Other facilities rival costs of Southbury Training School

by Zachary Janowski | Jan 22, 2014 | Features, General, Health Care, State Budget, Taxes & Spending

Connecticut’s agency for serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities runs five campus-style centers that on average cost more than Southbury Training School and twice as much as privately-run alternatives. The Department of Developmental Services...

Labor Dept. gives employee fired for fraud his job back

by Zachary Janowski | Jan 17, 2014 | Features, General, State Budget, Taxes & Spending, Unions

The Department of Labor fired an employee for improperly handling a friend’s unemployment claim so the friend would receive extra pay, only to bring the former employee back to work months later. DOL put Edward Lombard on paid administrative leave on Jan. 29, 2013....

Busway contractor buys Canadian, breaks federal rules

by Zachary Janowski | Jan 16, 2014 | Features, General, State Budget, Taxes & Spending, Transportation

A Department of Transportation contractor working on the $567 million New Britain to Hartford busway improperly used materials imported from Canada instead of American material as required by the federal government. According to DOT spokesman Kevin Nursick, the...

Brookfield breaks the law and violates charter by accounting like the state

by Zachary Janowski | Jan 9, 2014 | Education, Features, General, Health Care, Municipal, State Budget, Taxes & Spending

The Brookfield Board of Finance reviewed a draft audit Wednesday showing the town’s schools used improper accounting to hide overspending in the past two fiscal years amounting to $1.1 million. The town’s auditors from Mahoney Sabol & Company said the schools are...

Auditors find $576 million accounting error

by Zachary Janowski | Jan 8, 2014 | Features, General, State Budget, Taxes & Spending

Auditors found a $576 million accounting error in two Department of Social Services budgetary accounts. The discrepancies showed up in an audit of the Treasurer’s responsibilities for overall state financial operations. “Our review disclosed that the Department of...

Affordable housing industry adds to Democratic coffers

by Zachary Janowski | Jan 3, 2014 | Ethics, Features, General, Politics, State Budget

Representatives of three companies with connections to the affordable housing industry gave to the Connecticut Democratic Party in November. Bruce Whitaker Jr., owner of Millennium Real Estate, gave $5,000 on Nov. 19. Two days later, Gov. Dannel Malloy announced Sasco...