Ed. 5, 05.13.25

Let the Budget Battles Begin! Governor Lamont says he would rather increase the number of taxpayers in the state than taxes. (Christopher Keating - Apr. 20th.) But Ken Dixon's weekend story has House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora expressing concern that Democrats are putting out bills without a plan to pay for them.  Looks like Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney thinks capital gains could be a solution. The CT Mirror quoted him last month as saying, “If Washington insists on handing billionaires another tax break, we will ensure some of that windfall comes back to the people of Connecticut…”  A WalletHub study this year does indicate that Connecticut has the third-highest combined state and local tax rate in the country. But, according to last year’s reporting by Keith Phaneuf—due to our regressive tax system, "the lowest-earning 10% effectively spent almost 40% of their income in 2020 to cover state or municipal tax burdens, more than five times the rate faced by Connecticut’s highest earners.” The CT 2023 Tax Incidence Report showed 478 Connecticut residents earning an average of $40 million annually.

Implementation Strong on Right to Read

Last week the State Board of Education had its monthly meeting, prominently featuring Connecticut’s progress in implementing Right to Read. Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker highlighted the participation of the State Department of Education (CSDE) in the Annual Right to Read Literacy Forum—an event co-hosted by the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity & Opportunity (CWCSEO) and our partners at ConnCAN. With updates from bill sponsor Sen. Pat Billie Miller, Education Committee Co-Chair Rep. Jenn Leeper, and the CSDE, as well as early datapoints from five school districts—the event illustrated the importance of this literacy effort for CT students.

New Study Shows Need for Earned Wage Access

Independent UConn research—commissioned by our partners at DailyPay—shows how the state’s January 2024 decision to limit Earned Wage Access (EWA) has negatively impacted CT workers. In a CT Mirror op-ed, report author Professor Kerri M. Raissian explained that “By removing EWA, the state has seemingly moved [CT workers] closer to things we’d all like to avoid: going into debt, relying upon the kindness of friends and family, or going without something they need for themselves and their children.” A bill to address the issue is currently making its way through the legislature. Hartford Business Journal (HBJ) describes it as a compromise between EWA companies that want to continue serving CT workers and regulators seeking to help consumers.

DonorsChoose Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Our partners at DonorsChoose just celebrated their 25th anniversary, marking the season with surprises for educators, special giveaways, and gatherings! In 2024, Connecticut's State Department of Education allocated $4 million in ARP funding to help public school educators get resources for classroom projects through DonorsChoose. The impressive outcome was that the state funded 4,634, directly for CT teachers—an impact felt across 756 schools in the state. Here's hoping the state keeps investing in teacher-led projects this year by re-upping this partnership.