State Government is Becoming Inaccessible, and that Really Stinks

Something stinks in the legislature, and I'm not talking about the perfume. A recent opinion piece published in the Hartford Courant by a health advocate concerned about fragrances in tightly-packed committee rooms got me thinking about state government these days. In particular, this question from the author: "So many people want to testify at Connecticut legislative hearings, but how many are staying away because of their concerns about being enclosed in spaces with scented products?" I understand the author's point, but as someone who sits in these committee rooms, I think there's a more odious issue at play when it comes to the citizenry's interaction with government: the process itself has become increasingly inaccessible. Take the simple act of testifying on a bill. For the average person concerned about an issue, getting those precious three minutes in front of committee members is akin to climbing a mountain—the hours-long process is exhausting if not disorienting. Testifying involves a lottery process that's dominated by lobbyists and special interest groups. On top of that, state bureaucrats always get their say first. Signing up at breakfast but not speaking until dinner, or even later, is common. Can you can afford to miss a day of work to wait your turn in Hartford? And this simple procedural issue is the tip iceberg. Consider recent headlines about pro-tolling legislators conspiring with the governor to create a "public" forum on transportation featuring a tolling-friendly audience. How about the budget-building tactics employed by Democrats who control both chambers of the legislature? Delivering a thousand-page budget bill—a document loaded with tax and fee increases—a few hours before a vote is unacceptable. Most taxpayers would appreciate a chance to weigh in on such policy decisions that carry such significant impact on their lives. Legislative business conducted after midnight? Don't get me started. Ignoring statutory requirements to hold legislative hearings on state agency audit reports, including many that point to significant government failures? Yes, that happens. There's no doubt that this General Assembly, controlled by Democrats for the better part of four decades, has lost its way. Can some of these problems be fixed easily? Of course they can. Change the rules to allow citizens to testify ahead of lobbyists. Hold public hearings on final budget bills. Allow representatives and senators to ask questions about those audit reports. Will those changes happen? Without greater party balance in the legislature, I'm afraid we just won't get there. It'll take you hours to testify, and my colleagues and I will never get to pose questions about audit reports that detail waste, fraud, and abuse.