It's the New Year and, for Ned Lamont, that means there is only one week left to prepare for the day he takes over the reins of state government.
Lamont has signaled a willingness to be a consensus-builder, someone who brings together opposing viewpoints to reach effective solutions. But does he have the backbone to stand firm during the budget process when groups that propelled him into office present him with wish-lists the state can't readily afford?
This week, we take stock of Lamont and how he may approach the challenges before him. In what ways will he be different from his predecessors?
He already has made many of his most important cabinet picks. Are his nominees to head the state's corrections, public safety, transportation, and other departments ready for their immensely important roles? We gauge the skills and experience they will bring to the job.
We also debate whether the newly expanded rail service between New Haven and Springfield, MA., is worth the massive public investment. And we turn a critical eye to the official portrait of Dannel Malloy. How accurately does it represent our outgoing 88th governor?
GUESTS:
- Colin McEnroe - Host of The Colin McEnroe Show on WNPR (@ColinMcEnroe)
- Susan Bigelow - Contributor - CTNewsJunkie.com (@whateversusan)
- Dan Haar - Editor and columnist at Hearst Connecticut Media (@DanHaarColumns)
