Federal reform bill may help balance the state’s budget

Despite her initial skepticism, the administration of Gov. M. Jodi Rell is eagerly pursuing the money available under the new federal health care reform law. So far the state has targeted more than $200 million to cover health care for low-income individuals, for those in high-risk pools, and for retirees under age 65. But none […]

State officials recently got their first glimpse of the cost of escaping a pay-as-you-go health insurance program for retired workers, and it wasn’t pretty. But on a long-term basis, the state’s health care consultants said, it’s far less expensive the the current practice of paying the bills out-of-pocket. A preliminary analysis issued last week to […]

Connecticut may be headed for the largest budget deficit in its history in just 13 months, but some consumers will actually be enjoying a state tax cut later this summer. Thanks to a drop in the world price of crude oil and a relatively new system for calculating tax rates, the levy on diesel fuel […]

The Connecticut Mirror is expanding its coverage to the nation’s capital with the addition of Deirdre Shesgreen as its Washington correspondent–the only reporter assigned to follow the state’s Congressional delegation. Shesgreen, who covered Washington for more than a dozen years for organizations including the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, becomes the fifth reporter on the staff of […]

State government’s standing on Wall Street took a hit today when one of the three major credit rating agencies lowered Connecticut’s bond rating, citing the state’s repeated efforts to close budget deficits through borrowing, rather than spending cuts or tax hikes. But the downgrade by Fitch Ratings Services should not have much of an effect […]

The Connecticut Mirror is expanding its coverage to the nation’s capital with the addition of Deirdre Shesgreen as its Washington correspondent–the only reporter assigned to follow the state’s Congressional delegation. Shesgreen, who covered Washington for more than a dozen years for organizations including the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, becomes the fifth reporter on the staff of […]

MERIDEN – In politics, sometimes life imitates ads. Richard Blumenthal, whose new commercials for his U.S. Senate campaign feature constituents he helped in his 20 years as attorney general, was publicly thanked Thursday by a family for helping to save their car dealership. Not that he should get used to it: In coming months, Republican […]

Two state lawmakers have asked Attorney General Richard Blumenthal to investigate Connecticut State University Chancellor David G. Carter’s removal of Southern Connecticut State University President Cheryl Norton. In a letter to the attorney general’s office Thursday, the co-chairmen of the legislature’s Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee asked whether Carter has the legal authority to […]

Though Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s administration hasn’t had much success to date selling surplus property to balance the budget, the General Assembly is planning to all-but-give some away later this month to help out their districts back home. But House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan, D-Meriden, and Senate President Pro Tem Donald E. Williams Jr., D-Brooklyn, […]

Instead of simply kicking out disruptive students, Connecticut’s public schools are increasingly turning to less drastic methods, such as Room 208 at Hartford’s Fox Elementary School, says a report released Thursday. Fox’s “Responsible Thinking Classroom,” where students write about their misbehavior, is one of many examples cited in a report showing that the number of […]

The sudden hue and cry about a high-level personnel decision on one of four campuses of the Connecticut State University System (CSUS) seems exaggerated, shortsighted, and we think misdirected. For decades we have known David Carter, the CSUS chancellor since 2006, to be an honorable and effective champion for higher education in our state. We […]

The State Elections Enforcement Commission today approved the first public-financing grants to a statewide candidate: nearly $2.2 million for Dan Malloy, the endorsed Democratic candidate for governor. “Congratulations to the Malloy campaign,” said Stephen F. Cashman, the commission chairman. “And a first for the commission, as well.” The commission approved a $1.25 million grant for […]

Texting while driving is now illegal in Connecticut, as Gov. M. Jodi Rell signed the bill into law today. The new law also increases fines for talking on a cell phone while driving; to $100 on the first offense, $150 for the second offense and $200 for subsequent offenses. It also ends the policy of giving […]