Connecticut
Lamont presents optimistic view of Connecticut in State of the State address
In a speech interrupted by protest, Gov. Ned Lamont presented a State of the State Address that underscored tax breaks and attractive budget initiatives while downplaying crises unfolding in the state.
After feeling “footloose” and free in his 2023 address, Lamont’s remarks for the 2024 session cast a rosy glow on a state constrained by challenge.
In a meandering 30-minute speech, Lamont emphasized wins secured in 2023, including a tax cut for the middle class, millions of dollars earmarked for mental health, workforce incentives, health care, debt relief, technological advancements in quantum and biopower, and population growth.
Citing the “state’s largest ever commitment to child care, K-12 education, our universities, workforce training, and not-for-profits,” Lamont largely glossed over several problems plaguing the state, including a historic rise in homelessness, a crisis in early child care, continuing teacher shortages, strains on the nonprofit system and deficits in higher education budgets.
The issues Lamont did acknowledge? Affordable housing, extreme behavior, climate change and social media.
“We have too many people who cannot find a place to live — it is not available, or it is not affordable,” Lamont said.
Lamont highlighted new housing development in Connecticut’s urban centers and the commuter rail investments “turbocharging this renaissance.”
The governor said he wants to expand the reconfiguration of empty parking lots, office buildings, and brownfields into new, affordable communities. Lamont said he wants to take that approach to the suburbs.
“We are taking this model across the state, and we will be looking for input from towns and cities — where do you want the housing to be, what is the density, and how far are you from public transportation and our schools? The state will be your partner in completing the financing ASAP to get that shovel in the ground.”
He added that the state must balance the growth with green space preservation and other considerations.
“We are one of the densest states in the country — more people per square mile — so we have to manage our growth carefully. What do we want Connecticut to look like in 2035?”
Six minutes into the address, pro-Palestinian protesters interrupted the proceedings shouting “Cease-fire now” as they attempted to unfurl banners from the gallery.
The disruption lasted less than a minute as Capitol Police quickly escorted the demonstrators out.
Returning to the podium, the governor noted that he had been to “a few antiwar demonstrations, as well” back in his day.
“Whatever the justice of the cause, I think you do a disservice when you’re rude and disrespectful in a room like this. Disrespecting the people in this room, disrespecting the audience,” Lamont said.
His response received a round of applause and standing ovation from lawmakers.
“All right, back to our regularly scheduled programming,” Lamont quipped as he carried on with his remarks.
After discussing continued clean energy initiatives to combat climate change and extreme weather, Lamont turned his attention to “extreme behavior,” which he said “reflects something … profound.”
“Our culture is unleashing more extreme behavior, be it expressions of racism and hate speech, increased domestic abuse and fentanyl overdoses, with a sad surge in mental health calls starting younger and younger,” Lamont said.
When it comes to youth, Lamont said later in his speech that “severe anxiety and aberrant behavior can be traced back to social media.”
“Social media is often anti-social, and too much smartphone makes you stupid,” Lamont said.
To address the problem, Lamont said he hopes to take “little bit from China and a little bit from Beyoncé.”
In China, Lamont said children are barred from using TikTok for more than one hour each day. At Beyoncé concerts, attendees must place their phone in a “Yondr Pouch” — a smartphone sleeve that magnetically locks and unlocks devices to inhibit use.
“We will be sending out guidance to your school board — have your younger students leave their smartphones at home or drop them in a Yondr pouch at the start of every school day,” Lamont said.
Toward the end of his speech, Lamont addressed Connecticut’s fiscal health.
“Like too many of our citizens, Connecticut in years past was living paycheck to paycheck with too much debt and no room for error,” Lamont said. “Today, in addition to making our regular payments to the pension fund we have paid down an extra $8 billion, saving taxpayers about $800 million every year for the next 25 years that can be dedicated to critical services.”
The spending caps and guardrails that ushered Connecticut out of debt and into an era of record surplus have been faced with criticism lately from lawmakers who argue that as residents struggle, the state should do more with its reserves.
“Paying down our debts and a robust rainy day fund doesn’t short change our programs, it has resulted in six years of consistent increases in our key social programs, rather than the herky-jerky boom and bust cycles of yesteryear,” Lamont said.
But not everyone in the legislature agrees.
“I’ve been here during some really challenging and promising economic cycles. I’ve been here for $4 billion deficits, never fun. I’ve been here for $4 billion surpluses. That should be fun, but it doesn’t quite feel that way right now,” said House Majority Leader Jason Rojas, reflecting on his 16 sessions in the legislature in a speech before Lamont’s address.
“We are paying down debt. Wall Street has responded positively. The business community has responded positively. Those are all good things, but what about the stability of many other critical institutions in our state? Our system of higher education is not stable. Our nonprofit providers are not stable. Our homelessness response system is not stable. Our state agencies are understaffed. We’ve done our best to provide as many resources as we can to them, but we have to do more,” Rojas said.
In reference to Lamont’s proposed budget adjustments, Rojas said the legislature will have “some tough decisions to make.”
“We’ll have to strike a careful balance between his priorities and ours, recognizing that we share many similar priorities between the executive branch and the legislative branch,” Rojas said. “We clearly have the work to do. Are we up to that challenge? I believe we are.”
PHOTOS: CT State of the State Address
Connecticut
Joe Deko Appointed to State Legislature’s Group Studying Prepaid Funeral Contracts to Protect Consumers
- Reviewing contract structures: Examining issues related to pre-need funeral contracts and cremation service agreements.
- Strengthening oversight: Recommending stronger consumer protections and improvements to state regulation of the funeral services industry.
- Developing compensation mechanisms: Creating rules for distributing funds to affected consumers and exploring the framework for a future industry-backed guarantee fund.
Deko took to Facebook to share the news.
“I am honored to announce my appointment to the Connecticut State working group focused on reviewing and strengthening Connecticut’s prepaid funeral laws.
This important effort brings together professionals and stakeholders committed to ensuring that prepaid funeral arrangements continue to serve and protect Connecticut families while maintaining the highest standards within our profession.
I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute my experience and perspective to this process and look forward to working collaboratively with fellow members of the group.
A special thank you to Senator Paul Cicarella for his confidence in me and for entrusting me with this appointment. Your support and leadership are greatly appreciated. I look forward to helping shape thoughtful policies that will benefit Connecticut families and the funeral profession for years to come.”
Connecticut
Sierra Club Connecticut, State Representatives Host Black Lungs Matter: Juneteenth Press Event – CleanTechnica
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Hartford Advocates and Community Members Gathered to Remember, Honor Path to Freedom
HARTFORD, Ct. — Today, Sierra Club Connecticut and State Representatives Minnie Gonzalez, Maryam Khan, and Jilian Gilchrist hosted Black Lungs Matter, a Juneteenth Press Conference, at the Connecticut Legislative Office Building.
The event highlighted the disproportionate impact of air pollution on Black residents in Connecticut and the broken promises that have contributed to this impact. Speakers included state representatives, public health and civil rights experts, plus local voices from Sierra Club Connecticut and the Connecticut Coalition for Economic and Environmental Justice.
The groups are concerned that Governor Lamont is no longer moving ahead with eliminating all carbon emissions from state building heating and cooling systems, as he pledged in Executive Order 21-3. The Trump Administration has also cancelled at least $50 million in federal grants for environmental justice projects across New England, a substantial portion of which was slated to come to Connecticut environmental justice organizations.
Environmental injustice refers to the fact that environmental hazards, such as air and water pollution, and the health harms that they cause, are disproportionately experienced by people of color and low income people. Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, income, ethnicity, tribal affiliation or disability, in the environmental decision making which affects them.
“Just like the enslaved people in Texas were some of the last to gain their freedom, the asthmatic children of Hartford are likely to be the last to breathe clean air,” said Dr. Mark Mitchell, founder of the Connecticut Environmental Justice Leadership Collaborative. “The Governor should keep his clean air promise to Hartford, and help fight back against the environmental injustice of the Trump Administration.”
“As a Puerto Rican woman, I stand in solidarity with Black communities fighting for the right to breathe clean air and live healthy lives,” said Rep. Minnie Gonzalez, who represents the residents that are most exposed to the pollution from Capitol Area Systems.
“As a representative of Hartford, I am deeply committed to ensuring that every child in our city breathes clean air,” said Rep. Maryam Khan. “On this Juneteenth, we recognize the painful legacy of environmental injustice that has disproportionately harmed Black communities. Today, I stand with the Sierra Club in demanding action to tackle air pollution in Hartford. No child’s future should be stolen by the air they breathe.”
“Connecticut has made commitments to Environmental Justice,” said Sharon Lewis, an Environmental Justice Advocate. “Juneteenth reminds us that commitments matter only when they reach the people they were intended to serve.”
“We cannot allow the environmental justice goals and objectives in this city to be ignored,” said Attorney Cynthia Jennings. “Any investment of our tax dollars must be used to improve the health and safety of residents in every Hartford community.”
“Let’s remind the Governor that Black Americans deserve to breathe clean air in Hartford,” said Sierra Club Connecticut Organizer Alycia Jenkins. “Once justice is won for Black Americans, justice will be won for all.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person’s right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.
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NEW CANAAN, Conn. — An elderly driver was rescued from his vehicle after he accidentally crashed into a swimming pool in on Tuesday.
It happened just after 10:30 a.m. at the Steve Benko Pool at Waveny Park in New Canaan, Connecticut.
The Tesla plowed through a fence and set of trees before plunging into the water. Police say he was trying to park at the time.
The community pool was closed when it happened, so no one was swimming or in the path of the vehicle.
Lifeguards and first responders entered the pool to help the driver out of the vehicle.
Lifeguard Mike D’Urso, 18, described what happened.
“Me and my coworker were setting up the umbrellas when we heard a loud crash and we turned around and there was a car right in the middle of the pool,” D’Urso said.
D’Urso said the man was conscious and alert, but the vehicle began to take on water.
“The car began to sink a couple minutes in, and my concern was that the water would rise above his head and wouldn’t be able to breathe,” D’Urso said.
D’Urso and EMS workers pulled the victim out through the passenger side window. The driver said he wasn’t injured, but he was taken to a local hospital for evaluation.
The pool will have to be drained, cleaned and refilled. Officials hope to have it reopened by the weekend.
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