Finally, an issue that shows some sign of life out of Hartford. Telecommuting. Apparently it has come to the attention of Hartford legislators that it is damn expensive to live in Connecticut. Let’s pause to contemplate the sudden concerns. Let’s think about how many years we had to hear of how they planned to spend the fake surplus. Let’s think about how they diddled on transportation infrastructure issues and let’s not forget how the DOT squandered millions on contractors highway improvements performed by shady contractors. And do, with priorities clearly in place, Republicans in Hartford want to increase state worker productivity. Because Republicans in Hartford have proven themselves to be such productivity bunnies themselves I guess. Which gives us the flak attack by the press flunkies:
“We always knew the Republicans were phoning it in; now they want to make it official policy,” said Derek Slap, spokesman for Senate President Pro Tem Donald Williams, D-Brooklyn. “The reality is that the GOP plan would not save taxpayers any money and would not ease congestion. In fact, the only people the plan would help would be Republican caucus staff members.”
That brought a retort from Cafero’s spokesman, Pat O’Neil. “I would suggest that’s a slap at the thousands of state employees who wholeheartedly embrace this,” he said. “They can joke about this all they want, but corporate Connecticut is doing this. … Let’s give it a shot.”
Alas, as entertaining as it this exchange is, it distracts from the larger issue.
Cafero said he spent two hours and 10 minutes on the road Tuesday on his 75-mile commute to Hartford from Norwalk because he was stuck in traffic. Normally, it takes one hour and 10 minutes.
That, he said, is an example of lost productivity — and the House GOP caucus is committed to improved workplace efficiency.
“We want to lead by example,” Cafero said. “This is by no means a day off to go shopping, play golf or play with the kids.”
But Slap said that very question of accountability — the assurance of a benefit to taxpayers — hasn’t been addressed.
“A good starting place would be to document how much money a telecommuting plan might save taxpayers,” Slap said. “Sen. Williams is open to the concept of telecommuting as part of a larger bipartisan discussion on how we can reduce the cost of government and take cars off the road.”
Still missing the forest here. The real issue is that Larry Cafero, and anyone from Norwalk who desires to get to Hartford, usually drives up. Because there’s no convenient rail service. Because somehow in all the decades of legislator legislating, no fortitude to create mass transportation infrastructure for all of Connecticut. And it would be foolhardy to believe that the price of gas is heading down any time ever, or that the congested roads we have are going to get any less congested since there is no alternative way to navigate Connecticut.
Sure, focusing on telecommuting for state workers is a nice thing to do for state workers. But its the rest of us that our legislators should be focusing on in a long term way. It’s time for Hartford to focus on transportation infrastructure for the next 100 years, not the next 100 hours.
source: Courant, GOP Suggests, Democrats Decry Telecommuting Plan, By CHRISTOPHER KEATING And JON LENDER, July 16, 2008
