WASHINGTON — House appropriators rejected many of President Donald Trump’s proposed cuts to education, but trimmed some programs and eliminated others – including one that provides the state and local school districts with $25 million in teacher training grants each year. House appropriators also failed to adjust this year’s Pell grant awards for inflation, a move state officials say will cost Connecticut students $6 million in college financial aid next year.
budget
Posted inNews
Coast Guard strained by budget constraints
WASHINGTON — When the USS Fitzgerald collided with a container ship off the coast of Japan last month, resulting in the deaths of seven American sailors, the U.S. Coast Guard was dispatched to investigate the incident. That’s an example of the service’s widening mission, which has not been matched by an increase in personnel or resources, leaving its leaders to question whether they can fully accomplish their missions.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Trump budget would cut or end food stamps for many in CT
WASHINGTON — Kimberly Hart of New Haven is among more than 400,000 Connecticut residents who depend on food stamps — a program that would be cut under President Donald Trump’s budget, which also shifts some of the responsibility of feeding those in need to individual states.
Posted inJustice, Politics
Trump budget makes another attempt to target ‘sanctuaries’
WASHINGTON — Tucked into the massive $4.4 trillion budget President Donald Trump released this week is the administration’s latest attempt to punish cities and states, like Connecticut, that it considers “sanctuaries,” a move the Malloy administration and others say is unconstitutional.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Trump budget: CT health, education, research hit — defense a mixed bag
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s budget would require Connecticut to drop residents from key social and health programs in the state, and make tough decisions on how to handle other proposed federal cuts to education, housing and the environment. Connecticut’s congressional delegation vowed to fight it.
Posted inPolitics
Campaign finance, minimum wage bills in the mix despite budget crush
With a little more than two weeks remaining until the session’s June 7 adjournment deadline, dozens of bills unrelated to the state’s budget are certain to be voted upon. Legislative leaders say campaign finance reform and a minimum wage increase are among the contentious issues that could come up in the session’s final days.
Posted inEducation, Health, Money, Politics
Congress faces choice of budget deal or federal shutdown
WASHINGTON — When Congress returns from its two-week recess next week it will have just days to approve a bill that would fund the federal budget and prevent a government shutdown that would affect a broad swath of Connecticut residents – from Head Start students to workers in the state’s defense industry.
Posted inPolitics
Trump’s move to end heating aid also would trim food stamps for many
WASHINGTON — The Trump budget blueprint was silent on the government’s largest social welfare programs, but elimination of federal help to pay heating bills also would cut back on food stamps for about 71,000 people in Connecticut.
Posted inPolitics
Himes’ New Dems and moderate Republicans explore coalition
WASHINGTON — With Donald Trump’s presidency fueling partisan fires in Congress, a group of centrist Democrats led by Rep. Jim Himes is trying to find common ground with GOP counterparts. The goal is to determine whether they could come together on infrastructure, budget, tax and other issues.
Posted inPolitics
CT defense industry hurt by Congress’ inaction on spending bill
WASHINGTON – Connecticut lawmakers are facing a major obstacle in their attempts to boost the number of helicopters, airplane engines and submarines made by the state’s defense contractors: greater than-ever congressional gridlock over the defense budget.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Budget crisis follows Malloy into Clinton campaign event
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy was reminded Thursday there is no escaping the budget crisis, not even at a presidential campaign event: A Sandy Hook mother gently called him out in front of Hillary Clinton and the national press for cuts he is making to mental health and social services.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Courtney seeking emergency money to fight opioid addiction, overdoses
WASHINGTON – Days after President Obama said he’d ask Congress to boost funds to fight opioid and heroin addiction, Rep. Joe Courtney introduced a bill that would seek $600 million in emergency funds to pay for both drug enforcement and treatment.
Posted inMoney, Politics
CT lawmakers, except Himes, split with party over tax package
WASHINGTON – U.S. Reps. John Larson, Elizabeth Esty, Rosa DeLauro and Joe Courtney split from their party leaders Thursday in voting for a tax package that would make permanent a research and development tax break benefiting many Connecticut companies and tax credits to help low-income families.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Big business speaks loudly, rattles fragile tax deal
A vote on the tax deal struck over the weekend was delayed Monday as legislative leaders sought revisions demanded by rebellious members, some in response to an outcry by major corporations over a tripling of a computer-services levy and other business taxes.
Posted inMoney
Malloy administration, legislators shake on tax deal
Legislative leaders struck a tax deal with the administration of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy moments before midnight Saturday, setting the stage for action Monday on a biennium budget that would raise taxes on the wealthy and business, while funding property-tax relief and transportation.