House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan’s proposal to raise the state’s minimum wage by $1.50 over two years could give Connecticut the highest minimum in the nation, a distinction certain to fuel opposition to the idea by business interests and some legislators. But the proposal by the Democratic leader and congressional candidate to index the wage […]
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Strange bedfellows: Chris Donovan, Mitt Romney and indexing the minimum wage
House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan’s proposal to raise the state’s minimum wage by $1.50 over two years could give Connecticut the highest minimum in the nation, a distinction certain to fuel opposition to the idea by business interests and some legislators. But the proposal by the Democratic leader and congressional candidate to index the wage […]
Posted inNews
Feds give state until last day of legislative session to salvage fuel spill clean-up program
Federal environmental officials have warned Connecticut they will begin to de-certify a crucial pollution abatement program the day after the General Assembly session ends in May — unless state policy-makers craft a solution first. At issue is a more than $80 million backlog in applications for assistance through Connecticut’s Underground Storage Tank Petroleum Cleanup Program […]
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White smoke at SEEC
The State Elections Enforcement Commission has called a special meeting for 2 p.m. Friday to name a new executive director and general counsel from the pool of candidates that yielded the ill-fated choice of former Middletown Mayor Sebastian Giuliano. The selection of Giuliano was rescinded over objections to the choice of a politician who was […]
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Malloy cools to Keno — or any major gambling initiative
The administration of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy appears to be cooling on Keno, a game the Connecticut Lottery has endorsed as a way to boost revenues in a lottery market that turns 40 this month. Malloy has no intention of proposing Keno or any other significant expansion of gambling in his budget or State of […]
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DeLauro defends food stamps–and Obama
U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro is the latest Democrat to publicly seethe at Newt Gingrich’s repeated characterization of President Obama as “the best food-stamp president in American history.” “He’s demonizing people and demonizing a social safety net,” said DeLauro, 3rd District, at a news conference held by food stamp supporters Thursday. She told the story of […]
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Coming soon: more preschool for children in the poorest districts
West Hartford — Nearly 6,500 students in Connecticut enter kindergarten each year never having attended preschool. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy wants to reduce that number by 500 students in the state’s poorest districts. “We’ve got to close that achievement gap” between low-income students and their peers who attend preschool, he said Thursday, standing on the playground […]
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Blumenthal makes sure insider traders in Congress lose pensions
Thanks to Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., members of Congress who enrich themselves on insider knowledge won’t only face the threat of jail time — they’ll also lose their congressional pensions. The Senate voted 96-3 Thursday on a bill that would make sure the federal law that prohibits insider trading extends to members of Congress. Blumenthal […]
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Retiring Lieberman still collecting campaign cash
Washington — Sen. Joe Lieberman may be retiring from Congress, but he hasn’t stopped raising campaign donations for his leadership PAC. Lieberman, a Connecticut independent, raised more than $50,000 for his Reuniting Our Country political action committee after he announced his retirement in January of last year. Lieberman established the Reuniting Our Country PAC as […]
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Streamlining teacher certification and linking it to teacher evaluations
The peace between the teachers unions and the Malloy Administration ended Tuesday, one week before legislators convene at the State Capitol to get to work on a major education overhaul. The battle comes from Gov. Dannel P. Malloy‘s shutting down the Connecticut Education Association’s initiative to allow educators to set the certification requirements for themselves. Instead, he plans […]
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State may intervene in East Haven case
East Haven — Michael P. Lawlor, the state’s undersecretary for Criminal Justice and Planning, said Wednesday evening that the state may examine the convictions of defendants who were arrested by the four local police officers now facing federal charges stemming from a racial-profiling investigation. “These four officers are very tainted — in essence they were […]
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Malloy commits $300 million to state public housing
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy will make a 10-year, $330 million commitment to affordable housing in the budget he is proposing next week, with much of the money devoted to the rehabilitation of long-neglected, state-financed public housing. The program calls for spending $30 million a year in state bonding over the next decade, a sum that […]
Posted inHealth, Money
PCA collective bargaining recommendations delayed 2 weeks
The working group charged with recommending ways to structure collective bargaining rights for some home care workers has gotten a two-week extension on its final report. The group had been expected to issue its recommendations by today, but will instead meet and finalize them Feb. 15. The process was created by a controversial executive order […]
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Malloy tells Congress: Skip the partisanship and help the states
Washington — It was the tale of two governors. Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy, a Democrat, was expected to provide stark contrast to Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder at a House Education and the Workforce Committee hearing Wednesday on job creation. Instead, the governors were often on the same page. “There were many cases where Gov. Snyder […]
Posted inEducation
UConn students will no longer will be suspended for marijuana possession
Following the state’s lead in decriminalizing marijuana, the University of Connecticut has taken the next step and knocked down the penalties on campus. The plan approved by the Office of Community Standards will have university officials treat possession of marijuana the same as possession of alcohol. Instead of suspending students caught with small amounts of marijuana, […]