Voices from the Capitol


Many eyes on CT budget, which must address inequalities

February 7, 2023 •

Connecticut legislators will look through a different lens Wednesday when Gov. Ned Lamont proposes the next state budget. For the first time in state history, the governor must demonstrate what that plan will do to address longstanding inequalities in education, health care, housing and economic opp...

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Could CT lawmakers give another boost to the minimum wage?

December 24, 2022 •

With Connecticut soon to join 18 other states with a minimum wage linked to inflation or labor costs, Connecticut lawmakers have yet to signal whether they are considering any additional increase to the base rate for 2024 or beyond. Connecticut’s minimum wage is scheduled to rise a dollar next...

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Report: School Officers Don’t Make Students Feel Safer

December 3, 2022 •

A new report shows the presence of police officers in school settings contributed to more referrals to law enforcement, particularly for students of color. The report from Connecticut Voices for Children analyzed data from the 2017-2018 school year and found the risk of arrest was five times highe...

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Creating Wealth With ‘Baby Bonds’

September 20, 2022 •

  When Efrem Fesaha first heard about baby bonds this spring, it made him think back to when he was 17 and a senior at Chief Sealth High School in West Seattle. He was the fourth of six children, his father had just died, and he wondered, “How am I going to fund my college?” He had to think...

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Report: Connecticut Begins To Close Income Inequality Gap

September 8, 2022 •

A new report from the nonprofit Connecticut Voices for Children found greater real wage growth for low- and middle-wage workers over the past two years, but it hasn’t been enough to offset 40 years of income inequality. The report found that the increase in wages for low-and-middle wage workers ...

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Report: Lagging job growth in CT will hamper economy

September 7, 2022 •

‘State of Working Connecticut’ attributes job market woes to lack of public sector hiring, wage and employment inequity The gap between job growth in Connecticut and the national pace of job recovery since the pandemic recession is expected to widen, hampering state economic growth in the years ...

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Annual watchdog report shows Connecticut workers lag in post-pandemic recovery

September 7, 2022 •

Connecticut’s overall job recovery from the pandemic is lagging compared to the rest of the United States. The state is expected to close its short fall by June 2023, a year later than the rest of the country, according the latest annual “State of Working Connecticut” report by the Con...

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Brookfield school resource officer always thinks ‘what would I do if?’ How he helps keep kids safe

August 29, 2022 •

BROOKFIELD — A bullet proof vest strapped to his chest with a handgun and stun gun on his belt, Sean Flynn stood ready with a smile underneath his sun glasses as new students filtered into the Whisconier Middle School building for a walk-around tour on Tuesday.“This is the best gig in police wor...

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Why Connecticut’s top 10 ranking in child well-being may not be all good news

August 18, 2022 •

Click HERE to listen to the story. Connecticut Public Radio | By John Henry Smith Published August 18, 2022 at 6:06 PM EDT Every year, NPR underwriter The Annie E. Casey Foundation produces the Kids Count report. The report ranks states according to the level of well-being enjoyed by their children....

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‘Kids Count’ report: CT ranks 7th in the nation for childhood well-being: Housing affordability a low point for the state, national report says

August 8, 2022 •

by Ginny Monk Connecticut improved its national ranking in childhood well-being but still has progress to make, particularly in housing and issues related to economic security, according to an annual report released today. Connecticut was ranked 7th in the nation in this year’s Annie E. Casey Fou...

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