There has been quite a bit of concern from taxpayers this week as they learned of budget cuts being proposed by Governor Malloy as a way to close a budget deficit.  Everything from state agencies to cultural organizations will feel the impact, and the governor’s budget chief warned, more cuts could still be coming down the road.

This Sunday on Face the State we were talking about the cuts with the two leaders of the state house of representatives.   Democrat Brendan Sharkey is the Speaker of the House, and Republican Themis Klarides takes over as minority leader in January.

We also talked about ways to increase revenue, including an idea by the operators of the Mohegan Sun casino to open another gaming facility, and what about tolls?  Talk of resurrecting tolls comes up every session, and both Sharkey and Klarides said the 2015 session will likely be no exception.  I think you’ll find their answers on my toll question pretty interesting.

In addition, both were asked about a report that lawmakers want to pass a law to help their ailing colleague, State Senator Andrew Maynard. Both Klarides and Sharkey said to change the law would be a “slippery slope,” with Sharkey adding “if you do it for one you may have to do it for all (state workers.)

Who knows, you could be looking a potential matchup in the 2018 race for governor. Watch the first segment here : http://www.wfsb.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=10880491

And the rest of the interview here: http://www.wfsb.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=10880507

Also Sunday, how  social media can help the unemployed, and our flashback takes us back 20 years to John Rowland’s wedding.   Watch that here:  https://dennishouse.tv/2014/11/21/face-the-state-flashback-the-rowland-wedding/