Wyman projects $371 million deficit for 2009-10

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, […]

As his gubernatorial rivals focus on last-minute fund-raising, Ned Lamont is visiting a Hamden metal finisher today, continuing the low-key rollout of his economic development plan that began with events Tuesday in Hartford and Bridgeport. The Democratic frontrunner, a wealthy businessman who is expected to pay for most of his run himself, was one of […]

On an issue pitting struggling newspapers against financially-strapped towns, the General Assembly has come down on the side of the press–at least for this year. The state’s newspapers held on to an important source of revenue as the legislature rejected pleas from municipalities to relax the rules on legal advertising and allow them to post […]

Trying to follow state government’s budget surpluses and deficits is confusing enough in normal times. Spending and revenue trends are tracked for the current year and as far off as five years down the road – and three different agencies study some or all of them. Given that the past 18 months have produced more red ink […]

Newington Mayor Jeffrey Wright ended his bid for the Republican gubernatorial nomination this afternoon, adding he will endorse the early GOP frontrunner, Greenwich businessman Thomas Foley, in the next few days. Wright, 38, who has been mayor since 2007, also announced he still wants to be on the GOP’s ticket this fall, and will launch […]

Ever wonder what it would be like if politicians had to swear to tell the truth before talking about their qualifications for office? Susan Bysiewicz is about to find out. On Wednesday, the Democratic secretary of the state will be questioned under oath, probably on video, about whether she is qualified to run for attorney […]

Connecticut’s school reform plans got a mediocre grade in the federal Race to the Top competition, the Obama administration reported Monday, putting new pressure on state lawmakers to pass legislation to revamp the state’s public school system. Out of 40 states and the District of Columbia, Connecticut ranked 25th, well out of the running in […]

The battle to pass health-care reform is over. The campaign to explain, defend and sell reform to voters in the run-up to the 2010 election is under way. Home for the spring recess, members of Connecticut’s Democratic congressional delegation are on the road, led by a senior member who has given up on his own […]

The Judiciary Committee approved a bill Monday that will remove the statute of limitations for those accusing state employees of child sexual assault — a move several committee members worry could put the state’s finances at-risk. “Without question, this increases the state’s exposure to suit,” said Sen. John A. Kissel,R-Enfield, the Senate ranking Republican on the […]

Senate President Pro Tem Donald E. Williams Jr. spent much of Monday trying to extricate himself from between a fiscal rock and a hard place–better known as Gov. M. Jodi Rell and House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan of Meriden. The vacationing Republican governor’s staunch defense of a $70 million annual tax break for residents inheriting […]

The appeals process that slows down putting someone to death in Connecticut will not be sped up this legislative session, as the bill failed to make it out of the Judiciary Committee today. Rep. Michael P. Lawlor, D-East Haven, said he did not bring the bill before the committee for a vote because “it wasn’t on […]