Following Connecticut’s dismal record in getting money for transportation projects from stimulus grants, the U.S. Transportation Secretary announced the state will receive help in submitting future grant applications to assure the state is competitive. “My department will meet with each and every Connecticut applicant to ensure that they are fully prepared to compete later this […]

Connecticut will not receive a single dime from the $1.5 billion federal stimulus money available for transportation projects, which has a Transportation Committee member angry. “I’m dumbfounded. I can’t believe we didn’t receive even one of the awards.” said Rep. David McCluskey, D-West Hartford. The Connecticut Department of Transportation applied for $329 million for 13 separate projects […]

Despite the fiscal crisis confronting the state, a legislative committee has decided to hold a public hearing on a bill that would share the state’s sales tax with municipalities that participate in regional cooperation. “The state right now does not give towns many options for revenue and this is something they have been asking for […]

Family and friends of the student from Rocky Hill killed in a school bus crash told a crowded room at the state Capitol today that a seat belt would have saved Vikas Parikh’s life, and called on the state lawmakers to require school buses have seat belts. “We fully believe our son would have been […]

The latest explanation from the state Department of Social Services for its failure to apply for millions of dollars in federal health care reimbursement has hospital officials and a key state legislator fuming. “The state should be aggressively moving forward” to collect the federal money, said Stephen Frayne, Connecticut Hospital Association’s senior vice president of […]

A legislative committee is scheduled to hear testimony today on the latest in a long series of so-far unsuccessful proposals to require seat belts in school buses–but the death of Rocky Hill student Vikas Parikh in a crash last month is giving new impetus to the idea. “From everything I have been told and have […]

When Jennifer Zampi was laid off from her job in November, her first thought was to make sure she could continue to feed herself and her two children. She immediately applied for food assistance. Three months later, she’s still waiting. “I am never able to get everything I need when I go to the store, ” […]

The state should keep domestic violence shelters open around the clock and require high-risk offenders to wear GPS ankle bracelets when restraining orders do not work, a group of state lawmakers recommend. “We are really going to change some key things for domestic violence victims,” Rep. Mae Flexer, chairman of the legislature’s bi-partisan domestic violence […]

Legislators are proposing a plan to rescue the state’s taxpayer-funded campaign finance program by significantly lowering the bar for participation by minor-party candidates. Sen. Gayle S. Slossberg (D-Milford), co-chairman of the committee responsible for election laws, said the proposal would save the Citizens’ Election Program so candidates can rely on money for their already-launched campaigns. […]

Towns across the state are required by law to spend thousands of taxpayer dollars to print notices in local newspapers to inform the public of government happenings – a mandate Gov. M. Jodi Rell is calling on the legislature to throw out. But at a time when they are already struggling to stay afloat,  newspapers […]

Democratic lawmakers are expected to take up their first bill of the session that will extend health insurance assistance for laid-off workers, as outlined by the federal stimulus package. The stimulus law provides a 65 percent subsidy for laid-off individuals to pay for a temporary continuation of their health insurance plan for 15 months, and […]

With demand for safety net programs growing, Gov. M. Jodi Rell on Wednesday proposed a social services budget that depends heavily on one-time federal stimulus grant money but reduces state spending on programs including rental assistance and aid for the elderly, disabled, blind and homeless. Gov. M. Jodi Rell “We have a state government that […]

A group of Democratic lawmakers laid out their recommendations to create jobs and jumpstart the economy the day before the legislature convenes. The plan – compiled from input from business owners, economists and legislators – recommends the state bond $12 million for “high-potential entrepreneurs”, create a tax credit for those investing in start-up companies, use […]

Months after the state’s public campaign finance system was struck down by the U.S. district court, the legislature’s election committee shed some light on what their fix will include. Rep. James F. Spallone, co-chairman of the Government Administration and Elections committee, said Monday the bill to be introduced when the legislature convenes Wednesday will likely […]

Companies, organizations and others hoping to influence government decisions spent $38.6 million lobbying, said a report released on the eve on the 2010 legislative session – $1 million less than was spent the previous year, but $11.2 million more than the year before passage of a state law barring campaign contributions by lobbyists. In 2009, […]