WASHINGTON — A growing number of GOP governors are citing the Paris attacks as a reason not to accept Syrian refugees, but Connecticut politicians are rejecting that notion.
Politics
Stories about CT politicians, elections, state legislation, the state’s congressional delegation and the impact of federal legislation on Connecticut.
Posted inEnergy & Environment, Health, Justice, Money, Politics, Transportation
Democrats: Suspend public financing of elections, cut transportation and local aid
The leaders of the legislature’s Democratic majority Monday recommended suspending the state’s public-financing of elections for 2016, cutting social services and retreating from two major initiatives on transportation and municipal aid.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Connecticut economy, the facilitator will see you now
It was inevitable. Suzanne Bates of the Yankee Institute, a conservative think tank critical of public-employee benefits, found herself at a table next to Daniel J. Livingston, the lawyer who negotiates those benefits for state employee unions. The unlikely table mates were emblematic of an experiment staged Friday to find a new approach to economic policy in Connecticut.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Democrats will offer their own state budget fix next week
Now that Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and Republican legislative leaders’ plans to fix state finances have been disclosed, Democratic legislative leaders say they will do the same early next week.
Posted inMoney, Politics
GOP leaders angry that budget proposals weren’t kept confidential
Republicans outlined a proposal to cut spending by $372 million Friday, a plan they reluctantly made public in response to The Mirror’s obtaining and publishing details of ideas presented Thursday in closed-door budget talks with Democratic legislators and the administration of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.
Posted inPolitics
Short week for Congress yields defense funding, railroad revival
The U.S. House of Representatives was out and the Senate had a shortened work week because of the Veterans Day holiday, but there was still plenty of activity in Congress. The Senate approved a final defense bill that authorizes billions of dollars in spending on weapon systems developed in Connecticut. The Federal Railroad Administration took a big step forward on an ambitious overhaul of the rail system in the Northeast Corridor.
Posted inPolitics
State Dept. official with West Hartford ties tasked to develop, sell Syria plan
WASHINGTON — Former West Hartford resident Brett McGurk is considered a leading expert at the State Department on the threats posed by the Islamic State and what the Obama administration is trying to do about them. But fighting international terrorism isn’t his only challenge. Now he’s been tasked to persuade skeptical lawmakers, including members of Connecticut’s congressional delegation, to back President Obama’s campaign against ISIS in Syria.
Posted inEducation, Health, Justice, Money, Politics
Malloy pitches $350M in cuts; GOP wants mix of cuts, labor savings
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy presented legislators Thursday with almost $350 million in budget-cutting options that would fall heavily on social services, education and municipal aid, according to documents obtained by The Mirror. Meanwhile, leaders of the legislature’s Republican minority offered an array of spending cuts and new restrictions on state employees’ wages and benefits, all of which presumably would require negotiations with labor unions.
Posted inPolitics
Final defense bill OKs 63 F-35s, other major CT weapons
WASHNGTON — The Senate on Tuesday sent on to President Obama a final defense authorization bill that paves the way for an increase in defense spending in Connecticut and the nation.
Posted inPolitics
Blumenthal seeks last-minute safety measures in highway bill
WASHINGTON — Senate and House negotiators are working on a long-awaited, long-term transportation bill, but Sen. Richard Blumenthal and safety advocates are concerned the legislation will be seriously flawed.
Posted inPolitics
Parsing what it meant to be ‘there’ at Sandy Hook
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., was not necessarily wrong when he told a television interviewer Monday night he “was there” when relatives of Sandy Hook shooting victims were informed of their deaths. But was he misleading?
Posted inMoney, Politics
Treasurer raises more concerns about Malloy’s plan for pensions
While Gov. Dannel P. Malloy intensified his pitch Tuesday to restructure Connecticut’s troubled pension funds, state Treasurer Denise L. Nappier repeated earlier fiscal concerns — and raised new legal questions. The treasurer also said she would offer a “less radical” alternative next month to the governor’s plans for pensions involving state employees and public school teachers.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Shrinking revenue forecast shows CT’s red ink spreading fast
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and the legislature face more than $600 million in red ink this fiscal year and next combined — and another shortfall close to $1.4 billion after the next state election — if new revenue estimates released Tuesday are correct. That means the financial problems facing the Capitol over the next few years are roughly five times the size of Connecticut’s modest $406 million emergency reserve.
Posted inPolitics
Blumenthal, McCain press ‘paid patriotism’ ban at sports games
WASHINGTON — Tributes to U.S. troops at New England Patriot games and other professional sporting events are wasteful “paid patriotism” costing taxpayers millions of dollars, say several U.S. senators, including Richard Blumenthal, who have pressure the Pentagon to stop the practice.
