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Although the state continues to show a surplus this year, her budget advisors are looking at a downturn in state revenues in 2008, primarily as a result of slowing home sales. A Hartford Courant article also describes a drop in revenue to the Special Transportation Fund. As a result, the Governor has asked state agencies to identify cuts in spending for this fiscal year and next.
President Bush has signed into law a new federal energy bill. The bill includes new fuel economy standards for vehicles by 2020. Not receiving as much notice are some energy conservation measures that will impact the design, construction and operation of commercial buildings.
First there is a mandate that federal buildings reduce their use of fossil fuel to zero by 2030. There is also a commercial building initiative that will provide research and incentives to reduce the energy use of this large segment of the energy consuming pie. The legislation also continues tax deductions for energy saving buildings.
The final report of the Governor's Commission on the Reorganization of the DOT has been postponed till after the first of the year. A notice on the DOT web site states, "Because of the time required to prepare responses to internal requests for further information, the Commission has decided to postpone the December 14 meeting. The Report will be presented to the Governor in the first part of January, 2008."
It is not known if the reason for the delay is related to the departure of Commissioner Carpenter, dissent within the Commission or direction from above to address other issues.
Connecticut DOT Commissioner Ralph Carpenter resigned yesterday effective the end of the year. He will have served less than two years in his capacity as head of the state's transportation agency. In that short time Carpenter brought the agency through the revelation that a contract for reconstruction of I-84 in Cheshire/Waterbury had gone terribly wrong although the work had not been done on his watch.
The Governor will begin a "national search" for a new DOT Commissioner. It would seem unlikely that she will select a ConnDOT employee. Former DOT Commissioner Emil Frankel will head the agency during the interim.
Implications?
First, don't expect any major changes in the agency until the new Commissioner gets his or her feet on the ground. This in spite of the fact that the Governor's Commission on Reform of the DOT is due to present their recommendations to the Governor next week.
Second, don't expect the bureaucracy to begin moving projects any faster. DOT staff have been in a "bunker" mode and this will not help. The only bright spot is that Commissioner Frankel has done this before and his experience at the federal DOT may help him work the system. The state has a lot of projects to get out by the end of the federal fiscal year next fall or else lose federal dollars. Appropriation bills stuck in Congress haven't helped.
