I think virtually every town/city in this country relies too heavily on grants — it’s a huge problem that contributes to our fiscal woes at all levels of government. But this is a system of our own creation that we have let fester and grow out of control. We have these unholy alliances that are […]
Op-ed: Return power and control to towns and cities
Posted inHealth
Obamacare Q&A: Deadline scramble, repaying subsidies and what the new plans cover
This Obamacare Q&A includes questions about what to do about that deadline if your coverage is slated to run out later this year, what the government can and can’t do to you if you don’t get insurance, what the new plans cover and the possibility that some people might have to repay some or all of the federal funds used to discount their premiums.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Op-ed: CT’s leaders need to focus on productivity
Water freezes at 32 degrees F. A physical law. Anyone wishing to ice skate has no choice but to wait until that physical law is satisfied. However, if we wish to play a game, all the “laws” or rules are man-made. We do as we like. “Baseball” exists nowhere else but in the collective mind. […]
Posted inMoney, Politics
CT poised to adopt $10.10 minimum wage Wednesday
With votes scheduled Wednesday in both chambers of the state legislature, Connecticut is poised to become the first state to adopt a $10.10 minimum wage, delivering on an election-year priority of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.
Posted inEducation
Name change for ‘special master’ may not resolve teachers’ concerns
Since the state named a “special master” in New London and Windham, there has been unrest among teachers as to what authority that person enjoys and what autonomy local officials retain.
Posted inEducation
UConn, financial aid & out-of-state students
Nearly one-quarter of students who receive financial aid from The University of Connecticut are students who grew up out of state.
Posted inHealth, Politics
CT’s Latinos face hurdles in enrolling in Obamacare
No group of people in Connecticut is more likely to be uninsured than the state’s Latinos, and Obamacare won’t change that.
Posted inPolitics
Ed Meyer is retiring, pushing Ted Kennedy Jr. as successor
Sen. Ed Meyer, D-Guilford, confirmed his retirement plans Monday, providing an opportunity to a constituent who has signaled an eagerness in recent years to embrace a family legacy: Ted Kennedy Jr.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Op-ed: Common Core a huge leap forward for Connecticut
It’s unfortunate to read about the confusion and misinformation being spread about the Common Core Standards, which, in fact, focus on developing the skills that colleges and employers say students need to know in order to succeed.
Posted inPolitics
Bacchiochi ends exploratory, declares candidacy for LG
A year after forming an exploratory committee, Rep. Penny Bacchiochi, R-Stafford, declared her candidacy Monday for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor. Bacchiochi said she has closed her exploratory committee, which she says has raised $75,000, and will transition to a candidate committee in the next 14 days. Her goal is to qualify for public […]
Posted inNews
Early bird registration ends today for “Small State, Big Debate”
Today is the last day for early bird registration for The Connecticut Mirror’s Small State, Big Debate: Inequality. You can find registration, speakers and the day’s schedule at the event’s website here. We thank those who already registered and took advantage of the savings.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Op-ed: A Connecticut senior ‘disgusted’ with the state’s finances
We are losing seniors who cannot afford to live here, and young people who also cannot afford to live here.
Posted inPolitics
Philly Flyers owner: His $10,000 to CT Dems not ‘pay to play’
Ed Snider is trying to ensure there is no legal cloud over the ability of his company’s subsidiaries to do business with the state. One — Global Spectrum — finalized a 10-year deal July 1 to manage two state-owned venues, the XL Center in Hartford and Rentschler Field in East Hartford.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Op-ed: CT’s taxes are going up, and services are deteriorating
I think the most important issue facing Connecticut is taxes. It seems the taxes are continuing to rise, and services are continuing to deteriorate. If the state government is serious about protecting the middle class, then the taxes have to be cut, and government programs — like the free money given away to corporations being […]
Posted inNews
Washington Watch: Help for unemployed, fees for doctors, Ukraine, the president and the pope
The Senate is expected to vote on a compromise bill that would extend benefits to long-term unemployed people (who’ve been cut off since Dec. 28). But the bill’s fate in the House is in doubt. A deadline over the “doc fix” also looms. Unless Congress acts by March 31 to fix a formula that pays […]