As part of its effort to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, the federal government a few years ago assigned a “social cost” to carbon, estimating the economic damage done by 1 ton of carbon dioxide emissions at $21. Australia came up with a similar figure last year. But new research suggests the real cost may be […]
July 19, 2011
Posted inHealth
Panel recommends free birth control for the insured
The federal government should deem contraception a preventive service that insurance companies must fully cover under the federal health reform law, a committee recommended in a report released Tuesday. Under the law, health plans must cover preventive services identified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with no out-of-pocket cost to the plan […]
Posted inMoney
Lieberman on board with Gang of Six plan
The Gang of Six is back together. That’s the bipartisan group of senators who spent months trying to craft a long-term, debt-reduction plan. Their group fell apart after one senator–Tom Coburn of Oklahoma–abandoned the talks earlier this year. But Coburn rejoined today. And the Gang unveiled their nearly $4 trillion dollar debt-reduction plan behind closed […]
Posted inNews
House passes “cut, cap & balance” bill, without the help of CT lawmakers
No shocker here: Connecticut’s all-Democratic U.S. House delegation voted against the Republican’s “Cut, Cap & Balance” plan Tuesday night. The measure would impose dramatic spending cuts in 2012, cap federal spending in future years, and send to the states a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. It passed 234-190, with all five Connecticut lawmakers voting […]
Posted inNews
After state House loss, Esty bouncing back with run for Congress
Elizabeth Esty didn’t let a setback drag her down for long. She won a state House seat in 2008, beating Republican Al Adinolfi, who’d held it eight of the previous 10 years. It was a close race, and Adinolfi challenged her re-election bid last year. Democratic candidate Elizabeth Esty Their rematch took place during the […]
Posted inNews
For people in wheelchairs, calling a cab is not an easy option
When Charles Smyth’s sister called to say that their mother was dying and he should get to her bedside quickly, Smyth had another problem to deal with first: How to get to the hospital. Smyth is paralyzed and uses a wheelchair. He regularly takes a paratransit service for people with disabilities, but it must be […]
Posted inNews
Malloy: New concession deal with unions possible within 48 hours
TORRINGTON–Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said Tuesday he hopes to negotiate a new tentative concession agreement with state employees in 24 or 48 hours, but his plan for mass layoffs will continue in case a new deal is not reached and ratified. “We don’t have an approved agreement. We’ve been down this road. We will continue […]
Posted inNews
Some unions might skip new vote on a new concessions deal
Some state employee unions whose members endorsed a previous concession deal might not hold a second ratification vote if a new tentative agreement now being discussed with the Malloy Administration is built around the same terms as the original, a union spokesman said Tuesday. Hours later, he downplayed the possibility, which was raised by unions […]
Posted inNews
Families facing loss of respite centers, their ‘saving grace’
Every few months, Jim Schmitt and his wife take their 14-year-old twin sons to a state-run respite center in Putnam for the weekend. He calls it a saving grace: It’s the only time he and his wife spend together without their boys, who have autism and do not speak. “You love your kids to death, […]