Plan would shrink CT House of Representatives

State government would become smaller under a draft economic plan released by Gov. M. Jodi Rell‘s administration.

The proposal calls for reducing the size of the state House of Representatives, which now has 151 seats that each represent about 22,500 people.

The 542-page strategic plan for the state’s economic future doesn’t recommend a specific number of representatives, only a number proportionate to the state’s population. But it notes New York state has four times as many people as Connecticut while its State Assembly has 150 members.

Rell is calling the proposal an “interesting idea,” while the Democratic and Republican leaders of the House say there’s no need for it.

The plan would require an amendment to the state constitution. (AP)

Reader response:

“This is great news and forward thinking. The State is in trouble and looking for ways to save money and the House has not been, what anyone would call, efficient.” — Jim Dennis, Yellowbook

“I would love to see a fully loaded cost per representative. They could do just as much bickering with half the number of representatives.” — Scott Johnson, SJ Consulting

“Sounds to me like its the begining of regionalization. I would support this move and support extending the idea into many other areas of government. Imagine a number of towns merging their resources together, such as Superintendents of Schools, Emergency Response Personnel (Fire & Emergency) Building Departments, Planning & Zoning, etc… Connecticut is a small state, why do we need so much redundancy though out the state.” — Eric Champagne, Topper & Griggs Group

“I think this is an idea long overdue. I certainly think it would make the state legislature run more efficiently. There will be a lot less dumb ideas requiring their time and the expenditures of taxpayer money.” — Tony Rodriguez, Daniel Penn Associates LLC