Connecticut’s “tepid recovery” could pick up steam in 2014, buoyed by the national and regional economies that continue to outperform the Nutmeg State’s, a leading economist told the state’s business leaders Tuesday.
Economist: Post-election budget deficit threatens CT’s economic gains in 2014
Posted inPolitics
Tom D’Amore dies; was strategist to Weicker, Lamont
Thomas J. D’Amore Jr., a puckish political presence in Connecticut for more than 40 years, most notably as a key strategist for Lowell P. Weicker’s successful runs for U.S. Senate and governor, and later for Ned Lamont’s challenge of U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, died Tuesday after an apparent heart attack. He was 72.
Posted inEnergy & Environment
Frigid spell diverts natural gas from New England’s power grid
For the second time since Friday, frigid temperatures in New England are forcing a realignment of how natural gas is used to power the region -– a renewed reminder that increasing reliance on natural gas, coupled with limited pipeline capacity to deliver it, has ramifications for the reliability of the electric grid and, potentially, the cost to consumers.
Posted inHealth
Obamacare Q&A: Deadlines, tax credits and coverage gaps
In this installment of our Obamacare Q&A series, we’ll tackle questions about tax credits for buying insurance, deadlines for getting covered through the exchange, what happens if you need coverage after the open enrollment period ends, and what happens if you’re uninsured for part of the year. If you have a question about the health law you’d like addressed, email Mirror Health Reporter Arielle Levin Becker at alevinbecker@cmirror.org.
Posted inPolitics
Harp resigns from Senate, starting countdown to special election
Toni Harp, the newly inaugurated Democratic mayor of New Haven, resigned Tuesday from the state Senate, forcing a special election to choose a successor within the next 56 days. By law, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has 10 days to issue a writ of special election. Secretary of the State Denise Merrill must then schedule an election within 46 days of Malloy’s action.
Posted inUncategorized
Connecticut woman helps Obama push renewal of unemployment benefits
In his pitch Tuesday to pressure Congress to approve the extension of federal unemployment benefits, President Obama will be introduced by Katherine Hackett of Moodus. Hackett wrote to Obama telling him she would be affected by the failure of Congress to extend unemployment insurance. She said the payments she receives under the benefit covers her […]
Posted inUncategorized
Timothy Herbst announces formation of exploratory committee
Republican First Selectman Timothy Herbst of Trumbull, who has floated his name as a potential candidate for state treasurer, announced Monday he is creating an exploratory committee for statewide office, “including state treasurer.” “Trumbull is a microcosm of the state of Connecticut both in its diverse makeup and desire for strong services and a quality […]
Posted inUncategorized
Metro-North president to retire amid controversy
Howard Permut, president of the Metro-North Commuter Railroad, will retire at the end of the month, the Hartford Courant, New York Times and Wall Street Journal report. His departure follows a recent series of incidents, including two derailments, that resulted in multiple deaths and numerous injuries.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Revamp the property tax system to overcome unfairness, inefficiency
This should be the year state policymakers start to revamp the state’s property tax structure. We know that the system is unfair, and there is a clear path forward to fix it. Current property taxes are unfair in a number of ways. Owners of properties with the same fair market value pay vastly different property taxes based on which town they are in. Owners also pay very different taxes for the same level of local public services. Residents often receive very different levels of local public services for the same level of taxes paid.
Posted inNews
Revamp the property tax system to overcome unfairness, inefficiency
This should be the year state policymakers start to revamp the state’s property tax structure. We know that the system is unfair, and there is a clear path forward to fix it. Current property taxes are unfair in a number of ways. Owners of properties with the same fair market value pay vastly different property taxes based on which town they are in. Owners also pay very different taxes for the same level of local public services. Residents often receive very different levels of local public services for the same level of taxes paid.
Posted inPolitics
Malloy names first woman to oversee public safety in Connecticut
Dora B. Schriro, who was named Monday as the first woman to oversee the Connecticut State Police and other state public-safety functions, has a national profile as the New York City correction commissioner and a former special adviser to the U.S. secretary of homeland security.
Posted inEnergy & Environment
Renewable and clean energy surges in Connecticut
Bridgeport — There’s little to suggest that the five large, white-painted steel boxes and a collection of pipes near the railroad tracks was one of the most astonishing developments in clean energy in Connecticut in 2013. The only hint are these words lettered on each box: FuelCell Energy –- Ultra-clean, Efficient, Reliable Power.
Posted inPolitics
Malloy works to appease teachers in 2014
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s calculated decision to make a public show of challenging unionized teachers two years ago still dogs the first-term Democratic governor as he prepares for a 2014 re-election he cannot win without support from organized labor.
Posted inNews
Wesleyan student’s poem about gender goes viral
A poem about gender inequality by Wesleyan University student Lily Meyers has gone viral, with a YouTube video of her reciting her poem having already been viewed more than 3.3 million times. “I wonder if my lineage is one of women shrinking, making space for the entrance of men into their lives not knowing how […]
Posted inNews
Feds give Newtown school district money, but not to build a new elementary school
The U.S. Department of Education announced Monday it is awarding an additional $1.9 million to the Newtown Public School District to help it continue to recover from the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012. But the money, from the Education Department’s Project School Emergency Response to Violence (SERV) program and a […]