A suburban pastor recalled Monday how Connecticut was the place where a teenaged Martin Luther King Jr. first escaped the Jim Crow laws of the racially divided South, a bittersweet experience that would profoundly shape King’s view of racial injustice in America. And a gay, white adoptive father of three black sons spoke of living a “transcultural life.” It was all in observance of the 30th Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday.
Kevin Lembo
Kevin Lembo previously served as Connecticut comptroller from 2010 to 2021. Before his time in office, Lembo served as Connecticut’s first state healthcare advocate.
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Lembo offers a detailed plan to cope with pension costs
State Comptroller Kevin P. Lembo unveiled a detailed plan Thursday to help Connecticut dodge a fiscal iceberg nearly two decades from now by capping its annual pension costs below $2.3 billion through 2033.
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CT has a good savings plan — though its bank balance is modest
Despite having a relatively modest emergency budget reserve right now, Connecticut’s saving strategy is better than those in most states, according to a new study by Pew Charitable Trusts.
Posted inHealth
Lembo helps Dems in D.C. sharpen attack on high drug costs
In testimony Wednesday, Connecticut Comptroller Kevin Lembo joined a growing Democratic attack on high drug prices, an issue expected to be at the center of many Democratic election campaigns next year.
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Lembo says he’s developing an alternative state pension fix
State Comptroller Kevin P. Lembo said Tuesday he is developing an alternative plan to restructure Connecticut’s payments into the cash-starved pension fund for state employees.
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Lembo certifies Malloy estimate of state budget deficit
State Comptroller Kevin P. Lembo agreed with Malloy’s estimate of the state budget deficit in his latest monthly forecast on Monday, but he warned things could easily change.
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Lembo joins dissent over Malloy’s emergency budget cuts
State Comptroller Kevin P. Lembo distanced himself Thursday from Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, calling his fellow Democrat’s emergency budget cuts premature and warning they could harm the state’s economy. A top administration official shot back, “We are making those tough decisions when we must, not shirking our responsibilities for political convenience.”
Posted inHealth
Specialty drug prices threaten health care affordability
The state employee health plan has tailored its design to encourage people to manage chronic conditions, get preventive care and avoid emergency room visits. But costs are being driven up by the rising expense of specialty drugs for conditions including Hepatitis C, multiple sclerosis and cancer. It’s a challenge that’s not unique to the state employee health plans, health care experts said Tuesday.
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Lembo says Wall Street, other factors, could strain budget
Though the new state budget is just two months old, Connecticut’s chief fiscal watchdog already is warning about several problems that could push state finances into the red.
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Lembo unveils plan to end huge backlog in state pension audits
State Comptroller Kevin P. Lembo’s office announced Thursday that a huge, decades-old backlog in finalizing state pensions should finally be alleviated over the next 18 months. And Lembo said a new automated system also would make it easier for state workers to research their future benefits.
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CT reaches tentative deal with unions on disability pay controversy
Negotiators for the state and its employee unions have reached a tentative agreement that could resolve a long-running controversy over state disability pension payments, the state’s chief labor negotiator said Thursday.
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Whistleblower suit: Disability pension system corrupt
A state whistleblower and former attorney for Connecticut’s retirement systems has filed a lawsuit alleging corruption and malfeasance in the handling of millions of dollars in disability pension benefits. The lawsuit expands upon concerns raised last week by the state’s auditors and alleges that mishandling has put the state’s retirement systems at risk of losing federal tax law protection.
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Malloy administration says it’s negotiating to fix disability pay controversy
A representative of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s administration told state retirement officials Thursday that the administration is negotiating with employee unions and hopes to soon resolve a controversy involving millions of dollars in disability benefit payments.
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Auditors: State fails to safeguard millions in disability benefits
The state auditors issued a special report Wednesday disclosing a major breakdown in safeguards in the comptroller’s office that could have led to the improper payment of millions of dollars in disability retirement benefits.
Posted inPolitics
VIDEO: Watch The Mirror’s ‘Policy Pairings’ Discussions
Connecticut homegrown breweries served as the backdrops for discussion of pressing state issues as part of The Connecticut Mirror’s first “Policy Pairings” series. Watch the panel discussions in their entirety.