Hartford Courant: DeStefano Ad Leads Off In Drive For Governor

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Hartford Courant: DeStefano Ad Leads Off In Drive For Governor

The Hartford Courant June 19, 2006

By Mark Pazniokas

New Haven Once school is out and summer vacation begins, will it be too late to engage voters in a Democratic primary for governor that will be settled in the dog days of August?

New Haven Mayor John DeStefano Jr. is not taking that chance, going on the air today with the first gubernatorial campaign ad of 2006, an upbeat spot promising "big plans."

"The rationale is that it's crucial to talk to voters in June, before school gets out, before people start going on vacation and while people are paying attention," said Derek Slap, DeStefano's spokesman.

Slap declined to say if DeStefano intends to maintain an advertising presence through the Aug. 8 primary. DeStefano is competing for the nomination with Stamford Mayor Dannel P. Malloy.

Malloy appears intent on holding fire for the moment with his advertising budget.

"We've designed and we are executing a plan that we are very confident will lead to a primary win on Aug. 8," said Chris Cooney, Malloy's campaign manager. "There will be a right time for Dan Malloy."

DeStefano's commercial introduces him as the son of a working-class family who will not forget his roots. It makes no mention of Malloy and Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell.

"My dad was a police officer. Back then, working people could scrimp and save and become middle class. It was a different time," DeStefano says in the spot. "Today, the middle class is hurting."

DeStefano highlights only one issue, health care, though he suggests a full agenda to be discussed in future ads.

"As governor, I've got big plans, starting with universal health care to lower costs and cover everyone, including children. And I pay for it by closing $300 million in big corporate loopholes," DeStefano says. "As governor, I'll never forget where I came from - or who I work for."

Nearly three months ago, DeStefano said he could fund a $350 million program by closing corporate tax loopholes, an idea Rell's campaign equated to an increase in corporate taxes.

Malloy has proposed a plan to be funded by increasing the cigarette tax by 95 cents per pack, generating more federal funding by broadening Medicaid eligibility and earmarking money from the national settlement with tobacco companies and future state budget surpluses.