Senate Leadership
March 16, 2006
Williams: Governor’s Veto Culminates Dishonest Campaign Against Clean Contracting Bill
Taxpayers lose, private contractors win in defiance of State Auditors
State Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) today characterized Governor Rell's veto of the Clean Contracting Bill as an effort to protect a special interest--private contractors--at the expense of much-needed protections for taxpayers against privatization debacles.
"This entire process has been marred by a lack of honesty from the governor's office as she moved the goal line every time she vetoed a version of the bill," Sen. Williams said. "The independent State Auditors of Public Accounts have specifically called for privatization protections for taxpayers as did the governor's own Contracting Reform Task Force. The governor has chosen to protect private contractors at the expense of taxpayers."
Added Sen. Williams, "The governor's stated reasons for vetoing the bill do not have merit. First she objected to a temporary ban on privatized contracts--after first signing off on it. It was removed from the bill. Then she claimed nonprofits would be hurt--another unsupported claim. But because this bill is so important, we exempted nonprofits. Now she claims the bill would tie her hands and essentially prohibit privatization. That is simply false."
Sen. Williams questioned the governor's commitment to cleaning up the contracting process. "It's clear the governor is more interested in protecting a special interest--private contractors--than heeding the call of the State Auditors to put these protections in place."
A recent Fox 61 television news report highlighted the story of Glastonbury businessman Manish Gupta. Mr. Gupta's company, GM2, is involved in design, construction and inspection of bridges, roads and buildings. The Rell administration has repeatedly invoked Mr. Gupta as the typical "small businessman" that would be hurt by the privatization protections in the bill. He was featured in a news release from the governor as well as in a letter to the editor of the Hartford Courant.
Mr. Gupta has received more than $9 million in state contracts since 1995 including more than $1 million in the 10 weeks leading up to his inclusion in the news release, according to the TV report. He, his families and principals of his company have given approximately $20,000 to John Rowland, Jodi Rell and Connecticut since 1998.
"After viewing the report, one wonders whose interest the governor is truly protecting," Sen. Williams said.
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