Lamont vetoes speedy earmarks: ‘My objection is to the process’

Connecticut Governor Vetoes $4 Million in Earmarks, Cites Transparency Concerns

Governor Ned Lamont exercised his line-item veto authority Tuesday to strike down $4 million worth of grants and earmarks from Senate Bill 298, a sweeping 98-section emergency-certified bill that rapidly passed through the Connecticut General Assembly last week with minimal review.

“Let me be clear at the outset: my objection is not to the missions of the organizations named in these sections, nor to the goals the legislature seeks to advance,” Lamont explained in his veto message. “My objection is to the process.”

The emergency certification of SB 298 allowed the legislation to bypass standard committee reviews and public hearings, moving it quickly to passage. While Lamont eliminated several earmarks, he preserved other appropriations he deemed legitimate, including $1.7 million transferred to the Department of Labor for personnel costs.

In his statement, Lamont emphasized growing public concerns about legislative funding decisions: “Over the past year, Connecticut residents have rightly asked for greater transparency and accountability in how legislatively directed funds—commonly referred to as earmarks—are proposed, reviewed, and distributed. When taxpayer dollars are set aside for specific entities outside of a competitive or formula-based process, the public deserves to know exactly how and why those decisions are made.”

Among the six vetoed items was a notable $750,000 allocation intended for the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) to fund a teacher training program over two years. The allocation had drawn particular scrutiny as CREC employs State Senator Douglas McCrory, a Hartford Democrat currently under FBI investigation for his potential influence in securing earmarks.

Other vetoed provisions included $174,000 for a New London VFW post, $70,000 for the Village Initiative through the Judicial Department, $2.5 million for outdoor recreation in Hartford, $330,000 for the Hartford non-profit Our Piece of the Pie, and $200,000 for Free Agent Now (FAN), an East Hartford company that assists young athletes.

FAN’s owner, Roger Wierbicki, had previously described his organization to the Department of Education as “an educational resource that assists in resume construction.”

Lamont’s decision came just one day after The Connecticut Mirror reported his intention to use line-item vetoes, which prompted sharp criticism from Senate Democratic leadership. Senate President Pro Tem Martin M. Looney of New Haven and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff of Norwalk expressed frustration, noting that the terms of the emergency-certified bill had been negotiated and could have been revised before passage.

Despite the controversy over the vetoes, Lamont praised other components of the bill in his message. “I hope this action does not overshadow the many important provisions contained in this bill, including strengthening health and safety standards for warehouse workers, safeguarding our elections from federal interference, and enhancing training for our police officers,” he wrote.

As anticipated, the governor did sign Senate Bill 299, another emergency-certified measure passed last week. That legislation addresses redemption fraud in Connecticut’s bottle deposit system, which has increased since the state doubled its deposits to 10 cents while neighboring states maintained the standard nickel deposit.

The governor’s action highlights ongoing tensions in Connecticut over legislative earmarks and the broader debate about transparency in government spending. By targeting specific appropriations rather than the entire bill, Lamont signaled his support for the broader policy goals while taking a stand on what he considers procedural shortcomings.

The vetoes come amid heightened scrutiny of legislative funding practices in Connecticut, particularly following federal investigations into how certain legislators may have influenced the allocation of state funds to specific organizations.