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Nearly 60% of Connecticut's almost 113,000 undocumented immigrants do not have access to any form of health insurance. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Day of action focuses on CT undocumented residents' health care needs

Today, Connecticut health care advocates are holding a student day of action. They will speak to state lawmakers about raising the age limit for …

Older Americans are more able to save than younger ones. Surveys show people younger than 35 have an average of $5,400 saved. Meanwhile, adults 65 to 74 have an average of $13,400 saved up. (Adobe Stock)

America Saves Week: CT groups teach money saving techniques

Today is the beginning of America Saves Week, and Connecticut groups are hosting events all week. Each day is correlated to a different aspect of …

A new report from Connecticut Voices for Children found Connecticut's film industry tax credit mostly benefits the state's high-income and wealthy households and households outside of Connecticut. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT should consider eliminating costly film tax credit

A new report found Connecticut might be better off without its film industry tax credit. The Connecticut Voices for Children report showed the film …

Should Connecticut's Child Tax Credit be enacted, 550,000 children, or 74% of children would be eligible. (Adobe Stock)

New maps show CT child tax credit’s statewide impacts

New data show the impacts of Connecticut's proposed child tax credit. Broken down by town, and state House and Senate districts, 268,000 eligible …

A new report from Connecticut Voices for Children suggested one of the best ways to improve Connecticut's tax system would be by providing increased tax transparency for residents. (Adobe Stock)

Report: State tax system leaves CT residents struggling

A new report brands Connecticut's tax system as "regressive" for low- to middle-income residents and uses a report from the state to make its point…

The Annie E. Casey Foundation finds Connecticut's 13% child poverty rate in 2021 was 4% lower than the national average. (Adobe Stock)

CT lawmakers considering state child tax credit bill

Child tax credit legislation is being considered in Connecticut. The state is one of several without such a credit, though a child tax rebate was …

The United Way's 2024 Child Care Snapshot shows Marlborough has the most child-care spots available in Connecticut with more than 44%. (Adobe Stock)

New tool examines CT child care access, plans of action

A new tool is examining child care availability in Connecticut. United Way of Connecticut's tool shows the actual number of offered child care …

More than 700,000 people in Connecticut receive Social Security benefits. (Adobe Stock)

Lawmakers rally for Social Security, federal budget

Lawmakers and union leaders are calling on Congress for fiscal changes during the year. Along with conversations about the budget and fair pay…

The United Way of Connecticut's latest ALICE report showed almost 40% of families in the state struggle to make ends meet, due to high rents and low wages. (Adobe Stock)

Expanded Child Tax Credit to pull more CT families out of poverty

In Congress, the second expansion of the Child Tax Credit is expected to provide some Connecticut families with much-needed help and one local …

An American Public Transportation Association report found the average purchase price of a new car has increased 30% since 2019. The average price for a used car rose 40% in the same period, figures which may prompt more people to use public transit. (Adobe Stock)

CT advocates want public transit investments in state budget

In honor of Rosa Parks' birthday, Transit Equity Day is today. Connecticut advocates are calling for greater investment in public transit. In …

A report from The 74 Million showed Bedford Middle School in the Westport School District has the largest enrollment decline in Connecticut, at 40%. (Adobe Stock)

K-12 enrollment declining in Connecticut schools

School enrollment has declined statewide in Connecticut. State education data shows between 2018 and 2023, statewide enrollment was down more than 17…

As of the 2023-2024 school year, Connecticut has 11.2% educators of color, teaching a population made up of 52.5% students of color. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT student diversity outpaces educator diversity

The latest report finds large diversity gaps between Connecticut students and teachers. The Diversity Gap Update finds there are more students of …

La empresa de datos energ�ticos EnergySage encuentra que los residentes de Connecticut gastan alrededor de $288 por mes en electricidad. Eso es alrededor de $3,456 por a�o, un 61% m�s que el promedio nacional. (Adobe Stock)

Tarifas de las compañías eléctricas de CT aumentan en 2024

A partir de 2024, los contribuyentes de Connecticut pueden esperar un aumento en sus facturas de electricidad. El lunes entrarán en vigor nuevas …

The Economic Policy Institute found the number of child labor law violations increased from 1,012 in 2015 to 3,876 in 2022. (Adobe Stock)

Bill in Congress poses stronger penalties for child labor violations

A bill in Congress with a Connecticut House sponsor aims to reduce child labor in the United States. Called the "Children Harmed in Life-Threatening …

As of 2023, there are 3,800 staff vacancies in early child care programs. Staffing shortages are preventing programs from enrolling enough kids to break even. Only 32.3% of child care centers reported positive cash flow. (Adobe Stock)

CT child advocates hope to blunt impacts of new education law

Child advocates across Connecticut are imploring Gov. Ned Lamont to increase state funding for subsidized preschool and child care slots. It would …

In 2023, Connecticut's General Assembly considered legislation to establish a winter eviction moratorium, making it illegal to evict anyone from December through March. However, the bill failed to come to a vote. (Adobe Stock)

CT group hosts community forum addressing housing

A Connecticut group is holding a community policy forum to discuss housing. The state is facing a severe affordable-housing shortage with soaring …

The United Way of Connecticut's ALICE report found 39% of people in Connecticut live below the threshold of $33,120 per year. In some communities, it could be as high as 68% of households. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT 'unaffordable' for many, despite state intervention

A new analysis found financial hardship is growing in Connecticut. United Way of Connecticut's ALICE Report focuses on those who are Asset Limited…

According to a new report, pay differences based on workers' gender, race and ethnicity all contribute to persistent wage inequality in the state. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT Economic, Job Growth Lags Behind U.S.

A new report found Connecticut's economic growth is lagging, post-pandemic. The data showed, using the pandemic-induced recession as a baseline…

The Economic Policy Institute found one of the biggest vacancies in the teacher workforce is in special education, at 45%. (Adobe Stock)

CT Education Group Considers Remedies for Ongoing Teacher Shortage

As kids return to school, Connecticut's teacher shortage will seriously impact the new school year. The state's Department of Education finds …

The Economic Policy Institute's Family Budget Calculator estimates a two-parent, two-child household in some parts of Connecticut must earn between $87,140 and $113,511 to cover all costs relating to childcare, food, housing, taxes and transportation. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT's Former Prison Population Needs Workforce Re-Entry Help

A new report found the state of Connecticut needs to do more for its recently released prison population. The Connecticut Voices for Children report …

A Connecticut Voices for Children report found 39% of renters in the state who were not current on rent payments felt they would be evicted in the next two months. The rate was higher for Black and Latino renters, at 54% and 56% respectively. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT Needs Long-Term Solutions to Eviction Crisis

A new report outlines long-term solutions for what it calls Connecticut's eviction crisis. The Connecticut Fair Housing Coalition found there were 21…

Since continuous Medicaid renewals were terminated, more than 1.6 million people have been disenrolled from Medicaid so far, according to data from 28 states and the District of Columbia. (Adobe Stock)

CT Works on Post-Pandemic Medicaid Redeterminations

Like other states, Connecticut is in the middle of a yearlong process of re-determining people's eligibility for Medicaid. When the Covid-19 public …

Although Connecticut's rankings in most health-related areas declined in the latest Kids Count Data Book, the state saw minor improvement in the number of children with health insurance. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT Children Need Health, Education Investments

Investments in education and health are needed to bolster Connecticut's children, a new annual report found. In the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids …

Almost all departments in Connecticut schools saw shortages in 2022, following a long-standing national trend. A 2022 American Federation of Teachers report found before the COVID-19 pandemic, almost 300,000 teachers were leaving the profession each year. (Adobe Stock)

CT Teacher Shortage Worsens As School Year Ends

As the school year ends, Connecticut's teacher shortage seems to have only worsened. In March, school districts across the state reported having 2,60…

To implement the changes caregivers are seeking, the State of Connecticut will need an additional $390 million in Medicaid funding for this budget to cover care for the elderly and people with disabilities in long-term care settings and their homes. Currently, federal funding covers 56% of Connecticut's Medicaid expenditures. (Adobe Stock)

CT Caregivers Call on State Leaders for Better Working Conditions

Caregivers in Connecticut are calling on state officials for better conditions and higher pay. They're seeking a $25 an hour minimum wage, paid …

Across the United States, child populations have declined from 74.2 million to 73.1 million between 2010 and 2020, according to a report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. This contrasts with the child population between 2000 and 2010, which increased by 1.9 million. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT Child Population Continues to Decline

A recent report finds Connecticut's child population declined over the last decade. According to a report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation…

According to data from the Connecticut Department of Transportation, ridership on CT transit took a sharp dive at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and remained low for some time, but as of summer 2022, ridership levels are returning to pre-pandemic levels. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Calling for CT Transit to Remain Fare Free

Transit advocates are calling on Connecticut's General Assembly to keep the state's public transit system free. In April 2022, Gov. Ned Lamont …

According to analysis by the American Health Care Association, job growth for nursing-home employees slowed in 2022. It says if that pace remains, nursing homes won't return to pre-pandemic staffing levels until 2027. (Adobe Stock)

CT General Assembly Considers Nursing-Home Reforms

Connecticut's General Assembly is considering legislation to establish sweeping nursing-home reforms. Senate Bill 989 would establish minimum …

According to research from the American Federation of Teachers, there were 55,000 fewer registered nurses employed in the U.S. in 2021 than in 2020. This was the first decrease in five years. (Adobe Stock)

CT Groups, Unions Call for Public-Health Reforms

Health-care professionals and advocates in Connecticut have said it will take sweeping reforms to bolster the state's flailing public health system…

The American Teachers Act of 2022, filed in the U.S. House of Representatives in December, would make $60,000 the minimum salary for public school teachers. But it's sitting in a House committee. (Adobe Stock)

CT Educators Want Prompt Action to End Teacher Shortage

Connecticut, along with most of the United States, faces a teacher shortage. The shortage has caused class sizes to increase and teachers to …

According to a report from the Rand Corporation, almost 60% of Connecticut's 113,000 undocumented immigrants lack access to health insurance. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Seek Expansion of CT Public Health for Immigrants

Connecticut lawmakers are being asked to expand HUSKY - the state's Medicaid program - to include immigrants, regardless of their status. Two years …

According to the Connecticut Fair Housing Center, evictions reached their <a href=

lowest points during the pandemic because of rent protections. During 2020 and 2021, evictions reached 6,429 and 9,356, respectively. (Adobe Stock)">

CT Facing Rise in Evictions

Connecticut is seeing a record high number of evictions. During 2022, the state recorded more than 21,000 evictions filed, despite a decline from 2017…

Numerous members of Congress have sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, urging them to add $368 Million to the National Labor Relations Board's funding. (Adobe Stock)

Labor Advocates Want Congress to Approve NLRB Funding Boost

Labor advocates are asking Congress to better fund the National Labor Relations Board in its upcoming budget. The NLRB budget has declined 25% …

Since February 2020, more than 88,000 child-care jobs have been lost nationally. (Adobe Stock)

CT United Way Working on Family Child-Care Network Hub

United Way of Connecticut is launching a network hub for family child care providers. The new hub, created in partnership with the Connecticut Office …

According to a 2022 report, the pre-tax income for median Black and Latino households in Connecticut is $49,000. Meanwhile, their white counterparts have pre-tax incomes of about $86,000. (Adobe Stock)

Weigh In at Online Forum: Make CT Tax System More Fair

A group that advocates for low- and middle-income families in Connecticut says there must be ways to make the state tax system more fair. A …

Child poverty ebbed and flowed after hitting 17% in 2009. Since 2017, it has been on the decline, falling to 5.2% in 2021, the lowest rate in history. (Adobe Stock)

CT Child Poverty Unchanged, Census Report Says

Connecticut's child poverty statistics have remained the same throughout 2021, according to the latest Census Bureau report. Nationally, child …

According to a 2022 report from Vanguard, older Americans are saving the most for their retirement. (Adobe Stock)

New Bill Aids People Planning for Retirement

A new piece of legislation in Congress will help people across the U.S. prepare for retirement with greater ease. The EARN Act - short for …

Seg�n un informe de 2022 de Vanguard, los estadounidenses de m�s edad son los que m�s ahorran para su jubilaci�n. (Adobe Stock)

Un nuevo proyecto de ley ayuda a las personas a planificar su jubilación

Una nueva ley en el Congreso ayudará a las personas de todo Estados Unidos a prepararse para la jubilación con mayor facilidad. La Ley …

The Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program brought in $10 billion in capital to Connecticut during the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

CT Small Businesses Survived Pandemic, Face New Challenges

Although many small businesses in Connecticut have weathered the pandemic, it has not been the easiest of circumstances. And how are they doing now? …

The White House estimates 390,000 families in Connecticut claimed a child- and dependent-care tax credit on their 2021 returns. (Adobe Stock)

CT Child Tax-Rebate Application Open Through July 31

Connecticut parents can apply for the state Child Tax Rebate through July 31. Anti-poverty advocates say the money will serve as additional relief …

According to research from the Center for American Progress, 44% of Connecticut residents live in a

Children's Trust Fund Proposal an Investment in CT Families

A proposal in Connecticut would create a Children's Trust Fund, to support a state Child Tax Credit and early child care initiatives. Advocates said …

If passed, Connecticut would join Oregon as the only other state to have legislation on the books that bars employers from making so-called

CT Bill Would Protect Workers in 'Captive Audience' Meetings

A bill making its way through the Connecticut General Assembly would protect workers from attending employer-led meetings about politics, religion or …

Connecticut advocates say HB 5310 complements President Joe Biden's nursing-home reforms announced in last week's State of the Union address, which include increased funding to support health and safety inspections of facilities. (Adobe Stock)

CT Bill Requires Nursing-Home Transparency in Medicaid Spending

Legislation in Connecticut's Joint Committee on Aging would require nursing homes to spend at least 90% of Medicaid funding they receive on direct pat…

If passed, Build Back Better also would provide an above-the-line deduction for the first $250 of a worker's union dues. (Adobe Stock)

CT Labor Groups: BBB's Workplace Reform Policies Must Pass

The future of the Build Back Better Act may be in doubt in Congress, but Connecticut labor leaders say the bill would make key workplace reforms with …

The $184 million that Connecticut has secured for long-term care workers is also supposed to solidify pension contributions for these workers. (Cloe Poisson for SEIU 1199NE)

CT Group-Home Workers Could Strike Over Wages, Insurance Costs

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Caregivers at group homes in Connecticut have sent strike notices to two agencies after failure to reach contract agreements to …

One of Connecticut's largest job sectors is government. The growth rate gap in that sector<br />has widened and is a contributing factor in the state's weak job growth. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Connecticut's Economic Growth Still Slowed by Great Recession

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Connecticut's economy has shrunk since the 2008 Great Recession, and combined with highly inequitable wage distribution, that has …

Workers across the I-95 Service Plazas have been organizing for a union for nearly two years to gain better working conditions, according to 32BJ SEIU. (Adobe Stock)

Union Asks CT McDonald's to Honor Worker-Recall Law

DARIEN, Conn. - A Connecticut labor union today is to deliver a letter to the owner of a McDonald's franchise, asking that workers be reinstated who …

According to CWEALF, Connecticut's family and medical leave program is the strongest and most comprehensive in the country, from broadening the definition of

Advocates: Privatization of Paid-Leave Claim Services Raises Red Flag

HARTFORD, Conn. -- The Connecticut Campaign for Paid Family Leave has been raising concerns about outsourcing of the state paid leave program's …

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CT: Livable Wages/Working Families