CT Tax Collectors’
Annual Meeting
REPORT
ON THE
2014 ELECTIONS
PREPARED & PRESENTED BY
GUINAN ASSOCIATES
EVERY Seat up for Re-election
 151 House
 36 Senate
 6 Constitutional Officers, including
 The GOVERNOR
AT THE TOP…
 NO CHANGE

Governor expanded his victory margin

Underticket races surprisingly close

All 6 Constitutional Officers Re-elected

All 6 are Democrats
LEGISLATIVE RESULTS
A DIFFERENT STORY
STATE SENATE
 WAS
 NOW
22 Dem – 14 Rep
21 Dem – 15 Rep
 6 Open Seats. 1 changed party
 Rep. Betsy Ritter lost her bid to take Sen. Stillman’s
 Seat. Paul Formica the victor
 One celebrity victor – Ted Kennedy Jr
 One Incumbent Dem lost his primary
 7 Freshman Senators including 3 State Reps.
HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES
 Here the national Republican tide affected CT
 WAS







97 – 54 (incl 2 Rep. Special Elect wins)
NOW
87 – 64
Highest Count for House R’s since 1994
Up from low of 37 seats in 2008
HELD ALL 8 R open seats and won 2 D opens
DEFEATED 9 Incumbent Ds
19 R Freshman. Net gain of 10
Only lost 1 Incumbent. Michael Molgano, Stamford
IMPACT
 Bolder Assertion Republican Agenda
 More Ability to Force Compromise
 76 votes needed for passage – R’s only need 12




Democrats to break with Dem Majority.
FAR more likely than when 22 needed.
Empowering of ‘Moderate Democrats’
Expect it to impact what passes, what comes to vote.
19 R and 8 D Freshman = A Lot of New Energy
 NOT SEEKING RE-ELECTION: 3 of 4
at the Top
 Sen.
President Don Williams
 Sen. Minority Leader John McKinney
 House Minority Leader Larry Cafero
 6 Senators. 18 Reps.
Legislative Changes at the Top
 Senate Dems  Sen. Marty Looney, Sen. President
 Sen. Bob Duff, Majority Leader
 Senate Reps –
 Sen. Len Fasano, Minority Leader
 House Reps –
 Rep. Themis Klarides (a first)
 House Dems – Only caucus without change.
 Speaker Brendan Sharkey. Maj. Leader Joe
Aresimowitz
Key Committee Vacancies Pending
 House Finance Chair (Widlitz)
 House Judiciary Chair (Fox)
 Senate Education Chair (Stillman)
 Senate GAE Chair (Musto)
 Senate Environment Chair (Meyer)
 Senate Commerce Chair (Lebeau)
 Senate Ranking Member P & D (Fasano)
 Both House Chairs, Dem Screening Ctt
 Domino Effect, esp. in Senate
 Waiting to see if Sen. Cathy Osten remains at P & D
 Finance and P & D Committees key for CTX
 Sen. Fasano will remain key.
 As ranking member of P & D, very involved in CTX
bills and will remain so as Minority Leader.
 We will miss Betsy Ritter – Always in your corner!
2015 Session
 Is a Long Session


Begins Wed. January 7, 2015
Ends Wed. June 3, 2015

 Governor’s Budget Address Feb. 4


Budget expected to be … Difficult
Likely to dominate Session
Other Key Dates
 Planning and Development Committee Deadline
3/26 – 4/2/2015 **
 Finance Committee Deadline

4/17 – 4/24/2015 **

 ** Dates are estimates. Under bi-partisan
discussion.
 Will be adopted as part of the Joint Rules on
Opening Day
IN 2014
WE EXPECTED A SLOW
SESSION, BUT…
It Ended Up Not Quite the Quiet Year Expected
 CTX TESTIFIED OR SUBMITTED
TESTIMONY ON 4 BILLS. Wary of a 5th.
 Interest Rate on Delinquent Taxes
 Free Access to DMV
 Legal Notices
 A Change to CTx 2013 Statute
 Collecting a Marijuana Tax
In 2015, In Addition to CTX Bill…
 New Leaders, 7 Senate Freshman, 27 House




Freshman = a vibrant stew of new ideas, new
approaches and lots and lots of bills.
There will be bills CTX does not like. Be prepared.
The Car Tax got a lot of attention during the
Elections. Expect another effort to change it.
Speaker Sharkey and (then) Sen Maj Leader Looney
had competing dramatic proposals for changes to
local Property Tax. Likely to re-emerge in 2015.
Major Tax Study Underway. Concluding Jan. 2015.
YOUR PARTICIPATION IS VITAL
 EXPECT A BUSY YEAR
 CONTINUE TO BUILD ON CREDIBILITY AND




RELATIONSHIPS WHICH EXPANDED DURING
2013-14 SESSION
JOIN THE CTx LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS.
And,
You are in EVERY town and you know
EVERYONE- YOU HAVE REAL INFLUENCE
THANK YOU.
QUESTIONS?
COMMENTS?