State union employees vote to ratify a package of concessions to help the state solve its budget crisis, the biggest item in a week’s worth of state budget news. Meanwhile, the state creates more jobs, and Connecticut officials make their presence known in Washington, D.C.
State budget process stumbles forward … slightly
Posted inHealth
Two who should know: Too few resources to meet Litchfield County’s addiction epidemic
The resources for addiction and mental health services have always been limited, especially in rural areas like Litchfield County, but with more and more individuals in need, finding care has become an even more daunting endeavor. Kerri Johnson knows, because she has been there. In this Sunday Conversation, she teams up with John Simoncelli, executive director of Greenwoods Counseling Referrals in Litchfield, to talk about the problem.
Posted inHealth
Fraud, billing mistakes cost Medicare – and taxpayers – tens of billions
Federal health officials made more than $16 billion in improper payments to private Medicare Advantage health plans last year and need to crack down on billing errors by the insurers, a top congressional auditor has testified.
Posted inPolitics
Advocacy groups urge senate to reject Trump Immigration pick
As President Trump’s pick to lead the agency that approves immigration petitions heads toward likely confirmation, more than 300 advocacy organizations are urging the Senate to oppose it, citing ProPublica’s examination of the nominee’s record.
Posted inMoney
GOP leader decries House push for a Monday vote on union deal
While legislative voting on the proposed union concessions deal could begin Monday, the top Republican in the Senate charged House Democratic leadership with irresponsibly rushing action on a crucial agreement before key policy and fiscal analyses can be reviewed.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Covered at the job? Obamacare repeal could change your plan — or end it.
WASHINGTON — Most Connecticut residents receive health care coverage through their employers – but that doesn’t mean they won’t feel an impact if congressional attempts to repeal and replace Obamacare succeed. They could lose coverage, face higher premiums or a loss of benefits, analysts say.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
State should look at freezing pensions to ease budget crisis
There are steps that the governor could have taken over the past seven years that would have made a start in reducing pension liability without violating any union contracts.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
The facts about state’s affordable housing statute
As the legislature considers whether to override Gov. Malloy’s veto of changes to the state’s affordable housing law, it should be aware of the facts about the law and what it accomplishes.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Malloy, legislators struggle over uncertain path to a budget
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and Democratic legislators are struggling to frame a budget deal that requires Malloy to compromise on taxes, liberals to accept structural changes in municipal aid and moderates to embrace a new labor concessions deal.
Posted inEducation, Money, Politics
House panel cuts education budget, but not nearly as much as Trump
WASHINGTON — House appropriators rejected many of President Donald Trump’s proposed cuts to education, but trimmed some programs and eliminated others – including one that provides the state and local school districts with $25 million in teacher training grants each year. House appropriators also failed to adjust this year’s Pell grant awards for inflation, a move state officials say will cost Connecticut students $6 million in college financial aid next year.
Posted inMoney
Malloy now projects slight CT budget surplus for last fiscal year
After facing a projected deficit of nearly $400 million three months ago, Connecticut may have ended the last fiscal year with a slight surplus, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s administration reported Thursday.
Posted inMoney
Connecticut’s private sector jobs finally rebound from ’08
Connecticut’s private sector appears to have completed its painfully slow recovery from the Great Recession of 2008, as the state added 7,100 private-sector jobs last month, the state Department of Labor reported Thursday. Unemployment, however, still rose a tenth of a point to 5 percent.
Posted inPolitics
Union ad casts GOP leaders as ‘protectors of billionaires’
The state’s largest healthcare workers’ union took some jabs Thursday at the top Republicans in the legislature, charging them in a new ad with shielding the rich while unionized workers offer huge concessions.
Posted inPolitics
Connecticut moves closer to construction of a third casino
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and tribal leaders signed documents Thursday amending Connecticut’s relationship with its two federally recognized tribes, another step toward allowing them to jointly develop a casino in the Hartford suburb of East Windsor, as authorized in legislation approved last month by the General Assembly.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Proposed budget cuts will affect services to intellectually disabled
Imminent state budget cuts means that the hours of staffing that will be lost, the transportation funding that will disappear, the recreation dollars that will not be available, will remove choice and opportunity from the people we serve. These cuts will set our profession back decades in terms of equality, civil rights and equal access for people with intellectual disabilities.