Lyddy Takes Office, Receives Three Committee Assignments

HARTFORD — State Representative Christopher Lyddy (D-Newtown) was sworn as the new representative serving the 106th General Assembly District in Newtown by Connecticut’s Secretary of the State January 7.

Newly elected Speaker of the House Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden) appointed Mr Lyddy to serve on the Education, Human Services, and Public Health Committees.

“It is an honor to serve the people of the 106th District, and I look forward to the session ahead,” Rep Lyddy said. “We will need to work together to find balanced solutions to the unprecedented challenges we face.”

Rep Lyddy joined state lawmakers on Wednesday opening the 2009 Connecticut legislative session, which promises to be one of the most difficult in recent memory given the state’s worsening financial situation.

The lawmakers are facing state budget deficit that is estimated at $343 million for this fiscal year and $6 billion for the two years that begins July 1.

They have an electorate that is already suffering from the national financial crisis. Since August 2008, there have been an average of 1,000 home foreclosures a month in Connecticut.

Also, the state’s unemployment rate is the highest it has been in 15 years, at 6.6 percent.

“The people of Connecticut have put their trust in us to represent them in this crucial time in our history,” Senate President Donald E. Williams Jr., D-Brooklyn, told his fellow senators. “As we make our way in the months of the ahead we must be worthy of that trust.”

Governor M. Jodi Rell, a Republican who faces an even larger Democratic majority in the General Assembly this year, addressed the House and Senate later in the day. In her annual State of the State address, Gov Rell said government must shrink because Connecticut’s taxpayers are seeing their personal budgets shrink.

“As families struggle to pay their monthly bills, so will we. As they cut back on expenses and forgo new purchases, so must we,” Gov Rell told the General Assembly. “The cuts must be made and they will be deep and they will affect every agency, every program, and every service provided by state government,” she said.

Gov Rell urged lawmakers to work in a bipartisan way to solve the budget crisis — a sentiment that has been echoed by Democrats and Republicans in recent days.

“By working together we can better meet those challenges,” said Senate Minority Leader John McKinney, as he seconded the nomination of Mr Williams as Senate president. Sen McKinney represents Newtown in the Senate.

Lawmakers have said they plan to vote on a two-year budget plan before the session adjourns on June 3, hoping to avoid past fiscal battles that have dragged through the summer. Meanwhile, the legislature plans to vote January 14 on Gov Rell’s plan to address the current fiscal year’s deficit, estimated by state Comptroller Nancy Wyman at $343 million.

Constituents wishing to contact Rep Lyddy can call his office at the State Capitol toll free at 800-842-8267 or through e-mail at Christopher.Lyddy@cga.ct.gov.