Connecticut has the potential to become a national leader in the growing field of precision medicine – but the state will have to chip in, scientists and industry officials told a state economic competitiveness panel Friday.
CT aims to compete in precision medicine. What will it take?
Posted inEducation, Money, Politics
Malloy would bill towns for teachers’ pensions, cut middle-class tax credit
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said Friday his proposed budget would shift $400 million, nearly one-third of the cost of municipal school teachers’ pensions, onto cities and towns next fiscal year — a move that would hit the state’s wealthiest communities the hardest.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Free speech defense bill will combat ‘libel tourism’ in Connecticut
In the internet age when, at the press of a button, the spoken and written word can be transported around the world virtually instantaneously, our Constitutional freedom of expression is at increased risk from a relatively unrecognized threat – that of “libel tourism.” Fortunately, CT S.B. 69: “An Act Concerning the Enforcement of Foreign Libel Judgments” is the cure, and has been introduced this session.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
On Connecticut’s self-inflicted financial meltdown
Connecticut is spiraling out of control. Gross mismanagement, political ideology, cronyism, and entitlement are self-inflicted wounds. The state’s projected $1.5 billion fiscal deficit is just the tip of an iceberg into which Connecticut is colliding. It is a devastating multi-year crash that could have been avoided. Now, residents who remain, either by choice or necessity, will all have to bear its brunt.
Posted inMoney, Politics
A legacy of debt: When fiscal reality meets political spin
As state government’s fiscal challenges became increasingly daunting, politicians for years nonetheless downplayed the risk and wooed voters with unrealistic promises. Last story in a five-part series
Posted inHealth, Politics
Some seek more oversight of Access Health’s funding
As Congress takes aim at the federal health law, some Connecticut legislators are raising questions about another aspect of Obamacare – how the state’s health insurance marketplace gets its money.
Posted inPolitics
Himes’ New Dems and moderate Republicans explore coalition
WASHINGTON — With Donald Trump’s presidency fueling partisan fires in Congress, a group of centrist Democrats led by Rep. Jim Himes is trying to find common ground with GOP counterparts. The goal is to determine whether they could come together on infrastructure, budget, tax and other issues.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Malloy pitches early intervention for distressed communities
WATERBURY — Gov. Dannel P. Malloy proposed a new municipal accountability system Thursday designed to provide early intervention to cities and towns before they slip into severe fiscal trouble.
Posted inPolitics
CT Dems say federal fundraising inquiry ends without charges
A federal investigation into whether Connecticut Democrats illegally raised money from state contractors in support of the re-election of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy in 2014 has ended without criminal charges, the party’s lawyer said Thursday.
Posted inEducation, Justice
State orders probe of special ed system that ‘sounds…broken’
When educators were unable to help Susan Davis’s 8-year-old autistic son calm down at school, he was put into a four- by six-foot, custom-built box. That and other stories convinced the State Board of Education to order a six-month review of special education delivery in Connecticut.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
A rail plan to grow the metropolitan Hartford region
The recent proposal by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to improve Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor and the incoming President’s concern with the poor quality of American passenger railroads provide a major opportunity for the Metropolitan Hartford region and Connecticut as a whole to better connect to Boston and New York City, strengthening our position in the regional and world economy.
Posted inMoney, Politics
A legacy of debt: As cuts get ugly, legislators forfeit power, transparency
Legislators have left more decisions on cuts up to the governor, avoided votes on state employee raises and have accepted less information on fiscal matters. Fourth in a series.
Posted inEducation, Justice
Legislators reject DCF settlement in ‘Juan F’ case
The General Assembly voted overwhelming Wednesday to reject a court settlement that would have charted a path for the state Department of Children and Families to end decades of federal court supervision and shield its $800 million budget from cuts.
Posted inPolitics
To avoid conflicts, McMahon to dump some assets, positions
WASHINGTON — To avoid conflicts of interests, Linda McMahon said she would begin divesting herself of certain assets and positions – including her post as vice chair of the board of Sacred Heart University in Fairfield – if she is confirmed as head of the Small Business Administration.
Posted inNews
Rob Kane confirmed as Republican state auditor
The General Assembly voted Wednesday to approve the appointment of former Sen. Rob Kane of Watertown as the Republican auditor of public accounts, a legislative patronage post that oversees a staff of more than 100 professional auditors.