Connecticut is taking a big step forward for working families and their children by giving family child care providers an official voice with the state.  After more than 6 years of working to form our union, a bill at the capitol has finally been voted on by the House of Representatives that will allow us to sit down with the state and negotiate a contract. Our bill is now headed for the Senate where we’re optimistic that State Senators will do the right thing and support our right to collectively bargain.

Continue reading "OP-ED | Daycare Provider Says ‘Yes’ To Union" »

Tags: day care workers, union, labor, low-wage workers, children, connecticut, Malloy, lisa hinman, dh

If I’d told you before this week’s 5th-district GOP congressional debate that John Rowland, the crooked ex-governor, would not be mentioned even once and that a dead Democrat, of all things, would receive posthumous accolades for his tax policies, I’m sure you’d have called me crazy.

Continue reading "OP-ED | 5th District GOP Debate: JFK, Weicker, But No Rowland" »

Tags: 5th, Congress, Mark Greenberg, Andrew Roraback, John Rowland, Lisa Wilson-Foley, Terry Cowgill

As a Puerto Rican émigré and the first member of my family to go to college, I have always been appreciative of the opportunities that a college education provides in this country.  I would not be a university president today without the support and encouragement I received from many people when I was a student.

Continue reading "OP-ED | In Support of Malloy’s Education Bill" »

With less than two weeks left in Connecticut’s legislative session, we have yet to see any genuine effort (beyond the governor’s original proposal) to link evaluations to employment decisions. Instead, we hear time and again that this needs to be delayed for further study and that students can wait for reform.  Today’s revelations about bill negotiations and the proposals supported by legislative leaders prove again that they are unwilling to prioritize student learning by making such changes now. The next version of the bill may even gut the hard work conducted so far at the state level to approve a framework for teacher and principal evaluations.

Continue reading "OP-ED | News Flash: Teacher Evaluation Proposals Not Extreme At All" »

Tags: teacher evaluation, tenure, SB 24, ConnCAN, reform, Jennifer Alexander, dh

Let’s set the record straight —HB 5419 — has NOTHING and I do mean NOTHING to do with funding of lawsuits. HB 5419 sets in place a set of guidelines that Consumer Legal Funding companies have to follow in Connecticut. It puts into place a clear structure, so that consumers know exactly what kind of funding agreement they are entering. The bill also creates a registration process with the state so that consumers know that they are dealing with reputable companies in the first place.

Continue reading "OP-ED | HB 5419 – Protecting Financial Lifelines with Sensible Regulations" »

Tags: lawsuit lending, Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, Eric Schuller, dh

In 100 years of fighting poverty, the Connecticut Association for Human Services (CAHS) has seen again and again that a good education throughout one’s life is critical to family economic success.

Continue reading "OP-ED | Fix The Remedial Education System" »

Tags: Connecticut Association for Human Services, remedial education, Liz Dupont-Diehl, graduates, dh

On Monday, Ann Romney addressed the Prescott Bush dinner to proclaim her “I’m just folks” credentials. “I know what it’s like to finish the laundry and to look in the basket five minutes later and it’s full again,” Romney said. “I know what it’s like to pull all the groceries in and see the teenagers run through and then all of sudden all of the groceries you just bought a few hours ago are gone. … I know what it’s like get up in the middle of the night when they’re sick And I know what it’s like to struggle and to have those concerns that all mothers have.”

Continue reading "OP-ED | Ann Romney Still Doesn’t Get It" »

Tags: Ann Romney, mother, women, Sarah Darer Littman

Connecticut became the 17th American state to abolish the death penalty this week after a contentious and often heart-wrenching debate. Though there was an outcome, it hardly seemed like a resolution to an issue with no easy answers.

Continue reading "OP-ED | No Easy Answers on Death Penalty" »

Tags: death penalty, Shelly Sindland, Michael Culhane, Dr. William Petit, Quinnipiac, Heath W. Fahle, dh

On Wednesday, Quinnipiac University released the sort of poll that should give Democrats a headache. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, whose approval inched up to 44 percent in March, is back down to 37 percent. Voters broadly disapprove of Malloy’s handling of the economy, taxes, and, crucially, education. The Democrat-controlled legislature is even worse, only 32 percent approve of their performance.

Continue reading "OP-ED | Dems Ignore Voters’ Grumpy Mood at Their Peril" »

Tags: Democratic Party, Quinnipiac University poll, Dan Malloy, public opinion, Susan Bigelow, dh

The mission of chambers of commerce, broadly stated, is to promote and support economic development and the business community. So seldom do people in my position feel the need to speak out against a business entity. However, there is a growing industry in Connecticut that we need to be concerned about that has a business model that is bad for consumers and bad for our state.

Continue reading "OP-ED | Lawsuit Lending Is Bad For Connecticut" »

Tags: lawsuit lending, Tony Sheridan, dh