One of the great many things that always bothers me about Congress is that no one actually reads the final bills that are passed. Too often, language gets inserted that introduces completely unrelated provisions. Or something is added to chip away at the intent of the bill. Or earmark funds to something ridiculous.

So I am pleased to see some grassroots group out there funneling some energy into the Read The Bills Act. In addition to the requirement that Congress reads the bills it votes on, it also allows a provision to require a waiting period of 7 days after it is posted to the Internet, so that the public can go over the final proposed bill.

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Today’s Hour reports that Sal Corda and his merry band of bureaucrats are ringing the bells in hopes of gathering up the villagers, pitchforks, torches and all in efforts to save the town from the evils of budget cuts. What? More dire warnings from Dr. Corda? Say it ain’t so, but alas, it is. Today’s effort includes:

“We are a ‘District in Need of Improvement’ under the federal No Child Left Behind legislation because we have not succeeded in closing the achievement gap. We have a strong and ambitious plan to address that, but it cannot be done without administrative support and leadership,” Superintendent of Schools Salvatore Corda told the Common Council. “I will not preside over dismantling an educational infrastructure that has greatly influenced more students performing at higher levels than ever before. We still have far to go.”

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Is anyone listening? That’s the question posed by Tim Calnen a lobbyist from the Connecticut Association of Realtor, in Brian Lockhart’s Norwalk Advocate article:.

The legislature’s joint Planning and Development Committee held its first public hearing last night on two bills aimed at reforming existing state laws. One was generated by the committee, another by Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell.

Originally scheduled for 2 p.m., the hearing was delayed until about 6 p.m. because of lengthy House and Senate sessions.

“I think we’re expected to get something through,” state Rep. Gerald Fox III, D-Stamford, a committee member, said afterward. “And I believe we will.”

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Make sure to read this excellent post about Rell’s budget

Connecticut Commentary: Red Notes from a Blue State

Some highlights from Pesci’s blog:

“Myth One: Higher spending will improve the quality of education in Connecticut.

“Reality Check: There is no evidence to support this claim, and the Rell administration is ignoring education-choice alternatives that promise better schools at a lower cost to taxpayers.

“Myth Two: Hiking Connecticut’s income tax will enable the governor and legislators to provide property-tax relief.

“Reality Check: Since the adoption of the income tax in 1991 did not provide relief, raising its rate in the hope of providing a break for overburdened local taxpayers is naïve.”

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