You might think your Connecticut legislators vote pro-environment, but you can’t be sure if you don’t know the score.In its just-released 2008 Environmental Scorecard, the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters graded Connecticut lawmakers on their environmental voting records.
The League graded lawmakers according to their votes on 15 different bills related to the environment, including bills on global warming, open space, bottle recycling, toxic chemicals in consumer products, rivers and water quality, among others.
Legislators’ scores ranged from a low of 25% to a high of 100%, with 37 of Connecticut’s legislators earning a perfect score.
“If you’re a voter and you care about the environment, the Scorecard is a great tool to help you see if the people who represent you at the Capitol are in sync with your pro-environment philosophy, or off the mark,” said Lori Brown, the League’s Executive Director.
League Highlights Environmental Champions
The 2008 Environmental Scorecard highlights Connecticut’s environmental champions in the legislature. The League bestowed that honor on eleven lawmakers this year for their persistent efforts to protect the environment. For that, the League commends Senator Don Williams (D-Brooklyn), Senate President; Senator John McKinney (R-Southport), Senate Minority Leader; Senator Ed Meyer (D-Guilford), Senate Chair, Environment Committee; Senator Andrew Roraback (R-Goshen); Representative Denise Merrill (D-Mansfield), House Chair, Appropriations Committee; Representative Roberta Willis (D-Lakeville); Representative Patricia Widlitz (D-Guilford); Representative Livvy Floren (R-Greenwich); Representative Bryan Hurlburt (D-Tolland); Senator Andrew Maynard (D-Stonington); and Representative Jack Hennessey (D-Bridgeport).
To calculate the scores, the League assigned one point for pro-environment votes, no points for anti-environment votes, and a half point for absences. Legislators’ votes on bills at the committee level, as well as at the House and Senate levels, figured into their overall scores.
31 Lawmakers Still Getting Low Marks
In contrast to Connecticut’s A-team of high-scoring, pro-environment legislators, the state still has a sizeable contingent of legislators who, if this were school, would be flunking out. Sixteen legislators earned failing scores of 25% to 59% on their environmental records, the equivalent of an F. Another 15 legislators earned the equivalent of a D, with scores of 60% to 69%.
“The public’s getting more and more savvy about environmental issues like energy, global warming, recycling, sprawl, and water quality. People from every part of Connecticut get it. And they’re increasingly alarmed and annoyed that our government nowhere near where it needs to be on protecting the environment,” said Brown. “We know the environment counts for a lot among Connecticut voters. We really hope the Environmental Scorecard will help them make informed decisions come election time, and hold lawmakers accountable.”
| Connecticut’s TOP SCORERS for 2008 | ||||||
| Senate Democrats | Score | Votes | | Senate Republicans | Score | Votes |
| Andrea Stillman (D-Waterford) | 100% | 8 | | Andrew Roraback (R-Goshen) | 100% | 8 |
| Eric Coleman (D-Bloomfield) | 100% | 7 | | Anthony Guglielmo (R-Old Saybrook) | 100% | 8 |
| Mary Ann Handley (D-Manchester) | 100% | 6 | | John Kissel (R-Enfield) | 100% | 6 |
| Donald Williams (D-Brooklyn) | 100% | 4 | | Robert Russo (R- Bridgeport) | 100% | 5 |
| Joseph Crisco (D-Woodbridge) | 100% | 4 | | David Cappiello (R-Danbury) | 88% | 13 |
| Martin Looney (D-New Haven) | 100% | 4 | | | | |
| Edward Meyer (D-Guilford) | 96% | 23 | | | | |
| House Democrats | Score | Votes | | House Republicans | Score | Votes |
| Jack Hennessy (D-Bridgeport) | 100% | 24 | | William Aman (R-South Windsor) | 92% | 11 |
| Bryan Hurlburt (D-Tolland) | 100% | 23 | | John Frey (R-Ridgefield) | 90% | 9 |
| Emil Altobello (D-Meriden) | 100% | 12 | | Janice Giegler (R-Danbury) | 90% | 9 |
| Thomas Kehoe (D-S.Glastonbury) | 100% | 12 | | Claudia Powers (R-Riverside) | 90% | 9 |
| David McCluskey (D-West Hartford) | 100% | 12 | | Livvy Floren (R-Greenwich) | 89% | 10 |
| | | | | | | |
| Ten LOWEST SCORERS for 2008 | ||||||
| | Score | Votes | | | | |
| John Piscopo (R-Thomaston) | 25% | 23 | | | | |
| Ruth Fahrbach (R-Windsor) | 33% | 24 | | | | |
| Leonard Greene (R-Beacon Falls) | 33% | 12 | | | | |
| Craig Miner (R-Litchfield) | 43% | 24 | | | | |
| Richard Ferrari (R-East Granby) | 48% | 19 | | | | |
| Selim Noujaim (R-Waterbury) | 50% | 23 | | | | |
| Edward Moukawsher (D-Groton) | 50% | 10 | | | | |
| Clark Chapin (R-New Milford) | 53% | 29 | | | | |
| Jason Perillo (R-Shelton) | 55% | 30 | | | | |
| Shawn Johnston (D-N.Grosvenordale) | 56% | 10 | | | | |
For an electronic copy of the 2008 Environmental Scorecard, a full listing of legislators’ scores, and details on their votes on environmental legislation, please visit www.ctlcv.org.
