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Imagine that: Indiana deposits $360 million surplus into pension funds
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels is one of the country’s most fiscally successful governors: “Many states and some localities are never ever going to be able to honor obligations they made,” Daniels said. “That will never be the case in...
Auditors: CCEDA ’employees appear to have unlimited sick time’
An audit of a small state economic development agency found management did not properly oversee employee sick time, resulting in the appearance that employees had an unlimited amount of paid time off. The Capital City Economic Development Authority had certain...
DOT cuts up Broad St. for busway, repaves for marathon two weeks later
The Connecticut Department of Transportation broke up the asphalt on Broad Street in Hartford two weeks ago as part of construction on the New-Britain-to-Hartford busway only to put down temporary asphalt Thursday to accommodate the ING Hartford Marathon. DOT...
Connecticut second-worst on workers’ comp costs
Connecticut employers pay the second-highest rates for workers’ compensation insurance, according to a new study, with costs 60 percent higher than states ranked in the middle. The Oregon Department of Consumer & Business Services has published the study for...
Nursing home company files RICO suit against striking union
An interrelated group of nursing home companies filed suit Wednesday against the union striking at five Connecticut locations, alleging extortion under a federal law designed to fight the mob. HealthBridge, owner of eight nursing homes in Connecticut including three...
State purchase of private jet fails
No bidders responded to a Connecticut Department of Education offer to purchase a used Learjet with fewer than 12,000 hours of flight time, forcing state officials to reconsider their plan. The Connecticut Technical High School System attempted the purchase for the...
Politicians celebrate already-counted rail money from DC
Connecticut received $121 million last week for its rail line from New Haven to Springfield via Hartford. And all the politicians rejoiced. Gov. Dannel Malloy, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, Rep. John Larson and Rep. Chris Murphy (D, D, D-3rd, D-1st and...
Connecticut cities receive police grant they most likely can’t maintain
In June, the federal government awarded the state of Connecticut with a $4.7 million grant to save or create 36 positions for police officers around the state. According to the Courant, Hartford received $1.7 million to hire 12 police officers, Waterbury received $1.7...
New Haven teachers union attempts school turnaround
One of Connecticut’s teachers unions recently found a new way to flex its political muscles: running a school. The New Haven Federation of Teachers runs the city’s High School in the Community, the sixth in a series of schools designated as needing a “turnaround” and...
Do presidential debates matter?
Tonight the country will have its first chance to see President Obama and Governor Romney face off in their first of three presidential debates. As it stands, the race is tight nationally with Obama in the lead with 49 percent and Romney not far behind at 45.2...