The legislature’s bonding panel offered its own plan Monday to keep state government under its credit limit. But while the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee recommended canceling more than 180 projects previously approved for funding – including dozens of community and regional projects in lawmakers’ home districts – it also targeted millions in economic development […]

Planning to attend a concert? Be prepared to pay the state admissions tax – unless the performance is held at the Connecticut Expo Center in Hartford, Ocean Beach Park in New London, or one of a few other select venues. Looking to store something? If it’s a boat, you’re in luck–no tax. If it’s furniture, […]

Passage of national health care reform apparently has ended a long-running stalemate between the legislature and the Rell administration over seeking federal reimbursement for a state-funded health care program. Three times over the last seven years, the legislature has directed the state Department of Social Services to apply for millions of dollars in federal matching […]

It was slow going. Everyone had a kind word for the returning James A. Amann, the former speaker of the House, as he headed for the elevators in the Legislative Office Building. He interrupted one conversation to return the greeting of a passing lawmaker, Rep. Toni Walker, D-New Haven. He called after her, “Thanks for […]

Nearly $4.7 million that the state Senate wanted to use to lower the budget deficit is now on its way out the door – in the form of bonuses to senior state employees. Though longevity payment checks likely won’t be issued until April 23, the funds had to be committed by the end of business […]

Despite last-minute uncertainty over whether taxing “excessive” executive bonuses will raise enough money to pay for the Democrats’ jobs plan, the legislature’s finance committee overwhelmingly voted in favor of the bill Thursday. The bill exempts 48,000 small businesses in the state from the $250 annual business entity tax, a move that will cost the state […]

A key legislative committee Thursday approved several major education bills designed to reshape Connecticut’s public schools and improve the state’s chances to win millions of dollars in federal school reform money. The General Assembly’s Appropriations Committee approved bills that would expand high school graduation requirements, remove enrollment limits on charter schools, link teacher evaluations to […]

Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s administration wants to move state government’s data center and supporting offices out of their East Hartford home and onto the Newington campus of a state psychiatric hospital slated for closure. Though the administration largely has been silent about its search for a new home for the Department of Information Technology, Rell’s […]

In Norwich, as in other cash-strapped public school districts, spring is the mean season. Trying to balance its budget, the district has decided to cut out middle school sports, foreign language classes and an instrumental music program. It will end some after-school bus routes. Officials are considering closing an elementary school. And nearly a quarter […]

State Comptroller Nancy Wyman certified a $371 million deficit today for the current fiscal year, down nearly $150 million from last month’s forecast. But the state’s chief fiscal guardian also expressed concerns about potential cost overruns across state government that could reach $285 million before the fiscal year ends on June 30. Wyman also declined […]

Faced with conflicting signals on legislative priorities, the tax-writing Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee may let its deadline pass next Tuesday without acting on some key issues facing the deficit-wracked state government. Chief among them: Which future revenues should be sold – at a discount – to secure a $1.3 billion payment needed to balance […]

In Norwich, as in other cash-strapped public school districts, spring is the mean season. Trying to balance its budget, the district has decided to cut out middle school sports, foreign language classes and an instrumental music program. It will end some after-school bus routes. Officials are considering closing an elementary school. And nearly a quarter […]

A state legislator says she wants to know why prison officials refused an officer’s request to shackle a death-row inmate shortly before the inmate assaulted him and at least four others. Rep. Karen Jarmoc, D-Enfield, said Wednesday that Daniel Webb assaulted a prison captain Monday after officials refused the officer’s request to shackle Webb prior […]

Gov. M. Jodi Rell announced today she is nominating Superior Judge Stuart D. Bear to the Appellate Court Bear, 65, a trial judge since 2003, was a lawyer at Zeldes, Needle & Cooper for 30 years. He received his undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard, graduating with honors. He will succeed Chief Judge Joseph P. Flynn, […]