Norwalk: If A Tree Falls In The Woods…

While the Norwalk Democrats are busy funneling their energy into alienating the centrist core of Norwalk voters. the Norwalk Republicans are making waves throughout the state. Most people would say that following the 2006 elections, the Republican party in Connecticut was dead. Let’s review the election from the Republican perspective:

Rell and Michael Fedele, were the only Republicans to win statewide office. Republicans lost seats in the legislature; Republicans number 44 of 151 in the House and 12 of 36 in the Senate. And then, they lost 2 congressional seats to Democrats, and came very close to losing a third.

But a funny thing happened on the way to defeat. The strong turnout of Norwalk Republicans last year likely handed Shays a victory. In 2004, Shays’ vote total in 2004 was 15426 and Farrell’s was 17720. In 2006 Shays’ vote total was 10727 and Farrell’s 11794. The falloff in totals is due to 2004 being a presidential year, where turnout is higher. But to see the difference, Shays only lost 31% of his 2004 vote while Farrell lost 40% of her 2004 Norwalk vote totals. (As a baseline Bob Duff lost who also ran in both elections only lost 23% of his 2004 vote in 2006.) The 2006 election for Republicans in the rest of the state was a bloodbath. While long time Republican incumbents in the legislature were knocked off, Larry Cafero survived a strong challenge and went on to become minority leader.

But Cafero is not the only prominent Norwalker to lead the Republican party. Bob Genurario, former State Senator is currently Rell’s Budget Director. You could say that Norwalk has the ear of Jodi Rell.

Not surprisingly, when the Courant covered the Prescott Bush Dinner, the state REpublican party fundraiser. This is what they had to say:

They accorded hero status to House Minority Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr., who pressured Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell last month to back away from an income-tax increase she sought to fund greater aid for education.

Cafero and House Republicans offered a budget that could be balanced without a tax increase – a criticism of the Democratic majority’s tax plan, but one that also reflected on Rell.

On Thursday night, the GOP base signaled its approval at the Bush dinner, applauding louder for Cafero and Senate Minority Leader Louis C. DeLuca, who were introduced together, than for Rell.

Hero status? For a Norwalk Republican? Yet, Cafero’s work goes largely unnoticed in Norwalk. You have to read the Courant in order to see the daily efforts of Larry Cafero to make a difference up in Hartford. Getting the Governor to adopt the House Republican budget plan of no income tax increases should have been discussed more here in Norwalk, than a passing coverage of the issue from afar. Norwalk’s median household income is after all, right on the line where upstate legislators see wealthy. For example the Tax Foundation reports that Norwalk leads the nation in average income tax paid. According to the report; Norwalk avearges 22% of the AGI which turns out to be $41,496 in taxes. The number two area, Naples, FL is at 17.4% of the AGI and averages $16,849 in taxes.

State Republican party chair, Chris Healy is a fan. From The Courant:

“We’re picking ourselves up off the floor,” Healy said. “We’re a little bloody, and we’re looking for a fight.”

Cafero, 49, a lawyer from Norwalk, took over as House minority leader in January, determined to give his caucus a stronger identity.

He reshuffled his staff, hiring campaign consultant and former party Chairman George Gallo as his chief of staff.

“I think there was a culture of incumbency that Larry has successfully broken,” Healy said in an interview Friday. “We weren’t put here to stand around and take the crumbs the Democrats throw us occasionally.”

Cafero has said he and the governor are aware that their interests will not always coincide. As governor, Rell will have to compromise with the Democratic majority to pass a budget.

Healy, who was elected state chairman in January with Rell’s blessing, has the potentially awkward task of simultaneously defending the governor and Republican legislators when they are at odds.

He said Cafero, with his alternative budget, simply was trying to show “there was another way.”

“To her credit, the governor looked at it, saw the new [revenue] numbers,” Healy said. “She was open to a change in her tactics, but not her philosophy. She is still committed to her education idea.”

With the strength of the state Republican party coming from Norwalk, it looks like the upcoming municipal election will be one to watch. Will the Norwalk Democrats be able to maintain the majority on the Common Council and continue to set the city’s agenda through legislative control? Or will the Norwalk Republicans rally behind a newfound sense of purpose with setting the agenda for the entire state?

source: The Courant, GOP Lawmakers Develop Their Own Punch
Defying Democrats, Rell On Taxes Plays Well With The Party’s Base, By MARK PAZNIOKAS, May 26, 2007