A budget fight with constitutional overtones escalated Tuesday as legislators pressured Gov. M. Jodi Rell to withdraw nine judicial nominations until the courts get increased funding. A majority of House members signed a letter opposing confirming any new judges, effectively holding the nominations hostage until Rell relents on budget cutbacks. The letter was circulated by […]

Gov. M. Jodi Rell Monday signed on to an idea proposed by legislative Republicans last week to offer another round of retirement incentives to state employees. The Republican governor confirmed late Monday that an early retirement incentive program–the second in two years– was among a package of budget-cutting options she outlined in closed-door talks earlier […]

The state legislature’s Appropriations Committee killed a bill Monday that would have allowed residents to register and cast ballots on the same day during the 2011 municipal primaries. The pilot program, which was rejected 39-11 with bipartisan opposition, also had been opposed by municipal registrars of voters, who saw it as the first step toward […]

Connecticut is missing out on millions of dollars in federal subsidies because too many of the state’s poorest children do not eat breakfast in school, state officials and anti-hunger advocates said Monday. Among low-income children in the federal school lunch program, only 39 percent receive federally subsidized school breakfasts – one of the lowest figures […]

Assistant State’s Attorney Brian J. Leslie dropped his bid Monday to become a Superior Court judge, one day after a newspaper columnist detailed a $725,000 payment that the state made to settle a wrongful prosecution complaint against Leslie. Leslie, one of 10 lawyers recently nominated by Gov. M. Jodi Rell to serve on the Superior Court, […]

Ask Jeff Vose, the former executive director of the Windham Mills Development Corp., and he’ll tell you he was lucky to take on the redevelopment of the American Thread mill complex when he did. “A lot of the funding was already in place, and I came in at the tail end of the demolition and […]

Legislative leaders insist they are committed to the state’s public campaign finance program, but advocates say repeated raids on the program’s funding-totaling $48 million so far-to balance the state budget is threatening its survival. Any more reductions to the program would be a “mortal blow,” says Nancy S. Nicolescu, spokesman for the State Elections Enforcement […]

If the Capitol seems quiet over the next two weeks, it could be because state officials are collectively holding their breath. Data compiled shortly after the April 15 income tax filing deadline traditionally have been a key indicator of how Connecticut’s economy, and its government finances, will fare over the rest of the calendar year. […]

Dan Malloy: The only gubernatorial candidate close to qualifying for public financing A byproduct of the John G. Rowland corruption scandal is that candidates who raise $250,000 in small amounts can qualify for $4.25 million in public financing to run for governor. But the Citizens’ Election Program, passed a year after Rowland’s resignation in 2004, […]

In a lengthy interview with New Haven Magazine late last year, Cheryl Norton talked about her goals as Southern Connecticut State University’s president. “Norton,” the magazine said when it published the interview in December, “is still kicking butt and taking names.” But by then, Norton had been notified that she was being dismissed from her […]

Fortunately for Rep. Andrew Fleischmann, his wife had the foresight to buy the Lexus of health care plans. But he soon discovered that meant little when he was diagnosed with cancer and later denied coverage at the hospital he chose for treatment. “All the bureaucrats on the phone said this is not covered in your […]

It was billed as a new plan to erase a $726 million deficit in next fiscal year’s budget without raising taxes. In fact, the proposal offered Thursday by the legislature’s Republican minority piggy-backed on Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s Feb. 3 budget plan, which was designed to cancel $686 million in projected red ink. The GOP […]

Some of Connecticut’s lowest-performing public schools could qualify for up to $2 million by agreeing to undergo major shake-ups under a $25.7 million federal stimulus grant announced Thursday. To be eligible, the schools would have to take steps such as replacing principals, overhauling curriculum, hiring new teachers, or converting to charter schools. Gov. M. Jodi […]

The state is preparing to launch a pilot program aimed a keeping victims of domestic violence safer, but even proponents say the high-tech solution comes with unanswered questions. The year-long pilot program will allow judges in Bridgeport, Danielson and Hartford to order domestic violence offenders who ignore restraining orders to wear GPS ankle bracelets. Their […]

A Superior Court judge refused to rule Thursday that Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz was unqualified to run for attorney general, reserving judgment until after final arguments next week. Judge Michael R. Sheldon rejected a motion by the Republican Party that Bysiewicz, a Democrat, had failed to prove she met the minimum statutory requirements […]