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I'm Mark Suo. Welcome back to Power and politics. Are your tax dollars going where they're supposed to a new legislative committee at the State Capitol aims to find out. We really want to make sure that what we intended to do actually is able to get followed through Norwalk Democrat. Lucy Dathan will co chair a new government Oversight and Accountability Committee. He's a corporate accountant by trade. The new government Oversight and Accountability Committee will scrutinize dozens of state agencies, especially quasi public projects like the State Pier in New London. A massive renovation, there is more than $200 million over budget hearings and oversight uh in and of themselves have an effect because the public, the media gets to pay attention in a more acute fashion. The new Oversight Committee is being spun off an existing panel which will now focus exclusively on elections. State rep. Lucy Nathan will chair the newly formed government Oversight Committee and she joins us now. Welcome. It's great to be here. Mark. Thank you for inviting me in. Well, now this is all still very new. What do we know about the committee and specifically all the things that will be going into it. Well, it's really exciting to take on this new opportunity here. Um This has been part of the legislature in the past many years ago and now it's coming back what we're finding and I see it a lot in appropriations is that like audit reports, suggestions for agencies and quasi government agencies is that the audit reports that are happening are so, so like two or 34 years out of date and we need to be a little bit more timely. We need to be a bit more agile and this um new uh committee is an opportunity for us to do exactly that and have that sort of oversight and making sure that the recommendations that are set forth in these audit reports are hearing the time of day and also getting resolved. Well, it sounds like this committee has been kind of long overdue. I think it has as personally the background in public accounting where this was something that we did regularly. We would go to companies, we would see where there may be deficiencies, maybe issues where the company could address them for future audits and then be able to respond accordingly. Now, house Speaker Matt Ritter says your experience as an auditor and of course, the CFO would bring incredible insight to this new committee. Talk about that. Yeah. Well, as I just said, you know, I've been a 30 plus year uh accountant uh CPA by trade did public accounting early in my career, corporate finance. And then, um, went in to be CFO of technology companies, very smaller companies. One of the aspects of doing that role is you would go in and you would see where things need to be adjusted, things need to be fixed. Maybe it was a purchasing power issue, um, that the, uh, companies weren't exactly, um, doing what they should be doing, um, to make sure that they are being efficient, saving money. And this was an opportunity that we saw as auditors to make sure the companies knew that this committee is looking to act in the same way, looking at kind of following up on some of those audit uh issues that are coming up. Also taking on some of the roles that were out of coming out of the GAE committee that were, you know, the conveyances and some of the other oversight items um that, that committee had, there is a lot going on the election side. We all know that here that day and it was such a big committee that some of the things that we really wanted to address is legislature. We're not able to have all the time of day because of the, the, the focus on that committee. Now it'll be here before, you know, it, January 8th, the new legislative session, the long one, what are some of the new challenges we're gonna be facing? Well, we as legislature have lots of great ideas, you know, coming off the election season, we hear so much at our doors and talking to voters and what's important to them. Um, also we see what's going on in the, in our country and what's going on in our state. And as legislature, as a legislator, it is our responsibility to kind of make sure that we, uh, adjust and make legislation that fits the lives, makes lives better for people in Connecticut. Now, with the Trump administration coming in, uh after the first year, what challenges, um, do you think uh are gonna be faced here and especially how does that affect folks here in Connecticut? Well, a lot of folks talk a lot about the, you know, women's reproductive rights. That is a big issue that we're hearing a lot. Um And I know as a reproductive, I'm a member of the reproductive caucus, that's something I'm very focused in on. Um, I also am very focused in on Medicaid. Um There is a lot of discussion right now that we hear at the federal level about what's going to happen to Medicare and Medicaid. And I have, excuse me, I have a lot of deep concerns that we could be having federal cuts to that agency and the health and human services. And folks here in Connecticut, you know, our safety net um are gonna fall through because they're not gonna be, we're not gonna be able to have the dollars coming in from the federal government like we've had in the past and of course, I think the immigration is gonna be a concern as well. A lot of folks are talking about that and I think, you know, it is really important for us to make sure that, you know, bad actors are not in our country. Lucy. Thank you so much for your time. Sure. Thank you. It's lovely being here. Well, a big day this week for an animal sanctuary in Newtown, founded by the mother of one of the Sandy Hook victims. Community members came together for a traditional barn raising at the Katherine Violet Harbor animal sanctuary. Volunteers drove in pegs before crews frame. What will be the first building on the 34 acre property? It will allow the nonprofit to open up its educational programming to even more people so they can carry on Katherine's commitment to caring for animals to see this barn go in. It's like it's the, it's the beginning of a new chapter for the sanctuary. And I feel like it's so poignant because Catherine would have been 18 this year and I feel like she would be off, she'd be going to school, she'd be spreading her wings. Um And this barn lets us spread ours. Jenny Hubbard says this bond raising helps with what has been an incredibly difficult time. Saturday marks 12 years since the Sandy Hook tragedy. We have more of Hubbard sit down with our Marissa Alter on our website news twelve.com.

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The nation's longest veterans parade reefs across America is traveling nearly 800 miles from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. The caravan of tractor trailers carrying thousands of wreaths made a pit stop in Norwalk, Tuesday ahead of national wreaths across America Day, Saturday where volunteers lay wreaths at graves of every veteran in more than 4000 cemeteries across the country. One of the last survivors of the battle of Iwo Jima during World War two beginning home hospice in Bridgeport. But as Frank Recchia tells us, he says the holiday season is no time to be sad. ST is on hospice care at home. He probably has a few days left. The family of 98 year old Stu Leahy. If I get one, I only do one, a proud world war. I I vet one of the last who have fought in the battle of Iwo Jima and he's still smiling. Of course, the first few days home, all cried says their patriarch may have just begun home hospice, but he doesn't want to see any sad faces. He wants to be surrounded by loved ones, friends, family and just smiles and laughter. He loves that his family is all together with him, bringing him joy, Leahy seen here on the right next to his brother, joined the Marine Corps at the age of 17 and fought in the Pacific during World War. I I we got to remember that the freedom that we have in this country is not free. It came at a tremendous cost. A man surrounded by a lifetime of memories, getting some very special visitors who came to say thank you. Obviously, recognizing your contribution, your heroism. Thank you to a man whose life and legacy loom large and he ought to be a model for all of us in his courage, his strength. He's family taking him on a final tour of Bridgeport for a last look at the many sites around the city. A great grandfather with a great love for America. It's a melting pot whose family is so proud. He's from the greatest generation and he joined when he was very young too, but he has no regrets as the sun sets on his life after 98 years, Leahy says celebrate this holiday season. No crying, no tears. I see, I see smiling face. I love smileys in Bridgeport, Frank Ria News 12, Connecticut and Leahy. Thanking all the men and women in uniform around the world who are protecting America this holiday season. Well, that's all our time. I'm Mark Sudal. Thanks for watching.

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Former Fairfield Police Chief Gary MacNamara and State Rep. Lucy Dathan join this week's episode of Power & Politics.

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Former Fairfield Police Chief Gary MacNamara and State Rep. Lucy Dathan join this week's episode of Power & Politics.

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