting for them just off the highway. But, we can do more to promote all the dealers and shops along our antiques trail through so many of the communities in this region and I look forward to contributing to those efforts,” said Senator Kane.
“As everyone who lives in our part of the state already knows, this is the place to come if you love shopping for antiques. We want to make sure that people travelling through here know where to find our antiques shops and dealers, and I am certain that posting these new informational highway signs will help.” said Senator Kane, adding that efforts to help the antiques businesses will also benefit other types of economic development in the region.
Senator Kane said he sought legislation for the informational highway signs with the support of area antique dealers and government officials. The requirement for the signs is included in House Bill 6649, An Act Concerning The Programs And Activities Of The Department Of Transportation (PA 09-186). Senator Kane said that posting the signs should be the beginning, and not the end, of efforts to promote the region as the Connecticut Antiques Trail.
“The fact is that bringing more people to the region to patronize antiques businesses will also help other businesses in the area. For example, people visiting the antiques shops may also stop for gas and have lunch or dinner somewhere nearby. They might need something else while they’re here and buy something in a grocery story or a pharmacy, maybe stop for coffee. All of this will have a powerful, positive, effect on the area’s economy,” said Senator Kane.
Senator Kane said that, while he is delighted that the state will post Connecticut Antiques Trail highway signs in Southbury, he said that more can and should be done to promote the antiques businesses in the area.
“The communities of the 32nd Senatorial District have a great deal to offer people who enjoy antiques. Posting signs at exit 15 on I-84 in Southbury is a terrific way to let people know what is waiting for them just off the highway. But, we can do more to promote all the dealers and shops along our antiques trail through so many of the communities in this region and I look forward to contributing to those efforts,” said Senator Kane.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
State Senate Should Establish Internal Bipartisan Ethics Process
As someone who sought elective office as a way of giving back to my community, I am always interested in ideas and proposals for encouraging the public’s trust in elected government officials, as well as state government. I felt that way when I was a member of the Watertown Town Council, and I continue to feel that way now that I represent the 32nd District in the State Senate.
Unfortunately, there are always plenty of negative political stories to read about. True enough, some politicians and some government officials are as capable of bad behavior as are the members of any other group. And, when politicians get caught doing bad things, or sometimes even suspected of doing bad things, the press writes about it. Of course, reporting about politics and government – the good and the bad – is what the media is supposed to do. The problem is that the bad stuff is often so much more interesting than the good stuff. As a result, the bad stuff is what people tend to remember most vividly.
That is one of the many reasons I so ardently supported the resolution offered by Republican Senators to invite the public trust by creating an internal bipartisan committee to investigate and, if necessary, act on ethics complaints against state senators. If our resolution had passed, Connecticut would have followed the example of 41 other states that have legislative ethics committees. Sadly, all but one of the Democratic majority senators present voted against the Republican resolution.
In explaining their opposition to our proposal, Senate Democratic leadership asserted that Connecticut does not need an internal ethics committee because the state already has an independent ethics office – even though many of the states that have legislative ethics committees also have independent ethics agencies. Furthermore, the Democrats said they did not like aspects of our proposal that called for establishing a permanent bipartisan committee and allowing members of the public, as well as state senators, to bring complaints. In response, Republican Senators agreed to amend their proposal to allow for the appointment of a bipartisan internal committee when a complaint is filed, and to limit the authority to file complaints to just state senators.
In the end, Republican Senators’ willingness to compromise did not lead to an agreement to create a permanent internal bipartisan ethics process to investigate ethics complaints against our members.
Interestingly, you may remember that it was not all that long ago when both the Democratic and Republican Senate leadership called for the creation of a permanent bipartisan legislative ethics committee as part of their respective caucus’s agendas. Meanwhile, the fact that the State Senate does not have a permanent bipartisan committee in place to conduct ethics complaints against senators does not mean that the Senate cannot conduct such an investigation. As it stands now, the decision to conduct an internal investigation regarding the behavior of an individual state senator essentially rests with whoever is in power – right now, that means the Senate Democratic majority leadership.
Of course, I am disappointed that we ended this legislative session without establishing a permanent bipartisan process to investigate ethics complaints regarding State Senators. But, I am optimistic that we will ultimately put such a process in place, and I am committed to working in a bipartisan manner with my colleagues in the State Senate to make that happen.
As always, I welcome the opportunity to discuss this issue, and others important to our state. I can be reached at my legislative office at 1-800-842-1421, or via e-mail to Rob.Kane@cga.ct.gov.
Unfortunately, there are always plenty of negative political stories to read about. True enough, some politicians and some government officials are as capable of bad behavior as are the members of any other group. And, when politicians get caught doing bad things, or sometimes even suspected of doing bad things, the press writes about it. Of course, reporting about politics and government – the good and the bad – is what the media is supposed to do. The problem is that the bad stuff is often so much more interesting than the good stuff. As a result, the bad stuff is what people tend to remember most vividly.
That is one of the many reasons I so ardently supported the resolution offered by Republican Senators to invite the public trust by creating an internal bipartisan committee to investigate and, if necessary, act on ethics complaints against state senators. If our resolution had passed, Connecticut would have followed the example of 41 other states that have legislative ethics committees. Sadly, all but one of the Democratic majority senators present voted against the Republican resolution.
In explaining their opposition to our proposal, Senate Democratic leadership asserted that Connecticut does not need an internal ethics committee because the state already has an independent ethics office – even though many of the states that have legislative ethics committees also have independent ethics agencies. Furthermore, the Democrats said they did not like aspects of our proposal that called for establishing a permanent bipartisan committee and allowing members of the public, as well as state senators, to bring complaints. In response, Republican Senators agreed to amend their proposal to allow for the appointment of a bipartisan internal committee when a complaint is filed, and to limit the authority to file complaints to just state senators.
In the end, Republican Senators’ willingness to compromise did not lead to an agreement to create a permanent internal bipartisan ethics process to investigate ethics complaints against our members.
Interestingly, you may remember that it was not all that long ago when both the Democratic and Republican Senate leadership called for the creation of a permanent bipartisan legislative ethics committee as part of their respective caucus’s agendas. Meanwhile, the fact that the State Senate does not have a permanent bipartisan committee in place to conduct ethics complaints against senators does not mean that the Senate cannot conduct such an investigation. As it stands now, the decision to conduct an internal investigation regarding the behavior of an individual state senator essentially rests with whoever is in power – right now, that means the Senate Democratic majority leadership.
Of course, I am disappointed that we ended this legislative session without establishing a permanent bipartisan process to investigate ethics complaints regarding State Senators. But, I am optimistic that we will ultimately put such a process in place, and I am committed to working in a bipartisan manner with my colleagues in the State Senate to make that happen.
As always, I welcome the opportunity to discuss this issue, and others important to our state. I can be reached at my legislative office at 1-800-842-1421, or via e-mail to Rob.Kane@cga.ct.gov.
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