Connecticut’s cashflow is swimming in surpluses. Democratic leadership in the state legislature wants to do something about that to ease the financial burden on constituents.
Lifting fiscal guardrails, rental relief, child care, direct financial relief for the needy will be some of the subjects as the General Assembly convenes on Wednesday for its nearly six-month legislative session.
House Speaker Matt Ritter told The Hartford Courant:
“The 2025 Democrats, at least in the House, I want to be about being direct with our assistance,” Ritter said. “I want to be able to look at people, and say, ‘See this piece of paper?’ That’s government.’ It’s not a credit against a credit on a form that intellectually makes people feel better. It’s direct financial assistance that you can literally see and feel.”
In the coming months, Ritter is looking to craft direct aid that could include housing vouchers, rental assistance payments, subsidized child care, and reduced health insurance premiums on the public exchange.
“This is a conversation that we’re having with the caucus,” Ritter said. “I want direct subsidies, and there’s a difference between a tax credit and a direct payment. … I fear that sometimes the credits don’t always seem to have the same impact — both politically or in people’s perception of what government is doing for them.”
(UPDATE: Meeting to be rescheduled)
Closer to home, Bridgeport’s nine-member state legislative delegation, Connecticut’s largest, will meet with the City Council and other municipal leaders to discuss city priorities on Thursday, 6 p.m. in the first-floor Wheeler Rooms of City Hall, 45 Lyon Terrace.
What occurs in Hartford has tremendous impact on the municipal spending plan that Mayor Joe Ganim will submit to the legislative body in early April, as the mayor and council grind through a budget process that includes state mandated revaluation of taxable property every five years.
In addition, the school district is agonizing over a $39 million deficit amid calls for a forensic audit to follow the money flow for how and where the hole was created.
The city’s state delegation features several influential veterans with key committee assignments that direct bucks to Bridgeport. It’s newest member Senator-elect Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox will take the oath of office on Wednesday with her legislative peers.
She’s replacing a retiring Marilyn Moore who spent 10 years in the upper chamber representing the Bridgeport, Trumbull Monroe 22nd District.
2025 is also an election year for the City Council and Board of Education.
Last evening, the Acting Superintendent of Schools, present and working for City students for the past 18 months, a professional who has headed school district sized 1/3 of Bridgeport to 3times as large as our City. A one hour meeting was an introduction to the year and the educational and financial challenges in meeting the needs of youth and their families.
Needless to say, not every question was expressed or received an answer. But it is credit to the Council members who attended the one hour meeting.
Public speaking was the next order of business at City Hall at 6:30 PM. My Comments follow:
City Council Comments – January 6, 2025
A “day of infamy” was the term for the Pearl Harbor Attack on December 7, 1941, a war declared by an external enemy to America and what it represents. This evening as we meet in Bridgeport City Hall, we have recognized a more recent “day of infamy” brought about by thousands of American citizens attacking the Capitol in Washington DC and attempting to change the rightful votes of American citizens. It was a forceful, violent, and deadly internal attack on American rights and values. And the hours of video reporting and failure to construct a truthful narration by the guilty over the four years since, leaves a critical space and need for pursuit of truth through facts, and connecting them to a trustworthy narration.
The study of civics, and practice of our rights and duties daily is critical to our future, and those of our neighbors for generations to come. I enclose a summary of the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the US Constitution. On the reverse side is a summary of Ten Habits of Good Citizens provided by Richard Haass published in 2023. “Support the teaching of Civics,” “Be Informed,” and “Promote the Common Good” are merely three of his suggestions to all of us to daily practice the obligations of American citizenship. Reflect and ponder your actions in 2025.
As I view Bridgeport governance issues, the funding and results of public education are not sources of pride for taxpayers or parents when today’s headline is calling for ‘consideration of forensic audit.’ And housing issues as handled by the City are not a source of pride either. While a series of Mayors failed to appoint qualified and motivated citizens to carry out the purpose and work of Boards and Commissions, especially around Fair Rent for 20 years, your Council breathed new life into that group. However, the Fair Housing Commission ordinance from 2022 continues on paper only, without citizens pursuing information and action.
Emma Goldman is quoted as saying: “The most violent element in society is ignorance.” And Plato said: “The price of apathy is to be ruled by evil men.” While Mark Twain, “How easy it is to make people believe a lie and how hard it is to undo that work again.” Happy New YEAR.
Bridgeport, as a City government, will not solve education, funding, housing, and many other needs in a vacuum. However, City residents and taxpayers need to be present to listen to questions and answers, who is present, paying attention, and who is absent from such meetings to begin a public information system. Last evening, at best, only three public members were present. Time will tell.