To the Editor:

Many thanks to John Voket, The Bee’s associate editor, for getting reaction from our 106th House District candidates to Governor M. Jodi Rell’s plan to cleanup the state’s messy fiscal house, a proposal akin to throwing a glass of water on a burning building. His article in last week’s Bee [“State House Hopefuls Offer Differing Opinions On State Deficit Bailout Plan,” page A16] only strengthens my support for Chris Lyddy, who is right to question the governor’s “pain-free” plan to use one-time revenues to temporarily stop the $302 million-and-growing budget hemorrhage in Hartford.

Mr Lyddy’s opponent in the 106th House District race joins other Republicans and Democrats and defenders of the status quo in labeling the governor’s plan “fiscally responsible.” How is using one-time revenues fiscally responsible, especially when the governor’s advisers estimate the budget gap will approach $2 billion by the end of this fiscal year, and $3 billion the year after?

The answer, as Mr Lyddy is quoted by Mr Voket, is not to defer costs. You cut expenses and become more efficient. Temporary measures like cashing in unclaimed bottle deposits and hoping the federal government will jump in to settle a Medicaid rate dispute that dates back six years may be fine this month, but what about next month when we continue to outspend our declining revenues? Mr Lyddy knows the governor’s plan does not solve the problem, nor does raising taxes. You must reduce the size of government and live within your means.

It doesn’t take someone with decades of political experience to recognize we have a serious crisis in Connecticut. Common sense and the courage not to be partisan work just fine. Thankfully Chris Lyddy has both. We’ll all have to dig much deeper into our wallets if we don’t send him to Hartford to change our fiscal direction.

Sincerely,

Chris Gardner

4 Mt Pleasant Terrace, Newtown                            October 27, 2008