Two organizations vying to open charter schools in Waterbury and Windham are expected to get final approval this week from the State Board of Education. “I assume there will be action” Wednesday, State Board of Education Chairman Allan B. Taylor said during an interview. The expected opening of these new charters defies the odds; only […]
New charter schools: Heading to a city near you?
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The truth behind Connecticut’s gas prices
Ever wonder why Connecticut’s gasoline prices are so high? Today, about 47 cents of every gallon you buy goes straight to the state of Connecticut. On July 1, 2013, gas prices will jump nearly 4 cents overnight — a record amount — thanks to a state tax very few people know about — the wholesale […]
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Malloy in D.C. for school security, campaign fundraising
Washington — Gov. Dannel P. Malloy flew to Washington on Tuesday to address a security conference, then spend a little time working on the financial security of the Connecticut Democratic Party, which recently hired a full-time fundraiser as it takes on a larger role in state campaigns. Malloy and the congressional delegation were the draw […]
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Military wary of bills from Blumenthal, others, to combat sexual assaults
Washington –- The nation’s top military officers agreed that sexual assaults are a severe problem in the ranks, but they cautioned Congress Tuesday against too much meddling in military affairs. “Sexual assault and harassment are like a cancer within the force — a cancer that left untreated will destroy the fabric of our force,” said […]
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Bill toughens penalties in child sex trafficking cases
Targeting minors for prostitution is about to become a little more difficult for pimps and “johns.” A bill that would make it easier for law enforcement to prosecute those who sexually exploit children — and increase the penalty for those who knowingly solicit them — is headed for the governor’s desk after receiving a unanimous […]
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House backs car tax repeal —several years down the road
The House of Representatives adopted a bill early Tuesday morning that would phase out Connecticut’s municipal tax on motor vehicles – but it would be several more years before motorists get any relief. The bill passed 111-28 with bipartisan support and now heads to the Senate. It technically begins the phase-out with the municipal tax […]
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Spooked by outside dollars, Senate allows unlimited spending by parties
Under legislation approved early Tuesday on a partisan vote in the Senate, state parties would be able to make unlimited expenditures on Connecticut legislative races next year, weakening a campaign finance reform passed in 2005.
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Murphy starts Senate Polish caucus
Washington — While he has a grand, old Irish surname, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said Tuesday he actually has more “Polish blood.” That’s why he founded the Senate Polish caucus with Sens. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., and Jim Risch, R-Idaho, just in time for the visit of Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski to Washington. “When people think […]
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Children’s mental health bill — a framework that must be built
It is unfortunate that it took a horrific tragedy -– the deaths of 20 young children –- to finally spur action. But, our legislators are to be lauded for seriously examining the lack of mental health services for children. They uncovered a dark, troubling secret: a mental health crisis is affecting children and families in […]
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Filmmaker Moore, thousands of others, back Newtown parents’ bid to block release of photos
The families of the children and educators slain at Sandy Hook Elementary School have amassed the support of 55,246 people — including filmmaker Michael Moore — in their effort to block the public release of the crime-scene photos and 9-1-1 audio of the horrific incident. But winning the support of those with the power to exempt […]
Posted inEnergy & Environment
Budget cuts to green bank irk enviros and concern solar industry
It took a day or so for the smoke to clear on the House version of the budget -– and once it did, the energy and environment community was aghast. Funding for the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority –- the state’s first-in-the-nation green bank — had been commandeered for general revenue. More than 20 percent was redirected in fiscal year 2014, and nearly all of it the following year.
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Legislature adopts package of changes to post-Newtown gun control law
The General Assembly approved a measure Monday making several technical changes to the gun control statute enacted this April in response to December’s fatal shooting at a Newtown elementary school. While they enacted a statute two months ago that imposes numerous new restrictions on firearm purchases, tightens school security and expands insurance coverage for mental […]
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Senate budget debate offers opposing visions of fiscal future
The state Senate sent a $37.6 billion biennial budget to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s desk Monday night after nearly seven hours of partisan debate that offered opposing visions of Connecticut’s fiscal future. Majority Democrats described it as a responsible plan that meets a rising demand for social services, preserves municipal aid and builds on the […]
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GMO labeling advocates celebrate, and turn focus to other states
Shortly after the bill they endorsed got pulled “out of the legislative graveyard,” the grass-roots network of advocates pushing for labels on genetically engineered food gathered to cheer about it Monday. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy showed up and congratulated them. But, characteristically, he pointed to the next thing on the agenda. “You better go win […]
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U.S. Court of Appeals rebukes Rowland, rules that ’03 layoffs were punitive
In a decision with far-reaching political and legal implications, a federal appeals court has concluded that former Gov. John G. Rowland illegally discriminated against union employees when ordering 2,800 layoffs soon after his election to a third term in 2002. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit faulted Rowland for exclusively eliminating union […]