Connecticut
CT could bond $390 million for UConn Health, Waterbury Hospital
Connecticut plans to borrow $390 million to expand the footprint of its own struggling flagship medical institution, the University of Connecticut Health Center, while simultaneously ridding the state of hospitals under private equity ownership.
According to communications obtained this week by The Connecticut Mirror, the debt would be added to the “UConn 2000” bonding package, the state’s financing program for capital projects at its flagship university.
The $390 million in borrowed funds would cover the $13 million acquisition of Waterbury Hospital from Prospect Medical Holdings, a now-bankrupt hospital operator that was formerly backed by private equity investment. The funding would also pay for “other future clinical partnerships,” according to the communication.
Last month, CT Mirror confirmed that UConn Health is also in talks to purchase Bristol Hospital and Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam. It is not clear from the communications whether any of the additional funding would be used to pay for the acquisition of those two hospitals.
A significant portion of the funding would go toward investments in “IT, equipment, deferred maintenance and working capital,” the communication said. Waterbury Hospital, in particular, would need a major influx of capital funding to upgrade its systems, which are still recovering from a crippling cyberattack in 2023.
Gov. Ned Lamont’s office did not respond to a request for comment, nor did Prospect Medical Holdings.
UConn Health spokesperson Jennifer Walker deferred comment to the governor’s office.
The nearly $400 million proposal does not address the hospital provider taxes Prospect owes the state, or its unpaid municipal taxes in Manchester and Waterbury.
As of last month, the Lamont administration was considering forgiving Prospect’s tax liabilities to the state as part of the deal for UConn Health to acquire Waterbury Hospital, according to several legislators who were briefed on the potential deal.
Prospect and its subsidiaries owe the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services as much as $100 million in “taxes or penalties,” according to court filings. However, state officials declined multiple requests to confirm Prospect’s total tax liability to the state.
The legislature would have to approve both the bonding and the tax forgiveness, House Speaker Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, confirmed. Ritter said the legislature would likely approve waiving Prospect’s tax bill.
“If we want to support UConn Health’s taking over the hospital then we will have to if it’s part of the deal,” Ritter said. “Otherwise you have to consider the alternatives — that the hospital could potentially close or some other private equity firm could come in and buy it.”
State Sen. Saud Anwar, D-South Windsor, a physician at one of Prospect’s Connecticut hospitals and a fervent critic of private equity in health care, said he agreed it would be the right move for the state, even though he doesn’t want to see Prospect “make money off the taxpayers.”
“I do think providing high-quality care to the people of Waterbury and beyond is absolutely essential,” said Anwar, who serves as co-chair of the legislature’s Public Health Committee.
During a meeting in September, members of Gov. Lamont’s administration and leadership from the University of Connecticut presented a plan to legislators regarding UConn Health’s acquisition of Waterbury, Day Kimball and Bristol hospitals. Part of that plan included forgiving Prospect’s outstanding taxes to the state. However, several legislators in attendance said they have not heard an update regarding tax forgiveness since then.
The UConn expansion is part of a broader strategy to make the institution more competitive with other academic medical centers in the market. State officials also hope it will improve the financial stability of the institution, which has generated cash flow losses averaging $140 million per year between 2020 and 2023, according to a report released last year.
Prospect isn’t the only health system with unpaid taxes. Day Kimball owes the state roughly $41 million, according to a Sept. 4 DRS report, which means the state may have to grapple with that debt as well. Bristol Health owes less than $14,000 in taxes, according to the same report.
In reference to the outstanding taxes, Day Kimball CEO Kyle Kramer said the hospital is “working together” with state officials toward “a long-term solution” and has been making payments.
Prospect Medical Holdings filed for bankruptcy protection in January, and the sale of its hospitals around the country is being overseen by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Northern Texas.
In September, Hartford HealthCare bid $86.1 million to purchase the other two Prospect-owned hospitals in Connecticut — Manchester Memorial and Rockville General. Additional bidders may submit offers through Oct. 16. A sale hearing, where the bankruptcy court judge will approve the preferred offer, is scheduled for Oct. 24.
Yale New Haven Health was originally slated to purchase all three facilities in a $435 million deal reached in 2022. But the transaction became mired in legal disputes, with both health systems suing each other over the true value of the hospitals. The parties recently settled, with Yale New Haven agreeing to pay Prospect $45 million to exit the deal and end all pending litigation.
On Oct. 3, the University of Connecticut’s Board of Trustees and the UConn Health Board of Directors voted to approve a $13 million bid to acquire Waterbury Hospital. In a statement the same day, UConn Health CEO Andrew Agwunobi said UConn Health would submit the bid “in the coming week.” However, the health system had not submitted an offer as of Oct. 14.
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Five Connecticut towns will collectively receive $10 million in grants for infrastructure upgrades, according to a Monday announcement by Gov. Ned Lamont.
The Connecticut Department of Housing (DOH) is awarding $10.7 million to Coventry, Guilford, Ledyard, Mansfield and Thomaston to modernize and rehabilitate housing for low- and moderate-income residents, the announcement said.
The funds are being released through the DOH’s Community Development Block Grant’s small cities program, with funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. To be eligible, a municipality must have fewer than 50,000 residents.
Cost Breakdown
Coventry: $2 million
Town of Coventry plans to use funds to upgrade, with a focus on making Orchard Hill Estates compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Guilford: $2 million
The Town of Guilford plans to use funds to design and build future affordable housing projects, consisting of up to 16 rental units and 8 homes.
Ledyard: $2 million
The Town of Canton requested funding for the first phase of affordable housing for people in Ledyard and the surrounding area. Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut is in the pre-development phase of the Colby Drive and plans to create 38 units.
Mansfield: $2.2 million
Funding will be used for upgrades to Wright’s Village, including roof replacements and sidewalk repairs.
Thomaston: $2.5 million
Funds will be used to make Green Manor ADA-compliant, including the installation of a new emergency call aid system.
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Connecticut
Florida High School State Bronze Medalist Dajah German Verbals To Connecticut For Fall 2027
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Florida high school state bronze medalist Dajah German has announced her verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Connecticut beginning in the fall of 2027. She publicized the news on SwimCloud, writing:
I am so excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Connecticut! I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who has supported me throughout this journey, my family, coaches, teammates, and friends who have pushed me to be my best throughout the years. And a very special thank you to Coach Chris and Coach Nicole for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I’m so excited for what’s ahead. GO HUSKIES!
A rising senior at Fort Lauderdale High School in Florida, German trains year-round with Swim Fort Lauderdale and primarily specializes in the sprint and middle-distance freestyle events.
German has improved each year of her high school career, most recently dropping from 23.78, 51.39, and 1:50.56 in the 50/100/200 free to 23.54, 51.35, and 1:49.69 during the 2025-26 short course season.
German’s top meet of the season was the Florida Senior Championships in March, where she recorded her current PBs in both the 50 and 200 free. She finished second in the 500 free (4:55.94) and 1650 free (17:02.78), third in both the 50 free and 200 free, and fifth in the 100 free (51.43). She set her current 100 free PB at a smaller holiday meet in December. In the 500 free, she clocked a season-best 4:55.21 at the Speedo Cup in January, with her lifetime best of 4:53.19 coming at the 2025 Florida Senior Championships.
German has qualified for the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) State Championships for the past three years, with her top performance coming at the 2025 iteration in November. She placed third in the 50 free (23.96), fifth in the 500 free (5:01.12), and helped Fort Lauderdale to fourth place in both the 200 free relay (24.64 leadoff) and 400 free relay (53.08 anchor).
Top SCY Times:
- 50 Freestyle: 23.54
- 100 Freestyle: 51.35
- 200 Freestyle: 1:49.69
- 500 Freestyle: 4:53.19
A Division I Mid-Major program, Connecticut competes in the Big East, with the women’s team placing second out of seven teams at this past season’s conference championships. German’s current lifetime bests would have placed third in the 200 free, fourth in the 500 free, eighth in the 50 free, and ninth in the 100 free, setting her up as an immediate contributor with two full seasons of training still ahead before her first conference meet.
German joins Anna Mumford, Lyla Devlin, Lena Brown, and Louisa Holda in committing to the Huskies’ class of 2031 so far.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
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