New York Times article on public lives deficit, Nov 2001

z z U2 L THE NEW YORK TIMES METRO TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2001 o o J X

s Connecticut Budget Deficit 1 co

'2 o o PUBLIC LIVES ■a c CT o' Brings a,Threat ofLayoffs Taking Time to Recognize a New Age of Heroes ■D O 3- w O1 By The New York Times wise, he said.' - HARTFORD, Nov. 12 -p One day “That would be a severe mistake By ROBIN FINN American schoolchildren to 22 nonviolent role O o ! before the State Legislature was to in a bad economy,” Mr. Sullivan said. models as diverse as Arthur. Ashe, Anwar Sadat o c 0 begin a special session to address a The governor has said that the gap I $300 million budget deficit, Republi- in the State’s $13 billion budget is a H EROES arranges are a her straw business. in But-first .can with the deft manners of a hostess -can Gov. John G. Rowland today result of lower tax revenue following who has not only studied her Amy Vanderbilt but her visitor

threatened to lay off state employees the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and an has updated the social niceties with an eye to our ’s diet she soda and Mother Teresa, was devised a decade ago when Ms. Bernheim determined Mr. Wallen­ berg’s legacy might best be served by creating' a living monument to his principles. , 3 CD

1 if the Democratic leadership failed economic downturn nationwide. post-Sept. 11 preoccupation with bioterrorism ’s i Now there are new heroes worth emulating. to resolve the budget gap. Initially, Democratic legislative lurking residue. Mr. Rowland would not say how leaders said the special session was “God only knows what’s on cans these days,” ((■yT’S what we were doing anyway; it’s just many people could lose their jobs. unnecessary. Budget deficiencies ■ drawls Rachel Oestreicher Bernheim, her' South­ I I that we were the only, ones who seemed to But he said the cuts could begin after caused by overspending-are typical­ i X see the need,” she says, perching her read- ly discussed by legislators in the ern accent faint but indelible, as she gives an '■the session, which is expected to , spring, said George C. Jepsen, Demo­ instant tour of the windowless office where the ' , ing glasses niidway down her nose and waving a start Tuesday and end Friday. Raoul Wallenberg Committee of the United States sheaf of research notes culled from recent con­ crat of Stamford and the majority versations with police officers and firefighters . “If the Legislature does not take leader of the State Senate. ekes out its message and maintains its entire action in this special session, if the ■ archive in five stacks of battered filing cabinets. who pitched in and made a difference at the site But by late October legislators she calls “Ground Hero.” Legislature fails to have ^y leader­ agreed that the revenue shortage Somehow she, the archive, four staff members ■ ship in reducing this budget and fails and budget problems that were evi­ and a bronze bust of Mr. Wallenberg, the vanished “We live in a very scary society that’s get-' to understand the sense of urgency, dent before the terror attacks, had Swedish diplomat credited with saving more than ■■ ting more frightening all the time, and our’ch'ii- you are probably going to see layoffs worsened and a special session was 30,000 Hungarian Jews from Nazi death camps dren are growing up in a world they don’t always after Friday,” Mr. Rowland said dur­ arranged. during World War II, manage to coexist here at ’ know how to cope with, especially since 9/11. If 575 Lexington Avenue in a small, stuffy, much-' the only role models they have are heroes through ing a news conference in his office., Both sides agreed that they want­ appreciated space donated by Bear Stearns. -> fame, wealth, or celebrity, they aren’t goingTq;be “That- would be the only way you ed to hold the session before the ' able to inculcate within themselves j'the values could save the money.” holidays and wrap it up in a week, Salisbury, Ms. Bernheim was brought up, Jewish in N.C., but was completely ignorant of and the sort of role models to give them the mner The statement provoked a sharp Mr. Rowland said. So he questioned strength they need now,” she warns. / rebuke from the Democratic leader­ why the Democrats had urged legis­ the horrors of the Holocaust until she headed north for college at Sarah Lawrence, She joined ' So when will this heroic addition be read“for ship. Kevin B. Sullivan, a West Hart- lators not to attend the first day of the classrooms? Ms. Bernheim mentions a target "ford Democrat and the Senate presi- ’ the session. “What kind of message the committee in 1981 after stints as a technical rr date of summer 2002. “We’re very careful with dent pro tempore, accused Mr. Row- is that?” Mr. Rowland asked. research writer and nursery school teacher. She our heroes,’’ she says. “It took us four years to land of using scare tactics. Layoffs “That’s a total lack of leadership.” is now its chairwoman, “This has been my life for the last 20 years, develop the initial program because we wanted,to ' are not necessary and would be un- But Mr. Sullivan said there was no, which I guess is pretty ironic since I’m the least Shannon Stapleton for The New York Times make absolutely sure we got everything ri^t. point for many legislators in attend-' likely person in the whole world to have done this. And some of those heroes had been dead fqr',2bb ing the first day., Republicans and But when I heard about Raoul Wallenberg, it was “It was the positive-part of-it yearsi- This situation is a little more delicate”’j,, Democrats are still working with the like a thunderclap went off in my brain,” she Her back is sore from sitting and stuffing Office of Policy and Man'agement to says. “It was the positive part of it that pulled me thaf,pulled me in. Who knew invitations into envelopes all morning — thexo^'- develop a bipartisan plan to address in. Who knew that one person could make such a mittee will bestow its Civic Courage A warci,on the deficit. , . that one person could make '1 He said it was unlikely that a vote difference, could save'so many people?” The committee honors human rights advo­ ■ would be taken on any proposals cates like Mr. Wallenberg. It has also put $100,000 until Thursday or Friday. '■ New York City on Dec. 4, and she’s hoping Mayor such a difference, could save so Rudolph W. Giuliani turns up to accept it. Butcher many people?” _ parting handshake is-so-hearty that her ,ruby into efforts to discover his fate since his'arrest by pinkie ring leaves an impression on one’s I^d. “It’s a little like saying that'every­ the Soviets in, Budapest in 1945 and subsequent Sincerity can be painful. And Ms. Bernheimj^ho body ought to show up for the movie imprisonment at Lubyanka CMs. Bernheim re- RACHEL OESTREICHER BERNHEIM i found ■)'

1' her life :, ’s' ',workT1 when f' ’ ' ' ' she'flipped on,her ■ "f,- ’■)' '■ >■ ""Wr