Candelora, Kelly Comment on Democrats' "Forum" on the State's School Construction Program
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HARTFORD – House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora (R-North Branford) and Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly (R-Stratford) and responded to the Friday afternoon posting of a joint informational forum on the School Construction Program scheduled for Monday morning. The posting on the Connecticut General Assembly website indicates the forum will be held by the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee and Education Committee. The state’s school construction financing program is allegedly the subject of a federal investigation, an issue Republicans have been calling on lawmakers to investigate with bipartisan hearings:
“The people of Connecticut work hard for what they earn. They are entitled to know how their sacrifices are spent. Democrats are denying that entitlement to the people of Connecticut by not sincerely investigating the alleged wrongdoings involving taxpayers’ money. This forum is disingenuous to the people of Connecticut. One party determined this process, without lining up witnesses and without defining the content of the forum. It is not a process that enables the legislature to get to the truth and investigate the issues. Good government demands transparency. This is not a partisan issue. Transparency is created when you shine light on conduct to get to the truth. It’s not created by chaos and confusion and a last minute Friday news dump sneaking a forum onto the calendar with no notice to lawmakers, other than the majority, or the public. Republicans demanded hearings and our calls were ignored. We called to work together to bring balanced, bipartisan, legislative hearings to fruition. This is not a hearing. This is not an investigation. We can't fix the problems or correct wrongdoing without good information. That's the only way to rebuild the public's trust."
INFORMATIONAL FORUM DETAILS:
Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee Education Committee
JOINT INFORMATIONAL FORUM ON THE SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM AGENDA
Monday, March 7, 2022
9:30 AM in Zoom and YouTube Live
CLICK HERE TO WATCH LIVE ON YOUTUBE
I. CONVENE FORUM
II. REMARKS BY CHAIRS AND RANKING MEMBERS
III. PRESENTATION FROM DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES MICHELLE GILMAN, ACTING COMMISSIONER NOEL PETRA, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION SERVICES
IV. QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
V. ADJOURNMENT