The state comptroller’s workplace will be ignored as an arcane backwater for coverage wonks working behind the scenes, crunching the numbers, and overseeing the nuts and bolts of state spending.

However Democrat Sean Scanlon has stepped ahead in his first 4 months on the job by touring across the state, greeting voters, and talking out on a number of points. In his highest profile transfer but, Scanlon joined with Gov. Ned Lamont and different high officers at a information convention on the state Capitol to hail a bipartisan compromise to save lots of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} on municipal pensions.

Scanlon, 36, cobbled collectively a various coalition of Democrats and Republicans that hatched the deal in six conferences over six weeks as they tackled the long-running, sophisticated drawback of reining in prices on municipal pensions. The prices had skyrocketed by 75% over the previous 5 years, inflicting fiscal issues amongst mayors and first selectmen. Some officers had considered the issue as intractable and expensive, however Scanlon advised the coalition that they might clear up it.

“After I began this course of, individuals frankly laughed, they usually mentioned, ‘You’ll by no means, ever, ever get these individuals to agree on something,’ ” Scanlon mentioned. “‘That is the third rail of Connecticut politics. This method has been round for the reason that Harry Truman administration, and no one has ever reformed this.’ That was music to my ears as a result of that previous, damaged method of Connecticut authorities has received to finish.”

Because the state’s chief accountant and monetary watchdog, Scanlon mentioned he wouldn’t comply with the considering that the issues are unconquerable.

“For me, it’s a brand new day in Connecticut,” Scanlon mentioned. “We’re not simply going to just accept the truth that these are insurmountable challenges and no one has ever been profitable, so we shouldn’t attempt to clear up these issues. That is what attempting seems like.”

Particulars of the deal

The sophisticated deal contains varied provisions which might be designed to save lots of $32 million within the first yr and projected to succeed in $843 million over the following three a long time. The pension system, overseen by Scanlon’s workplace, covers greater than 10,000 workers in 107 of the state’s 169 cities and cities.

A key issue is decreasing the minimal cost-of-living changes for pensions from the present 2% per yr right down to 0. The utmost COLA could be 7.5% per yr, up from the present most of 6%, relying on the inflation fee.

The deal additionally will increase the time {that a} employee would want to attend earlier than receiving a COLA, which might be a cost-saver for cities and cities.

The settlement additionally extends the monetary payback interval to 25 years, up from the present 17 years, in a transfer that’s just like taking out a longer-term mortgage. The transfer saves cash within the quick time period and will increase the fee sooner or later.

The deal requires approval by the Democratic-controlled state legislature, and Scanlon invited high legislative leaders to his information convention the place they pledged cooperation in passing the measure.

Bipartisan assist

Home Speaker Matt Ritter of Hartford, some of the highly effective lawmakers on the Capitol, mentioned that Scanlon is proving himself as he has steps onto an even bigger, statewide stage. They labored intently collectively when Scanlon served as a Democratic state legislator earlier than being elected final November as comptroller.

“I believe the primary query he was requested is: how previous are you?” Ritter mentioned. “It’s type of this premise that who is that this man? Is he going to have the ability to do the job of a constitutional officer? Effectively, in case you have any doubts about his talents and his abilities, go searching you. He talked about one thing a few deal that hasn’t been reached for a really very long time. He introduced collectively labor, Republicans and Democrats.”

Three years in the past, Ritter mentioned that he knew he was making the right alternative when he selected Scanlon because the co-chairman of the highly effective finance committee that handles tax coverage.

“Lots of people in politics run round, go to each press convention, they usually say they’re for issues,” Ritter mentioned. “However they by no means, ever take the chance or the burden of attempting to unravel sophisticated issues which have a long-lasting impression on the state, municipalities, mayors, first selectmen and employees. As a result of it requires speaking to individuals you could not all the time agree with. It requires having to sit down at a desk for lots of hours and generally trade harsh phrases. It may possibly harm your emotions and make you not know why generally you’re doing what you’re doing. However the finish result’s this.”

Ritter, who makes the ultimate willpower on which payments are debated within the Home, promised to move a invoice that strikes the pension settlement into regulation.

In an uncommon gathering at a time of polarized politics, Scanlon additionally stood with Senate Republican chief Kevin Kelly of Stratford and Home Republican chief Vincent Candelora of North Branford.

Kelly echoed the phrases of Ritter, saying Scanlon’s working type was “precisely what you described.”

“Sean is anyone who will sit down and work with all stakeholders on no matter concern,” Kelly mentioned. “Get into the small print. Get into the weeds. Perceive all people’s place. After which have a dialog. It’s superb what occurs when you could have dialog and collaboration and an settlement to remain within the room. What you find yourself with are good outcomes, bipartisan outcomes, and that’s what we now have right here. They’re going to learn labor, our struggling cities, and taxpayers.”

Candelora, who famous that he and Scanlon had each represented elements of Guilford, mentioned the difficulty is vital to each city in Connecticut.

“It’s a difficulty that I heard about after I first received elected nearly 20 years in the past, and we type of simply put it in a field,” Candelora mentioned. “And nobody has actually considered it. It actually hasn’t gotten the eye that’s wanted. I simply need to thank the comptroller for getting this group collectively and getting us towards solvency on this pension plan.”

Candelora added, “It’s additionally not misplaced on me that he was intelligent sufficient to ask the entire legislative leaders right here to start the second a part of the dialog, and that’s to move laws.”

Guilford roots

Fixing the pension system was private to Scanlon. Since his grandfather was a New Haven firefighter and his father was a New York Metropolis police officer, he understood the significance of pensions.

Rising up in Guilford, he attended native faculties earlier than finally heading to Boston School. After school, he began working as an aide for U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy after which ran for the state legislature in 2014 on the age of 27. After 4 phrases, he ran for comptroller at age 35.

Whereas serving as a legislator, Scanlon additionally ran Tweed New Haven Airport and labored to extend flights with a brand new service and create jobs on the often-underused airport.

His spouse, Meghan, generally testifies on the state Capitol complicated in her position as president and chief government officer of the Connecticut Coalition Towards Home Violence.

Earlier comptrollers

The workplace of state comptroller, created within the late 1700s, has seen some comptrollers go on to increased workplace, whereas others remained within the background in a job that requires re-election each 4 years.

Democrat Invoice Curry served as comptroller through the tenure of then-Gov. Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. and Curry ran unsuccessfully for governor in two contentious races in opposition to Republican John G. Rowland.

Democrat Nancy Wyman served for 16 years as comptroller earlier than turning into lieutenant governor for eight years.

Kevin Lembo, a well-liked Democrat who was as soon as seen as a contender for governor, introduced in December 2021 that he was stepping down as a result of well being issues after 11 years because the state’s chief accountant.

After Lamont appointed an interim comptroller, Scanlon ran final yr for the elected workplace and gained.

Among the many greatest points dealing with previous comptrollers has been the long-running drawback of sharply growing prices for well being care. The comptroller oversees well being look after state workers in an try and get the absolute best deal for taxpayers.

Lamont mentioned that Scanlon is the particular person to do the job.

“This man has an open door, an open thoughts, an enormous desk,” Lamont advised the gang as he stood a number of toes from Scanlon. “I like folks that clear up issues. … Sean, you’re employed fairly quick. You probably did fairly good for the primary 100 days. Let’s lower that value of well being care and make it inexpensive for everyone. Get to it, buddy.”

Whereas well being care is an enormous drawback that specialists on the nationwide degree have been unable to fully resolve, Scanlon is already taking steps by holding well being care summits across the state in locations like New Haven and Storrs. He ran for state legislature as a result of he was involved about well being care prices that he noticed as a younger baby when his mom was working a small enterprise, and he nonetheless holds these issues right this moment.

“Generally politicians are afraid to fail,” Scanlon mentioned in an interview. “They’re afraid to tackle a difficulty, get all people within the room, after which it blows up. What I mentioned to this group within the first assembly was ‘I’m not afraid to fail. I’m afraid to not attempt.’ … I simply like to do issues like this. I actually am attracted to those issues that folks label as intractable.”

Christopher Keating will be reached at ckeating@courant.com