While state government continues to explore spreading its pension debt among future generations, Connecticut apparently won’t have that option when it comes to benefits owed its public school teachers.
State Budget
Posted inJustice, Money
State troopers will guard courthouses in 4 cities starting Monday
After hiring state police Friday to temporarily enhance security outside of a Superior Court in Bridgeport, the Judicial Branch will assign troopers to guard courthouses in four cities starting Monday, a branch spokeswoman said.
Posted inJustice, Money
Judicial Branch to close Windham courthouse, 3 juvenile courts
The Judicial Branch announced Tuesday it would close the Windham courthouse, juvenile courts in Danbury, Stamford and Torrington, and two urban lock-up facilities as part of a larger reorganization to deal with a $77 million budget cut in the fiscal year beginning July 1.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Malloy’s line-item budget vetoes stand as House, Senate split
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s line-item vetoes of $22 million in spending, primarily from undisclosed municipal aid accounts, will stand as the House and Senate disagreed Monday on whether to attempt overrides. The House was willing, the Senate was not.
Posted inMoney
CT agencies told to start planning for big cuts for 2017-18
A few weeks after balancing the state budget entirely with spending cuts, the administration of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is already warning state agencies to start planning for big reductions in discretionary spending in the following two fiscal years.
Posted inJustice, Money, Politics
Judicial Branch to cut community programs
Facing $77 million in cuts under the finalized budget, the state’s Judicial Branch has announced new actions to close the gap, including a plan to scale back community-based programs for juvenile and adult offenders.
Posted inJustice, Money, Politics
Malloy signs CT budget but trims town aid to offset prison costs
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy showed legislators Thursday there was a fiscal price to be paid for rejecting his anti-recidivism proposals. The governor signed the legislature’s $19.76 billion budget for 2016-17 into law, but only after using the rarely employed line-item veto to cancel more than $22 million earmarked for municipalities, health clinics and the Connecticut Humanities Council.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Only half of planned state layoffs ordered as key deadline nears
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s efforts to reduce the state’s workforce are progressing more slowly than originally planned — an issue that could worsen a likely deficit this fiscal year and pose a bigger threat to finances after July 1.
Posted inMoney
Pew report: CT deep in debt, even considering its high income
Even weighed against Connecticut’s high per capita income, the state’s bonded debt and unfunded retirement benefits outrank most other states’, according to a new analysis by The Pew Charitable Trusts.
Posted inHealth, Money, Politics
State handing towns responsibility for unclaimed human remains
State budget cuts mean Connecticut municipalities now must take responsibility for disposition and, in some cases, storage and transportation of unclaimed human remains, according to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Posted inMoney, Politics
CT expected to provide $22M to help major hedge fund expand
The State Bond Commission is expected to approve $22 million in financing Friday to help a major hedge fund expand operations in Westport, Wilton and Norwalk.
Posted inMoney, Politics
New rule: Curbing state spending or masking looming deficits?
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy insists recently adopted legislation that restricts how nonpartisan staff report future budget trends — including deficits — will help ensure state spending doesn’t increase “on autopilot.” But the measure places no restrictions on what the legislature can propose or adopt, nor will it prevent legislators from obtaining the material nonpartisan analysts will not be able to publish in one high-profile report.
Posted inMoney
More than 900 state jobs eliminated since layoffs began
More than 900 state full-time employees have been laid off since the Executive and Judicial branches began downsizing earlier this spring, according to reports issued late this week. In addition, 61 temporary workers have lost their jobs.
Posted inMoney, Politics
New CT budget contributes to credit downgrades from Wall Street
The new state budget’s ability to mitigate longstanding fiscal problems got poor marks Thursday on Wall Street as two of the four major rating agencies downgraded Connecticut’s credit ranking — probably boosting borrowing costs in the future.
Posted inEducation, Health, Money, Politics, Transportation
House sends lean, overdue CT budget to Malloy’s desk
Updated at 11:08 p.m.
The Democrat-controlled House voted 74-70 to adopt a $19.76 billion budget that closes a nearly $1 billion hole in the 2016-17 fiscal year without raising taxes or tapping Connecticut’s modest emergency reserve. Eight Democrats joined with all 62 Republicans present to oppose the measure.