State Comptroller Kevin P. Lembo said Tuesday he is developing an alternative plan to restructure Connecticut’s payments into the cash-starved pension fund for state employees.
Lembo says he’s developing an alternative state pension fix
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Connecticut Republicans embrace youth and diversity
It goes without saying that this year’s municipal elections were a resounding victory for Connecticut Republicans, maintaining control of the majority of towns and cities across the state. But perhaps the bigger victory is the party’s strides in embracing new and diverse members that ordinarily don’t gravitate towards the Republican Party.
Posted inPolitics
Malloy, federal lawmakers stand firm on helping Syrian refugees
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.
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 inJustice
AG’s office says claims in limbo over missed deadlines
Eight plaintiffs, including the children of a couple killed eight years ago by a falling tree on the Merritt Parkway, were told Monday their claims against the state are in a legal limbo as the result of procedural errors by Claims Commissioner J. Paul Vance Jr.
Posted inEducation
UConn ranked third for sports subsidies
The University of Connecticut spent $27.2 million last year subsidizing its sports teams and programs — the third highest in the nation among public schools with Division 1 sports teams, a review released Monday by the Chronicle for Higher Education found. UConn’s overall sports budget ranked 40th.
Posted inEducation
Ojakian hopes to calm the storm at CSCU, yet make merger work
The career public employee with a reputation for lowering the temperature in heated situations hopes that quality will help him resolve the underlying fiscal, labor and educational issues that plagued his predecessors.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
CJTS teacher: Juvenile offenders’ ‘best chance is with us’
In light of Gov. Dannel Malloy’s proposal to “Raise the Age” of juveniles to 20, it is time to recognize once and for all that Connecticut’s juvenile delinquent offenders should be sent to the Connecticut Juvenile Training School and not to the state’s youth prison, Manson Youth Institute. Contrary to the Office of the Child Advocate’s misleading and politically-charged claim that we are abusing our residents, the truth of the matter is that the residents of CJTS receive a comprehensive, intensive, and high-quality array of services from dedicated and passionate professionals.
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
Fiscal flood warning: Nothing but red ink forecast in CT
Nonpartisan fiscal analysts issued projections Friday that Connecticut, already coping with a significant budget shortfall in the current year, is facing a far worse problem just over the horizon: nearly a $2.3 billion gap in state finances over the next two fiscal years.
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 inHealth
CT’s insurance CO-OP sticking around, but still a work in progress
The nonprofit insurer lost $28 million in 2014 and, as of June 30, had lost $9.5 million this year. CEO Ken Lalime said early losses are not unusual for a new company, and said HealthyCT has the capital to get through the initial, unprofitable years.