♪ > > This week on the Wheelhouse community.

> > And yesterday was Election to day.

We share > > for > > Connecticut Public on Frankie Graziano.

This is the Wheelhouse.

It's a show that connects politics to the people.

We got your weekly dose of politics in Connecticut and beyond right here.

The 2025 election was held yesterday.

These odd year contest generally involve candidates for municipal offices like mayor or for select person.

It's a great time for all of us.

A view to support a lot this hour, we'll focus on several open races, including a Republican and Democrat who ran to replace 6 years.

You 6 term New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart.

> > Will also talk about a special legislative session planned for lawmakers in Connecticut and secretary of the state.

Stephanie Thomas will drop by for a little bit to talk about administrating.

The 2025 election.

But first, let's say hi to 2 reporters that are going to recap the election results we have so far.

Joining me now in studio officially.

But those results are unofficial mark as Kiss Capitol Bureau chief and co-founder of the Connecticut Mayor.

Welcome.

Good morning.

I was good to be here.

Always good to have you.

And you're looking at gassing this morning.

And Susan Raff WFSB news channel.

Three's chief political reporter.

Good morning.

Good morning.

It's nice to be here.

Nice be sharing our ideas and thoughts about what happened here last night.

> > And great to see you guys.

But more than anything, these are 2 of the hardest working reporters that you'll ever find.

They were up very late last night and they're still here with us.

So I appreciate that very much.

> > Did you vote what was on your mind at the polls?

It us up on our YouTube stream or call U.S.

8, 8, 8, 7 to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 7, to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, New Britain highlights a state of open races, a slate of open races to determine a new municipal leader in a Connecticut see city.

We have Sharon belonging to Vedra who was the Republican nominee running against Democrat Bobby Sanchez.

What were the results is what we know so > > Well, I think despite the far?

passing the torch, Mayor Stewart, I keep in mind, she's been very popular in New Britain and she wanted Sharon blowing serve a drug to be her successor, but it didn't work out that way.

And in fact, Bobby Sanchez, who is not done well in previous elections, challenging a former Mayor Stewart.

He did very well last night.

> > Longtime Republican mayor as Susan just says, yet, a majority of registered voters are Democrats with that in mind?

How does a perspective, mayor, like?

Bobby Sanchez, who is the mayor elect now in New Britain has Susan really highlighted, hasn't really done well in other elections.

besides obviously being state representative, but you get the idea will go.

No, nobody is done well against air and store it in running for mayor.

So let's be clear about that.

Erin Stewart is a unique figure in the Britain as the kids would say she's a wagon.

She she had her own brand of fusion politics.

She would have Democrats run with her for the board of Alderman she grew up there.

you know, she's very charming.

She's a good retail politician.

And none of that mattered.

One wit yesterday in New Britain.

That as Bobby Sanchez said, all the Democrat Democratic voters Ferrer and came home Tuesday night.

They came home big, not only the Bobby Sanchez.

When quite easily, but it was pretty much a Democratic sweep, you know, city treasurer, the board of all the persons a it was a big night for the Democrats.

And it came even though there was not a huge turnout during the day.

The Republicans were feeling pretty optimistic and the Democrats were really rattled low turnout the Republicans said once that nearly 3 to one advantage in voter registration that the Democrats have yet the people who showed up, they win for Biden to Sanchez.

> > I think even if they got 20%, that was big.

But I'd much are they got that in New Britain.

I think in Bristol where I was it was under 20%, which is not uncommon necessarily.

If you're a municipal election because let's face a lot of people don't necessarily vote.

I think the numbers with a when all the calculations, I think it'll be higher and statewide it typically is 33%.

It looked yesterday it might be 34%.

> > In Britain that 2 years ago it was 26% turnout.

So.

Yeah, a little bit.

Your point that it still it.

It's less than half what you see in a presidential election.

Other cities with that similar situation of having a Republican leader in a place with a lot of Democrats making up the electorate held elections yesterday.

> > Including Mark Bradford, Bristol Norwich Westport.

What are you hearing about those races?

It was Democratic sweet.

Again, that was those were the races I focused on because you had a, you know, for places where there were opens.

> > Seats being vacated by Republicans in places with strong Democratic registrations and Democrats won.

All 4 of those and then of course, they had bunch of races for real upsets.

You know, Bres Bristol is very close where in a rematch, Democratic mayor came back and unseated Republican Jeff Katz.

Yeah.

> > But back to saying posts asked yet on the show, but then mouthful but ID and let's see if I can that I get the ball right.

But Ansonia Milford Stratford not only were their Democratic upset, but they were landslides.

These were double digit wins at the different in Brazil.

I mean, I'm not sure what the end result is.

They were still counting votes last night in Bristol, but it was little over 100 under 200 and the votes that they were counting at the end where the early votes you were there.

I was telling me about the scene.

It was that there were a lot of new developments.

Lot of twists and turns throughout the night and at one point, you know, Mayor Jeff Caggiano is light.

He's a popular mayor.

> > And if you remember what happened in that city 3 years ago with the police officers, 2 of them shot and killed.

They were ambushed in another police officer was shot and severely injured and he kind of led the city through that.

And I think people really respected him for that.

He's also led a lot of new development downtown.

He didn't start that blueprint.

Ellen's op was also the Democratic challenger will tell you that she started that whole plan across from City Hall, but he'll tell you he put the for shovel in the ground and they actually got things going.

But there was a moment of concession last night.

There was with out a real concession.

He conceded without conceding.

If that's possible.

Once he was up a little bit by 600 votes.

But then when the early votes started coming in, he started to see that.

And he thanked his supporters without conceding.

But I want to point this out because I think this was a very classy thing to do when he started to concede to his crowd people.

We went over to Ellen's op of sauces campaign and she spoke to her supporters in country came over there and congratulated her.

And I just thought that that was a really classy thing to do.

2 things I want to mention before we bring in a very special guest, a first in Norwich, one of the towns that you covered.

We have a very special.

> > First time sort of mayor here in in a sworn Jit Singh.

Yes, and he'll be the first mayor in Connecticut of the Sikh faith.

So and, you know, use one of a number first, you know, the first black first selectman elected in Westport, the first Latino mayor elected in the Britain.

> > And then you covered and Sony would you briefly mentioned David Cassetti is out in Ansonia.

It's all right.

He's been pretty popular.

I think 6 terms if I'm correct.

But they've had a lot of financial problems in that town.

> > The state has an oversight board that they are watching some of their budgetary problems.

They sold off their sewer plant to pay down debt.

And I wonder if that had a factor or you know what?

We're all talking about today and that is the Trump factor and Republicans in Congress.

And if that prompted voters to vote Democrat, we'll talk more about that, particularly from a nationwide perspective later on in the program.

But we're going to stay with this conversation.

> > Surrounding yesterday's vote bring in a heavy hitter to help us here.

Joining us now is the secretary of the state, Stephanie Thomas.

There you are.

> > Happy morning.

Election Day, Secretary Thomas.

> > I love the election for us.

Has not ended yet.

I was going to say that until November 14th.

yeah, did you get any sleep last night?

What kind of regiment are you on right now to kind of show up with a Sunday morning?

> > I definitely stay out till after midnight to make sure the first numbers to go.

And so I may or may slept on a couch and boy.

> > Okay.

So lets them start you off with some good news.

You had some tabulators in many places for the first time.

I know some people got the new equipment last year, but a lot of new tabulators using that bonding money that was first approved in 2023. help us understand how that went for some of the municipality's > > You know, some may is something to tell us, which is great, will do.

> > And after action report, but we had 1200 deployed across the state.

> > And we received less than a dozen issues.

Some towns were using markers that didn't drive fast enough that cause some issues.

And then we heard everything in between like someone thought a machine wasn't working, but it turned out the outlet that powers the screen wasn't working.

So when they plug didn't everything was good.

Again.

So all in all, I consider it a great success.

> > And the fact that you have the answers to those questions are ready.

That should be a good, good news for some Can you weigh in on why it tends to take a while for results to be posted on the secretary of the state website.

I think it was 11:00PM and still most races were not necessarily updated on the website.

> > Yes.

So there are a lot of laws that dictate what happens.

But most people, the process is opaque to and they think it's automatic somehow.

there's literally hundreds of separate data points that have to be manually entered into 2 different systems.

One is the results, which is sometimes you see that.

But this statistics are interred separately.

So whereas the town will have the tabulator tapes and entering the statistics to see the percentage is a whole different system.

Different data entry.

And that does not have to be completed by law at a certain time whereas the results have to be in by midnight, but not for hand counted ballots and some absentee.

And so we were speculating about turnout.

And I guess we could speculate it until the results are official.

But what can you tell us early on here following the vote counting.

> > Being finalized here or excuse me, the polls closing in Connecticut.

> > Yeah, exactly.

So we don't have all the stats in from about 15 pounds > > so we'll wait to see if the trend holds for right now.

We ticked up a little bit and if everything holds were at 34.4% turnout.

If I look at the last 3 municipal, our highest was 33.6, 7%.

So every percentage point in the right direction counts.

But I heard you talking earlier about towns like Stratford for example, they went from 28 point 4, 6%, turnout.

And 23 to last night, 40.4 1% huge leap.

> > Prior to Election Day, Connecticut voters had 14 days to hit the polls in person under new Ish early voting laws in the state.

How did the early voting go?

> > Early voting went grade.

Obviously not the same level of turnout that we see in presidential elections.

But over 190,000 people cast an early voting ballot.

Over in.

Yeah.

Sorry.

Go ahead.

Yeah.

I was going to say and I still hear from people.

People were texting me like thank you like it was so great to go with my spouse on Saturday or to take my child vote together.

So I do think Connecticut's still enjoys > > We talked in the past it.

about the administration of early voting and sort of nailing the right amount of days and time to offer to voters where stand now on 2 weeks, early voting.

> > I mean, I think people know I was never a fan of 2 weeks.

I thought it was too long.

And just based on the current, many of states that have longer periods don't have town by town election.

So they have a longer period.

But you were locations so what I have been looking at, we had we have data now from our highest turnout elections.

Presidential and now we have data from our lowest turnout, local elections.

So I have asked the registrars to prepare that data to look at cost per voter at cetera.

And I hope to have that data to give to the legislature the next session so they can consider any modifications.

> > I have to go to a sort of a listener question here, mark, from the Greater Hartford Area has a question for you regarding or early voting.

Go ahead and what it creates to our our guests to mark from Greater Hartford wants to know whether or not this actually allows people to or excuse me, it actually attract new voters or if it's rather if there's evidence that it drives new voter registration, maybe can asked that question better than I can.

Mark your mark from great if you know, I did realize I'm having fun of that work.

> > But yes, I mean that that is trying to get our our panelists involved in this conversation with a great Secretary.

Clinton are good.

Yes, I mean, there are campaigns that are trying to also do that analysis.

What was the new voter difference in the early voters?

I take it.

It's too early for you to have any assessment of that.

But will that be part of your analysis that goes to the General Assembly?

Will you be looking at?

> > In the early voters?

Because you can track I mean, we can track electronically who showing up for how they're casting a vote.

You know, whether it's in a be early voting are showing up.

Are you going to be doing that kind of analysis as to how many?

Additional voters, people who generally don't vote Muni showed up the news early voting.

> > We'll definitely be looking at new voter turnout.

We've been doing many efforts from an ad campaign to a media blitz.

Justic tried to drive turnout in these municipal elections.

But as you know, it's too difficult to compare apples to apples, Buckeyes.

What to me drive turnout.

The most is not the methodology of voting but who the candidates are on the ballot.

it's usually never the same 2 candidates.

So it's hard to make those comparisons.

I have never supported or early voting as a way to increase turnout because states who have been doing it for decades have found on average the same number of voters always turn out by that method of their voting makeshift from in-person to early or absentee to in person, depending on their lifestyle > > 8, 8, 8, 7, to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, the number to call.

If you have a question for us on the Wheelhouse.

But I understand my friend Susan, from somewhere south of this location has a question for the secretary of state is > > Good morning.

Secretary well.

Tom Morning.

I think your concerns are frustrations are things that I've heard from a lot of registrars and a lot of towns.

And that is, you know, 14 days this is a lot.

And so you funded you have to have staffing there and some days it's, you know, 2 people and 20 people, but there some comments made last night.

So, you know, in Bristol, for example, there was some 3,000 votes at the end for early voting.

Just that, you know, when it it it I think people feel that it kind of takes the wind out of the sail on Election Day.

I don't know if that's really true.

Or not.

having that 14 day period.

Is that slow down the process of collecting those votes and getting that there and do you find as many people do that more Democrats tend to take advantage of early voting than Republicans.

> > I do find participation to be reliant on a party like, for example, all when the law was being considered.

Aarp was one of the biggest supporters because seniors are often have chronic illnesses or take a lot of medication in don't know.

Good days from bad days.

So those types of things aren't part of the specific in terms of early voting.

A lot of it is about will be in Connecticut about creating a holistic system.

We also have the ballot referendum with universal access to absentee ballots that still needs to be put into law and that becomes or early in-person voting.

Is there a real way?

So making sure everything works together, making sure we are keeping small towns and large cities in mind part-time registrars with full-time registrars in mind will be the work of the legislature in the coming years because in some.

States they have they've had universal access early voting and Election Day voting long enough that they have been able to shift the cost burden.

So if they know fewer people are coming out on Election Day, they change those staffing requirements here in Connecticut.

We haven't changed that yet, right?

I think in New York, early voting is a week before the election.

Is that something that Connecticut should look into?

Is that adequate?

> > I think it's 9 days on my first recommendation was 9 days and then I went to tend to include 2 full weekend.

But again, now that we have data, I think we can reconsider all of this together.

> > You got a busy job you're dealing with this.

You also have to deal with small businesses and businesses in Connecticut.

So there's a phishing scam.

You guys are dealing with that.

You guys have addressed you also have to finish tallying up the votes here.

And I know come February, you'll be talking to lawmakers about some business that they have to take care of regarding last legislative.

Excuse me, the last vote that we had and a referendum that was on the ballot.

So Stephanie, Thomas, I appreciate you joining us this morning.

Despite all that you have going on.

> > Thank you.

Good to see everyone.

You have a great day.

Secretary of the state, Thomas.

Okay.

We just had a nice conversation, folks.

If you have any questions or give us a call, 8, 8, 8, 7, to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, were also on YouTube.

> > Hit us up there.

8, 8, 7, to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, the number to call.

If you want to talk to us, you guys were really interested in early voting 14 days of early voting, something towns talk a lot about because of the costs associated with running.

It seems to be a bipartisan issue is I think you're kind of getting.

> > It isn't.

It's a lot.

I mean, 14 day.

Sure.

I think you want to create access and give people every opportunity you can to get them to vote.

a lot of people, both Republicans and Democrats seem to think the 14 days maybe too much.

The secretary, as the secretary said, she had recommended 10 which would get you the 2 full weekends.

Senator Chris Murphy actually weighed in on that.

And he really was a factor in getting the General Assembly to go to 2 full weeks.

> > So it's again, it's a it's something they could clearly trim back by at least the 4 days and still would be a great convenience.

Turnout.

We got in that figure market pretty much hit the nail right on the head there with your talk about 34% or something like that.

> > Stratford was a place where she said that it was pronounced.

What can you guys add to that situation?

We're talking about a towel going from 28% to now 40% around this time in talking about turnout being higher than the last 3 I'd year cycles.

> > You had a a local fight over the police unions.

A firefighter unions were angry that there were, I believe, 2 firefighters who are trying to get a disability pension that they have eventually were dismissed.

So you have that kind of thing that drove drove the vote.

You know, when the police union and the firefighters and the firefighters get behind a challenger.

You also had a Democrats, I'm told by at least one consultant who successfully used Trump 2 in outreach on Election Day to get people to turn out and and to do so during the early voting and the early voting, I'm told there were a lot of new voters to buy new voters.

I mean, people who generally don't show up in municipal elections who used early voting in Stratford.

So in Stratford, it all seemed to come together for a big, big upset.

Anything you heard from our conversation there with the with secretary of Time, Secretary of the state > > That was rather notable to Thomas.

you, Susan.

> > I think she just reemphasize position about having a shorter day early voting.

The fact that, you know, some town saw a significant increase turnout, which was good.

I municipal elections don't always draw a lot of enthusiasm or interest.

And I think that's important.

And and certain issues in certain races.

Yeah, that here's one place where they had a gigantic turnout effort are extent our election coverage is going to sort of.

> > extend beyond our state now and into New York.

The collection there.

Something people in Connecticut are paying attention to, including our governor who recently said this of Democrats or on mom, Donna, who is now the mayor elect.

> > Now it's time to transition.

Is he a mayor who can govern ordinance could be reaching out to the business community in Wall Street and say I'm here, you know, to fight for all the people.

I know how important your and the city.

> > He said that on CNN last week.

The governor also invoked Hamilton in the interview as he also often does saying, and this is from George Washington's mouth to Hamilton.

As I understand it, revolutions are easy.

Governing is hard.

So we got to think about the next step.

Governor Ned Lamont said, what do we make of the governor's thoughts on my daddy.

Let the governor is a Greenwich who closely follows Wall Street.

Wall Street.

> > Has an impact on Connecticut Rep News.

It has made life very easy for Ned Lamont and his 7 years as governor.

So far but yeah, he is a he is more of a centrist, at least by Blue State standards.

He has been very supportive of some progressive labor initiatives, particularly in his first term, paid sick days, higher minimum wage.

That kind of thing.

But he is also somebody who has put the brakes on a more progressive income tax rate.

He vetoed a UN affordable housing bill.

He vetoed a bill that would have provided jobless benefits for strikers.

So there's some tensions in the Democratic Party in Connecticut with the governor and the more liberal elements.

So I think a he is certainly sensitive to that.

But that's who he is.

I mean, he loves to governor governed from the center.

He loves.

Loves it.

When you can get bipartisan agreement on something as appears to be the case in the special session.

But they're basically set aside 500 million dollars in Morris is a contingency against further federal cutbacks.

I agree.

I think Governor Long Lamont is very careful about his words.

He doesn't want to alienate either side.

You know, the Trump especially after having former former Governor Cuomo.

> > No, but even in this whole debate over SNAP benefits in Connecticut, sanctuary cities, the governor has been very careful not to be too, too critical of President Trump.

And and I think the same thing in New York.

I mean, he I mean, where their neighbor and I think that he sees that with some marching orders, you know, that we need to be more cognizant of business and and there.

But I think he's very diplomatic and I agree he's definitely more of a centrist.

In fact, last night in Bristol, I had a chance to speak to a lot of Republicans who might Governor Lamont because they feel that he is not someone who bends or cow Taos to either side.

He has more from the middle.

I think he's smart and so I feel that way.

> > From Connecticut Public Radio, this is the Wheelhouse on Frankie Graziano.

What a dazzling show we've had thus far, but we're not done yet.

We've been breaking down the municipal the muni's.

But coming next, we're going to set up another major event in local politics on the way plans special legislative session to take place.

We can't believe it's going to be November.

12th and 13th watch of lawmakers tackle over those 2 days.

You tell us call 8, 8, 7, to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 7, to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, or hit us up on our YouTube stream.

Listening to the Wheelhouse, Connecticut Public.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ This is the Wheelhouse from Connecticut Public Radio.

I'm Frankie Graziano amid local elections and a looming special session at the state General Assembly, a federal government shutdown.

federal food benefits being held up and local agencies are scrambling to help those in need.

A memo sent out from the governor's office.

Let people know that food is not distributed to Connecticut foodshare's facilities in Longford and Bridgeport, according from the memo here, the bottom line is that anyone in need of food assistance should visit their local food pantry or a mobile food pantry for this assistance.

And I know that my newsman delivery here is a little fun and tongue in cheek here.

But this is rather a serious situation.

And that's why we brought that memo to you.

Still with us to talk through the government shutdown's impact on Connecticut.

And a plant special session is Mark Pass the Oak U.S.

Capitol Bureau chief and co-founder of the Connecticut Mirror and says in Rafah, WFSB News Channel, Three's Chief political reporter, folks who are impacted by the shutdown.

What would you like lawmakers to tackle in the plant?

Special session?

Give us a call.

8, 8, 7, to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, How serious.

Susan is the situation in Connecticut regarding federal food benefits?

I think it's very serious.

And I think a lot of people don't realize the situation and there are a lot of families in Connecticut and across this country.

> > That either they're on a fixed income.

They have disabilities.

They have small children who need these this assistance.

It's not always a permanent.

Sometimes it's temporary.

Just to move up to the next level.

But they're very concerned.

I mean, Foodshare is busting at the seams.

They've gotten 36 fewer loads of food from the federal government this year.

I don't remember, but that's a hundreds of pounds of food that go to our food pantries all across this state.

And and right now there's a lot of uncertainty because, you know, some of the money is going to be made available.

But it really is a Band-Aid.

It costs a lot of money to run this program.

Connecticut, get 72 million dollars a month SNAP benefits and there's no real solution in sight as to what's going to happen going forward could have been one potentially with a court ruling issued Friday said that the federal government should use emergency funds to pay SNAP benefits.

> > Mark, at this time where there's a lot of word about political rhetoric and it leading potentially violent.

So people should generally watch their mouth.

Somebody was not doing that as President.

Donald Trump was set on truth, social snap benefits, quote, will be given only when the radical left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do and not before.

So a Connecticut come to the table to help its residents following this ruling?

Well, and that puts him because it sounds like they may have to.

Yeah, that puts him in violation of of 2 court orders as well as congressional directions to continue funding snap.

There's a contingency fund which is available that he has refused to use.

> > And quite frankly, that played into the elections with a lot of anger of that.

So in Connecticut.

The challenge is now for the governor.

How aggressive will you be to replenish that system and the way that system works is there are electronic benefit transfer cards, you know, like an ATM card.

And as Susan said, I mean, that's the 72 million dollars goes out every month that the governor's initial response was to do 3 million dollar emergency grant to foodshare, which is the giant nonprofit.

That is both think of it as a wholesaler that provides food to a lot of the food pantries.

But it's also a retail and that they run these mobile pantries and they actually directly distribute the food that way.

But as the leader of that nonprofit make clear, you know, we all can do the math.

3 million dollars is not going to offset the loss of 72 Million.

And there's no food bank in the United States.

That's going to they can match the reach and efficiency of snap because those snap cards again, they recharge automatically or they should.

And they are something that could be spent it at literally every major supermarket in the state as well as many smaller stores.

Read another shutdowns.

Snap has not affected and the and the cards have been reloaded.

So whether that's political or not.

> > But Mark is right.

I mean, you know, so the state or through you know, an issue of the governor's giving food share 3 million dollars.

But I believe that that's a two-week solution.

And he has indicated, you know, Connecticut does have a 4 billion plus dollars surplus will that be used to offset to some of the costs of snap?

We will find out next week when lawmakers go into special session I will still have to see and they have to talk about how to spend that money.

First, I understand.

But before we get to that, > > our colleague Lisa Hagen, talk to a former snap recipient.

And you did a story on it.

This warmer staff recipient is now a lawmaker.

Federal lawmaker by the name of John Hayes.

Tell me about what she had to say and what federal lawmakers are saying about SNAP benefits, at least our congressional delegation.

Mark.

Well, get to Hanna heads and others have pointed out quite correctly that the law is on their side.

That this suspension of SNAP benefits is unprecedented.

> > The president through his social media post has made it clear that he is using it as a punitive measure, trying to pressure Democrats and the Senate to come to the table and vote for continuing resolution.

On the terms set by the president and he has not been open to negotiations on the major.

Sticking point for Senate Democrats, which is they want to see.

It's an extension of tax credits that are expiring this year.

That greatly subsidize the premiums people pay if they have to get their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act you know, there's room to there should be room to negotiate their about perhaps trying to greatly target those tax credits.

The people most in need but I mean that that is really been the sticking And so that and that leads the Democrats.

Johanna Hayes, Attorney General William Tong and others to say this is the president, the United States weaponizing hunger and health care to win a budget fight, right.

We heard the president talking about you know, that they didn't do well in the election Republicans because Republicans blame for the shutdown.

> > Democrats, however, say that what they're fighting for is worth fighting for this is the Affordable Care Act which gives people health insurance such as they could not get Pryor.

Now, whether there were problems with it or issues, there's no other plan on the table.

I have heard from so many people whose premiums are going up I mean, it's unbelievable.

So they're dropping their health insurance.

So that's a huge issue.

And that that's what Democrats feel that they have to fight for.

In addition to the fact that now we're seeing families with SNAP benefits.

Now, people who have health insurance are also going to be hit.

> > On the issue of stapp, very important.

Listen at the same time slot tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock, I believe Foodshare is going to be represented on Where We Live tomorrow with Katherine Chan as Kuz show produced by Tess Terrible tomorrow.

But pay attention Where We Live in Connecticut Public.

You can also stream it at CT Public Dot Org slash Where We Live, where they will be talking to foodshare.

There's the Medicaid benefits to that.

Folks were supposed to be taking care of in the special session.

So I know there's a lot to be taken care of, but we also are thinking about the big beautiful bill and those Medicaid benefits that were supposed to be bandied about in a special session.

So you got that as well that lawmakers have to.

Can lawmakers have their hands full?

They have quite a bit.

> > To deal with.

You have 2 separate things that have come together so months ago, it became clear that the state would be under pressure to put more money into a budget reserve in anticipation of some of the impacts of the one big, beautiful build, which will not be felt for a while, but they were already put in place.

You know, there's roughly a 12% cut.

In Medicaid even before the government shutdown, which is lead to the suspension of snap.

They change jail ability rules which made it more difficult to get it.

So there was that element where the Democrats were discussing, how much money do we need to set aside to prepare for these federal cutbacks and then the shutdown came and you have some more immediate challenges regarding snap regarding why he, which is the program that provides a fuel assisting you for mentioning that yet.

So, you know.

Heating and food as winter is coming 2 key things.

So that's what's come together.

So next week it looks like the governor has agreed to a basically setting aside 500 million dollars that otherwise would have been going to these accelerated payments and paying down the pension unfunded like this is 500 million dollars that they got to move around.

Okay.

I mean, basically the way it works is Connecticut has budget reserves.

A rainy-day fund that under state law can be equal to no more than 18% of the general fund.

So that.

The fund is fall.

There's like 4.3 Billion dollars available in that.

And what they're going to do is raise that ceiling.

they'll have 4 point 8 billion in budget reserves.

But on top of that, there is a projected surplus for the current fiscal year, which will be between one and 2 billion dollars.

So.

There's pressure on Governor Lamont to be a little bit more aggressive in using that money to mitigate some of the impacts of the immediate federal shutdown as well as cutbacks that are coming up next year.

And where do you think Republicans are going to be on that?

How much money?

You know, they've been big supporters as the governor has about using any surplus to pay down pension dad and not steer it away to, you know, feel-good issues.

What do you think a Republican leadership is going to be on them?

The House minority leader is already on record being supportive.

He's concerned he did not want to see you.

I do want to get into the weeds too deeply.

Didn't want to see the volatility kept that sort of set some of these funds aside.

> > Tinkered with, but he said this is legitimate or emergency.

So let's tap.

The budget reserves and let's bolster the budget reserve.

So there could well be a bipartisan vote next week on doing that.

> > Yeah, that's the message I heard.

The question is how much you plus housing in 2 days.

That possible > > some member there was a bill that was vetoed earlier in the year and then Governor Lamont said, come back to me in a special session.

It doesn't seem pressing at right now, but well, there's a draft that.

I don't say the governor signed off on it because we were under that impression with the last Bill is signed off.

But there is a version that is done that is acceptable.

As far as I can tell.

> > To some of the advocates, particularly the housing Committee chair Representative Antonio Felipe of Bridgeport, House Majority leader Jason Rojas.

So that is something that could very well come up next week.

It also this is a sensitive point between the governor and elements of his own party.

Has.

He wants to begin his reelection campaign and he would like to do it with everybody applauding him.

And not people complaining about the veto of a housing Bill.

8, 8, 8, 7, to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, The number to call.

We're also asking you to send comments to our YouTube Stream.

> > Ct part, excuse me, YouTube dot com slash Connecticut Public in there.

You hear the music but really and ask has, Susan, if you heard anything yet about.

> > Farming 10, the Farmington Valley, Avon Simsbury, our friend, Rodney Johnson on YouTube asking if it went all blue or if you know anything about those election results here.

Yeah, just really quickly Farmington.

I believe the Democrats won control of the council in simsbury.

Yes, Democrats.

> > Canton, the first selectman was not up for re-election.

So I I have not gone through all of that.

But but generally speaking, the Farmington Valley, the Democrats did just fine well, where the pros play here on the Wheelhouse.

Tremendous work from Mark passed cousin Susan Raff.

They're not done yet.

We're going to talk more about local law making, including how a corruption scandal within the Lamont Administration is landing with the people of Connecticut that and we take your call.

So give us a call.

8, 8, 8, 7, to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, Listen to the Wheelhouse.

Connecticut Public.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ This is the Wheelhouse from Connecticut Public Radio.

I'm Frankie Graziano, a federal corruption trial for a former deputy state budget director took center stage in news headlines over the past few weeks on us was found guilty on counts of extortion, bribery, conspiracy, and making false statements to tell us more about this is Susan Raff, who is the WFSB news channel.

Three's chief political reporter and Mark past the Opus Capital.

Pierre chief and co-founder of the Connecticut Mirror running out of time in this segment.

We're gonna try to get the stuff quick.

So give us a call right now.

If you have any questions, we'll try to get them in.

88 7 to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, Susan.

He spent a lot of time recently covering the federal corruption trial for WFSB News Channel 3 at the end of it found guilty on all.

21 counts of extortion, bribery and making false statements was because of the amount diamandis.

Why should state residents pay attention to a conviction involving someone who was in charge of school construction contracts for the governor?

I think that's a good question.

You know, and I think originally everyone wanted to tie it in to Governor Lamont, know what was going on.

And they were never able to to draw that connection.

> > Yeah, but no, no doubt he was in charge of school construction projects for the state of Connecticut and his claim was he was taking a legal fees and consulting fees from these subcontractors to get them these big jobs for the state of Connecticut.

That's where all the money is right.

And he's saying, yeah, I'm just doing it on the side, you know, and you know, on its face, it looked terrible, right?

I mean, for him to do that and apparently not sharing that with anyone.

But I think what was so incriminating about this trial where these numerous tax with some of the subcontractors tried to erase.

They did erase them and of course, when the feds found them by language like Johnny, I need a coin and I needed now and it was very incriminating.

And so you can sense the Dunkin Donuts, coffee and open, right?

What was done here in the capital Grille that kept coming many times.

I mean, one of the subcontractors said that she met him in the side of the road and her car and he handed she felt like she was making a drug deal.

So it really is not good for Casa de Montas who, by the way, throughout the trial really just came off very hockey sure of himself and doesn't think that he did anything wrong.

You mentioned that people are trying to tie this.

The governor's administration politically.

Mark, what does it mean for the administration to order?

> > Story recently about condemnation from state Republican leaders regarding the corruption involving a Lamont official.

> > Well, there is no, the governor has not been implicated directly in any way, shape or this or in the is another trial coming up having to do with the suspension of a Medicaid audit that Mr.

Da Montas played a role in and he doesn't have to testify but that that Fred.

Whenever stuff like this happens on your watch.

It does reflect in the larger sense of your oversight of state government.

That is always the case.

Fortunately for the governor.

Memories tend to be short.

This trial is over the next one is supposed to be in January.

So the dust should settle long before the next election.

But it is something that undoubtedly Republicans will point to and say was Governor Lamont and his top staff as attentive as they should have been no doubt because Norm Pattis who represented the amount is put Governor Lamont and former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin.

> > And when it was discussed in court, whether they were actually going to subpoena them and whether they were going to come to court.

Both Lamont and Bronin said didn't have any recollection or they weren't clear their conversations and that leaves a lot of them it right.

It has did they or did they not?

But in the end, they felt that it was not advantageous to their case to have them come in.

If they couldn't remember things.

Let it be clear there is.

> > No direct involvement that has been alleged Russian rather career Mayor Brown and or Governor Lamont.

The reason that he initially listed them as witnesses.

He looked like he wanted to make the case that the governor had.

> > Said coop school constructions a priority.

Do this quickly.

But of course, is the judge concluded well that no way, shape or form means means go take bribes to do that.

Absolutely.

Because because the governor had been saying to the amount is get these contracts done on time on budget but that does not indicate clearly that he says will do whatever you want on the side to make that happen.

We're doing this to make sure that we spell this out for people have case they have any kind of connections that they want to make another trial really quickly, we only got about a minute left in the show.

What's that going to do involving the amount is coming up?

Susan?

> > Well, it's not really be following it.

I will be is actually in February.

amount to says sentencing for this previous trial.

The last trial is in January in February.

It has to do with I believe Medicaid fraud in an optometrist was billing the state fraudulently and the amount U.S.

and I believe the DSS commissioners going to be involved in that about allowing that of Tom a trust to pay some kind of restitution and avoid criminal charges.

He's already facing a 10 to 12 years for the trial that just wrapped up.

That's more time for him.

He's 69 years old.

This is better than taking Coke.

You 10 having you guys on the are ready and I feel I can take on the rest of my day.

> > What a fantastic job you guys did.

Shirley on short sleep and continuing to carry the coverage for politics in Connecticut are marked as cause Capitol bureau chief and co-founder of the Connecticut mayor, thank you for coming on the show.

Thank you for having me.

And Susan Raff the institution here in Connecticut.

Wfsb News Channel, Three's chief political reporter.

Thank > > Thank you very much.

And you.

thank you, everyone for listening.

> > Thank you guys, both for your tremendous work.

We appreciate it.

Taking us across the state and beyond even New York City today show produced by Chloe.

When thank you so much, Chloe, for your work.

Today was edited by Patrick Scale.

Our technical producers, Dylan race, Tess terrible.

Megan Fitzgerald, Connecticut Public's, visuals, team operations team.

Thank you guys so much for your work.

Download the Wheelhouse anytime on your favorite podcast app.

I'm Frankie Graziano.

This is the Wheelhouse.

Thank you for listening.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪