Judge Thomas Moukawsher has performed a remarkable service by shining a bright light on the profoundly unfair, counterproductive, and irrational way Connecticut funds public education. While the odds against a court-overseen remedy of the type contained in his Sept. 7 order are long indeed, the children of Connecticut should hope that the governor, the State Department of Education, and the legislature seize the opportunity to make radical change.
Moukawsher got the problem right, and the solution wrong
Posted inEducation, Money
State officials let UConn 2000 oversight panel languish for years
A key watchdog panel tasked with overseeing the University of Connecticut’s capital building program has not met since December 2014, according to records obtained by The Mirror.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Lockheed puts big number on cost of business in Connecticut
Legislators say a senior Lockheed Martin official told them in private meetings Monday that $200 million in incentives the company wants for its Sikorsky Aircraft subsidiary are needed to help offset the $400 million more it would cost to produce CH-53K helicopters in Connecticut in coming years rather than in competing states.
Posted inNews
Air Force investigation of F-35 fire includes engine
WASHINGTON – The Air Force is investigating a fire that grounded an F-35 during a training mission in Idaho and hasn’t ruled out problems with a Pratt & Whitney-made engine like one that grounded the entire fleet two years ago.
Posted inJustice
Violent crime in Connecticut down, murder rate up
Compared to the rest of the country, Connecticut had the second-largest decrease in violent crime between 2014 and 2015 — about a million incidents or 8.5 percent. The state experienced overall its lowest of number of crimes since 1967 and was one of just nine that saw a drop in violent crime over the year.
Posted inPolitics
Torrington GOP finds late sub for Diorio to oppose Cook
The Republican Town Committee of Torrington is expected to vote Tuesday to nominate Todd Schaller, a retired police captain, for the 65th House District as a late fill-in for Chris Diorio, who quit the race to unseat Democratic Rep. Michelle Cook.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Connecticut must grow, not cut, back to prosperity
It is time to consider specifics when discussing regionalism and the Connecticut economy. Our state, and the Hartford region in particular, is in an especially unhappy mood. Residents expect government services, but feel they are often of poor quality. Taxpayers feel stretched financially, but there is always a concern government may ask for more. As a state, we have lagged socially, culturally, and economically for a generation. We are among the slowest growing regions in the country according to a recent report from the MetroHartford Alliance. The only way to break the cycle is to grow our economy by creating jobs.
Posted inPolitics
Barred from debate, Johnson and Stein will still win votes in CT
WASHINGTON — They won’t be on the stage for the presidential debates tonight, but Libertarian Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein will be on the Connecticut ballot in November’s election, and are likely to pull votes from both major part candidates, especially Hillary Clinton.
Posted inMoney, Politics
GOP: Deal to keep Sikorsky in Connecticut is good and bad news
Most Republican legislators are expected Wednesday to support the Sikorsky Aircraft incentives deal negotiated by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy as a smart investment, while simultaneously arguing that the deal is necessary because of a high cost of doing business in Connecticut that they blame on the legislature’s Democratic majority.
Posted inPolitics
Blumenthal, Murphy, DeLauro seek to override Obama veto of terrorism lawsuit bill
Updated at 8:20 p.m.
WASHINGTON — Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and Rep. Rosa DeLauro are at the forefront of an effort to override President Obama’s veto of a bill that would help the families of the victims of the September 11th attacks sue Saudi Arabia.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Senators press fight with Aetna over quitting ACA exchanges
Updated at 5:12 p.m.
WASHINGTON — A group of liberal senators and Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini continued their battle Friday, with the lawmakers accusing the insurance executive of avoiding their questions about Aetna’s decision to quit 11 health insurance exchanges.
Posted inHealth
State rejects challenge to the hospital tax
Two state agency heads have ruled against Connecticut hospitals’ claims that the state tax on hospitals is illegal, clearing the way for the industry to take the state to court.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
It shouldn’t take a viral video to secure justice
This week, jaw-dropping footage of three Connecticut state police officers appearing to fabricate criminal charges against a protester made international news. Meanwhile, two families lost loved ones to police violence in Oklahoma and North Carolina. Each of these incidents was caught on video. All have inspired outrage from people around the world. It still might not be enough to ensure justice—and that should frighten all of us.
Posted inCities & Towns, Education, Money
Connecticut has baby bust, slow growth and aging population
WASHINGTON — Connecticut women are having fewer children than those in most other states, its population continues to age and growth is lagging. The census bureau said that in 2015 Connecticut women ranked 49th among the states as far fertility. The census also determined that Connecticut is one of the slowest-growing states.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Why Connecticut should think twice about asking to ‘end Sheff’
In the wake of the recent CCJEF v. Rell trial court decision on school finance, we should take a moment to consider the continuing benefits of the Connecticut Supreme Court’s 1996 Sheff v. O’Neill decision for low income children in our state, and the importance of keeping this crucial legal mandate in place. The City of Buffalo’s experience with court-ordered integration 30 years ago is a reminder of how these independent constitutional rulings can maintain political will for reforms on behalf of low-income children that would otherwise get lost in the political process.