The 30th District Republicans will be holding a legislative forum Thursday, June 17th at 7:30 a.m. at the Fife n' Drum Restaurant on Route 7 in Kent. The cost of the breakfast is $25.00.

State Senator Andrew Roraback will be joined by State Representatives John Rigby, Mary Ann Carson, Clark Chapin, Craig Miner, David Scribner, Art O'Neill and John Piscopo to give a review of the 2010 legislative session and answer questions from those attending.

Proceeds from the breakfast will be used for the 2010 elections.

To reserve your place, please call John Morris at 860-693-0757 or Carol Perrone at 203-947-1561.

Months of unrelenting Republican pressure forced Democrats to capitulate Tuesday, when they agreed to close this year's budget hole without increasing taxes, Rep. John Rigby said.

Today the House of Representatives approved a deficit mitigation plan, agreed to in principal by Governor Rell and Repulicans. It eliminates nearly the entire current year $350 million deficit.

For months the legislature's super majority Democrats ignored ubiquitous calls for reducing the amount of money government spends, favoring tax hikes instead. Republicans steadfastly opposed that slew of tax hikes - most recently a levy on hospitals, electric bills, and hotel rooms. Throughout the months-long debate Republicans proposed several viable, alternative budget plans eventually squashed by the majority.

As the Republicans sought financial remedies, Democrats proposed spending even more money - including a proposed $373 million spending increase they pushed in March.

On Tuesday the majority's long resistance to the common sense Republican approach crumbled.

"We've seen a majority of lawmakers make decisions opposite of the viewpoints shared by the people who put them here - men and women who want government to make the painful monetary choices they've made," Rigby said, "Finally, we're moving that way. But there's much work to be done."

The work Rigby described is a $750 million deficit for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

State Rep. John Rigby looks forward to meeting with his Colebrook constituents today, April 5 during office hours at Town Hall from 6 to 8 p.m. Rigby, a Colebrook resident, invites constituents to share concerns, ideas, and ask questions. He'll provide information about the last legislation session as well as the current one.

Rigby will have office hours April 7th in North Canaan. Rigby has invited Department of Agriculture Commissioner and former state representative, Philip Prelli to his North Canaan office hours. The office hours will be at the Douglas Library from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

For more information on either session call John Rigby at 800-842-1423.

State Rep. John Rigby to have office hours Monday March 8th at Town Hall in Norfolk from 6 to 8 p.m. Rigby, of Colebrook, invites constituents to share concerns, ideas and ask questions. He’ll provide information about recent legislation. Will speak about the current legislative session. Town Hall is located at 19 Maple Ave. For information, call Rigby at 800-842-1423.

It won't be long before we start to see announcements about the re-election plans of local legislators, and everyone expects some spirited challenges to emerge in almost every local district in Northwest Connecticut.

The national political climate and victories such as Scott Brown claiming Ted Kennedy's old U.S. Senate seat in liberal Massachusetts have emboldened Republicans from national races right down to the state House.

In a year when even Rep. Roberta Willis (D-Salisbury) faces a Republican challenger who has announced and gotten organized early, expect no one to take re-election for granted. Willis ran unopposed two years ago and trounced the competition four years ago.

That could mean the Connecticut Republican Party putting some significant resources into a challenge to freshman state Rep. Annie Hornish (D-Granby). She upset a longtime conservative Republican incumbent by the narrowest of margins in 2008, and she is one of the House's most liberal members.

Similarly, Rep. Michelle Cook (D-Torrington) is wrapping up her first term after unseating Republican Anne Ruwet in a House district that has been very close every election cycle going back almost a decade.

Cook's views may be out of step with some in the district, but has helped solidify her position with hard work. She is the local legislator you're most likely to see at every public forum, reception and involved in every neighborhood issue in her district.

Democrats' top local target could be freshman state Rep. John Rigby (R-Colebrook), who might not have been elected to the Legislature at all if it weren't for an explosive sex abuse controversy involving former Democratic Rep. George Wilber that broke a few weeks before the election in 2008.

We might see a rematch between Rigby and Norfolk attorney William Riiska, who did pretty well with a write-in campaign two years ago despite not being listed on the ballot.

The hottest topic at last night's Litchfield County Board of Realtors and local Home Builders Association meeting with area legislators wasn't directly related to real estate or home building.

It came in a lengthy and sometimes-spirited question-and-answer period in which longtime master of ceremonies for the event, local Realtor TJ Zappulla, pointed out that funding for crucial programs such as a $220,000 tuberculosis screening program has been eliminated while Connecticut's new system of public financing for political campaigns will be giving up to $2.5 million to each candidate for governor this year who qualifies.

Sen. Andrew Roraback (R-Goshen) said he was kind of taken aback to receive a check for $85,000 to spend on his campaign. He ended up returning almost half of it to the taxpayers.

Rep. John Rigby (R-Colebrook) was most critical of public financing, saying that the $60 million used for the program should be returned to taxpayers, and that it was ridiculous to be spending taxpayer money on political campaigns when people are losing their homes.

Public financing was defended by the three Democrats in the room, Rep. Annie Hornish (D-Granby), Rep. Michelle Cook (D-Torrington) and Rep. Roberta Willis (D-Salisbury).

Willis said that public financing was first introduced in response to the many political scandals that led to Connecticut becoming known as a corrupt state.

Hornish and Cook suggested that the system could be tweaked, i.e., establishing lower spending thresholds and encouraging more candidates such as Roraback to return money, rather than scrapped altogether.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell signed a bill last week that formalizes what was already decided by the Connecticut Supreme Court - that gays and lesbians have the right to marry in this state.

Over intense opposition from some religious groups, the bill passed the Senate 28-7 and passed the House 100-44.

A number of local lawmakers were among those casting a dissenting vote.

“No” votes were cast by Sen. Kevin Witkos (R-Canton), Rep. William Hamzy (R-Plymouth), Rep. Craig Miner (R-Litchfield), Rep. John Piscopo (R-Thomaston) and Rep. John Rigby (R-Colebrook).

Voting “yes” were Sen. Andrew Roraback (R-Goshen), Rep. Annie Hornish (D-Granby), Rep. Michelle Cook (D-Torrington) and Rep. Roberta Willis (D-Salisbury).

WINSTED — Feeling confused about the state’s budget proposal? All three of them?

State Rep. John Rigby, R-63, has scheduled a public meeting to discuss his ideas for the state’s budget at the Gilbert School on Thursday, April 23, at 7 p.m.Rigby says the meeting was prompted, in part, by his opposition to the budget recently proposed by Democrats in the State Legislature.

“I’ve been hearing a lot of concerns from voters about the Democrat’s budget, which includes $3.3 billion in taxes,” he said. “Raising taxes in a time of economic crisis is like adding gasoline to the fire. Some families would pay $1,500 and $2,000 in new state and property taxes. That’s too much.”

Last week Rigby joined House and Senate Republicans, who unveiled their “alternative” budget to the Democrat’s proposal, itself an “alternative” to the budget proposed by Gov. M. Jodi Rell. Rigby says the Republican budget will consolidate government positions.

“Early reitrement could lead to $285,000,000 in savings over two years,” he said. “We also could consolidate 23 state agencies into six state agencies.” Rigby also cited concessions from state workers for salary, healthcare and pension benefits for savings of $662 million.One cost-cutting measure Rigby was not in favor of, however, is the proposed closing of the Winsted DMV under the Democrat’s budget.

“Michell and I have heard the outcry in hundreds of e-mails,” Rigby said, referring to fellow Representative Michelle Cook, R-65. Rigby said the Republicans budget would “streamline” the DMV and the Department of Transportation for cost-savings.

Rigby will return to Hartford on Wednesday. He says he expects Democrats will want to incoporate ideas from the Republican’s proposed budget. He also predicted the state legislature will eventually pass a “no tax increase budget.”

In response, state Rep. Roberta Willis, D-64, said that balancing the budget with a zero increase in taxes would be easier said than done. “Unlike the federal government we have to have a balanced budget,” she said. “We can’t cost cut our way out of this. We can’t balance this budget without tax increases.”

CLICK HERE for The Register Citizen's article on local freshmen legislators' first day on the job.

After his brief and remarkable-but-ultimately-unsuccessful write-in bid for the District 63 state representative seat abruptly vacated by state Rep. George Wilber two weeks before the election, attorney William Riiska quickly and quietly has settled back into his volunteer leadership role in working on legislative issues for the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce.
And one of the Chamber's first tasks this fall is going to be bringing a large freshman class of first-time Northwest Connecticut legislators up to speed on the issues important to the local business community.
Taking Wilber's seat is Republican newcomer John Rigby.
Upsetting incumbent state Rep. Anne Ruwet (R-65th District) was Democratic newcomer Michelle Cook.
Upsetting longtime incumbent state Rep. Richard Ferrari (R-62nd District) was Democratic newcomer Annie Hornish.
And the Chamber and others locally who have important issues before the Legislature also are trying to get to know Republican Kevin Witkos, who has served several terms in the House, representing Canton, but will now represent a portion of the Torrington area after winning the 8th District seat in the state Senate.

In just 7 days, Norfolk attorney William Riiska convinced thousands of voters to write in his name for state representative in the 63rd District.
But it won't be enough to beat the only candidate whose name appeared on the ballot, political newcomer John Rigby, a Colebrook Republican.
Rigby has beaten Riiska in Winchester, which accounts for about 40 percent of the population of the district, 2,438 to 1,079.
Riiska filed to run as a write-in after incumbent Rep. George Wilber resigned with only two weeks to go before the election in the wake of a sex abuse allegations coverup scandal.

A voter from Canaan just now said that she realized after leaving the polling place, only after her husband asked her about it, that she'd FORGOTTEN to write in William Riiska's name for the District 63 House seat.
She had intended to support him, but the omission could be a strong example of the challenges Riiska faces in winning a last-minute campaign where his name does not even appear on the ballot.
This voter did not fill in the oval next to Republican John Rigby's name, either, but the Riiska thing slipped her mind.
It's one of the reasons Riiska had volunteers dispatched to most of the polling places in his sprawling district today, waving signs as voters entered.

District 63 Republican state representative candidate John Rigby is not the only unopposed candidate on the ballot to face a last-minute write-in campaign.
Michael Lynch, an attorney who lost handily to State Rep. Roberta Willis (D-64th District) four years ago, attended the Torrington Rotary Club meeting today wearing a big "Michael Lynch for State Representative" pin from four years ago and announced to the crowd that he'd cast a ballot for himself today as a write-in candidate against Willis.
Unlike Norfolk attorney William Riiska's serious challenge of Rigby in the wake of Rep. George Wilber's resignation, we can assume that Lynch didn't get certified as an "official" write-in candidate with the Secretary of the State's office.

It's the calm before the storm. Doors are getting knocked on across Connecticut and, though many are predicting an Obama win, the question arises: "What if McCain takes it?"
Race riots? If a Broward County, hanging chad-type situation robs Obama of the Oval Office, a la Al Gore in 2000, can we expect another Al — Sharpton — to raise all sorts of a ruckus?
Locally, Ruwet looks like she'll retain her seat, though the major upset could come in the 63rd district.
Bill Riiska. It took guts for him to throw his name into the hat, robbing Rigby of an all-but-certian win. He probably won't, owing to the difficulty of the situation (voters must actually scribble his name into the little box. He's probably having a tough time getting his name known at all). But what if he wins? Write-ins have won before in this state and others, though with only six days to campaign, his chances are slight. It would be the upset of all upsets. Dewey beats Truman? Hah! Riiska beats Rigby would take the cake.

Connecticut Republican Party staff think that The Register Citizen has been too easy on former Democratic state Rep. George Wilber, who resigned after the newspaper broke news about a $100,000 payment he made to settle sex abuse allegations.
They're especially upset that the paper has endorsed Democratic write-in candidate William Riiska.
CLICK HERE to read the post on the party's "Everyday Republican" blog.

CLICK HERE to read The Register Citizen's endorsement of William Riiska for state representative in the 63rd House District.

Bill Riiska, the Norfolk attorney who stepped up as a write-in candidate for House District 63 after the unexpected/abrupt resignation of state Rep. George Wilber, sounds like a guy who has made the transition from wanting to make sure that voters still had a choice on Nov. 4 to a guy who really believes he has a shot at pulling off a huge upset and winning the seat.
Riiska said he's gotten a tremendous response since announcing he would run as a write-in, and in an extremely short period of time, has kicked a full-press campaign into gear.
He said that he has the knowledge and experience to be a strong state legislator for the district, and that he would have run for the seat if Wilber had chosen to step down or retire when people normally make those kinds of decisions (i.e., about 9-12 months ago).
Many people in the district know Riiska through his work as an attorney, serving on local boards such as the Norfolk Planning and Zoning Commission and as the longtime head of the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce's government relations committee. He is also a Winsted native whose father was mayor and taught in the Region 7 school district.
The question will be, with voter turnout expected to be extremely high due to the presidential election, whether he can win enough votes from people who have no idea who their state rep is or what they do, to overcome the bloc of Republicans who will be supporting Republican newcomer John Rigby, when he's facing the teeny-tiny obstacle of not having his name listed on the ballot.

John Rigby, the Colebrook Republican who appears to have won a seat in the state House of Representatives by default, with the sudden resignation of incumbent Rep. George Wilber over illness and the disclosure of a three-year-old sex abuse settlement, was talking Thursday about returning as much as $7,000 in unused campaign funds to the state ... until he heard that he might, yet, have an opponent Nov. 4.
State Democrats are preparing to file for an injunction that would block a Secretary of the State office ruling that William Riiska, a Norfolk attorney, could not run as a write-in for the seat because he faxed his signed application before the deadline rather than drop it off in person in Hartford.
Rigby qualified for public financing of his campaign (raising $5,000 from 150 different small donors in order to qualify for $25,000 more in campaign money funded by taxpayers). He said Thursday that he would return what hasn't been spent since he no longer has an opponent, but upon hearing about Riiska's progress in becoming an official candidate, he started to doubt his plans.