This Week's News:

Poll: Lamont leads Stefanowski by 10 points

Independent candidate Hotaling will remain on ballot

UI Seeks Rate Increase

School's been in for a couple weeks, the weather has changed to those wonderful warm days and chilly nights and the campaigns are off and running. Statewide, as you may recall, we’re looking to elect a governor and lt. governor, a U.S. senator, a comptroller, a secretary of the state, an attorney general and a treasurer. Our legislature has all 187 seats are up for grabs. That’s the lineup. 

This week was kind of a quiet week as far as Connecticut activities, “bombs dropping” or new initiatives. It’s a constant “show of value” from the governor's office highlighting last session's initiatives that are now being rolled out and then there’s the celebration of the positive numbers coming out of increased jobs and new arrivals from the business world to CT, as well as a budget that keeps on giving!

Republican candidates continues to drive home the message that taxes need to be cut further to lessen the load on the real middle class as they fight inflation and continue to juggle increased concerns about the direction CT is headed. 

Unlike the US congressional races, both the gubernatorial candidates are sticking to the high road and yes, sometimes they go low, but for the most part their “positive” messages take over the airways. We’re seeing huge amounts of out of state money flowing into the U.S. senate race on both sides as well as the 5th congressional district and with that comes some pretty mean spirited ads from both sides of the congressional PACs. I don’t think anyone can really with a straight face say the 5th district race is a gentle person's campaign. While the candidates continue to say "it’s not me"…. these independent expenditures by non CT resident's do have a negative impact on voters' impression as well as residents' feelings about CT. 

For the most part I think we all agree there’s a lot more to do in areas that have been forgotten .. the increase in homelessness, the disappearance of CT's 'Yankee Independence', the focus on creating a state where our young people, especially college graduates, will return home after college at the beginning of their careers to start a family and set down roots. With the high cost of housing, compounded with transportation jams in and around New Haven and Fairfield county, we're still not a growth state. Our census remains stagnant. Yes we gained some folks due to increases in workforce flexibility (aka remote working )and the impact of crowded cities and Covid, but we lost the retirees who have fled to the cape, North Carolina, Florida and Arizona. 

So while the campaigns harp on at the 10,000 foot levels, CT needs to focus on the day by day issues around affordable housing for new graduates; match incentives that our neighboring states are providing targeted professionals to assist with college loans; and to build communities that are welcoming for this new breed of adult. 

I’m not sure I have the answers, but collectively we have to find them or we’ll just be replenishing the CT population and not creating opportunities for future generations! 

Stage is Set for State College and University Funding to be Considered in 2023 

The future of funding both the University of Connecticut (UConn) and the 17 State Colleges and Universities (CSU) has hit a critical phase of need and is likely to be one of the chief issues going into the 2023 session.

While different in financial circumstances and need, both systems share the same concern that any flat funding or reduction in aid will have a significant impact on tuition rates for students who are already advocating for lower increases in tuition. Here’s an outline on what to expect on the request side from both systems:

UConn

It was revealed over the summer that UConn will need to return to the legislature to request aid to cover the collective bargaining increases for FY24, since the wage changes are permanent but the FY23 allocation was only a one-time amount. Fees and tuition generate about 9% and 30% respectively with the rest of the revenue coming from grants and contracts, commercial activities such as auxiliary services and sales, and related sources.

The rate of tuition for an in-state UConn student is nothing to take lightly – Tuition combined with housing and a meal plan is $33,056 which is still competitive when factoring in UConn’s competition, but is hard for in-state students knowing that the rates are only likely to rise in the next few years.

The pandemic, which negatively impacted every single college and university in the country, forced UConn to cut its on-campus population drastically and absorb the associated revenue losses. Several fee-supported degree and certificate programs also were affected when many working professionals, with whom they are traditionally popular, could not enroll because of the pandemic.

Under the FY23 portion of that five-year plan, in-state tuition will increase by about 4.3%, or about $642. Those figures were calculated specifically to reflect the impact of state fringe benefit costs and state aid to UConn, inflation in the higher education sector nationwide, and related fiscal measures.

CSU

UConn certainly has a difficult balance to maintain but the CSU fiscal outlook remains much more dire and in need of state support.

It was announced by CSU CFO Ben Barnes that the system is expecting a shortfall of $106 million in 2024 and $115 million in 2025 with 60% being carried by universities and 40% by community colleges. On top of this deficit, CSU also outlined $501M in needed renovations at the various campuses which is the culmination of requests put together by Barnes that have not previously been funded.

The average itemized cost for a state Connecticut College is $8,695 in-state which comes to a cost per credit hour of $337. This rate could be sustainable if enrollment dramatically increased at universities but enrollment projections for the 2022-23 year are estimated to be 21,000 at the universities which is the lowest in five years and a drop of nearly 5,000 students since 2019.

The legislature still has maintained a surplus for this fiscal year of $300M but a potential looming recession and lack of Federal funding to offset future lost revenue could have a drastic impact on this funding as well. The stage has been set on this topic with much more focus and attention needed to help the CSU system.

This week Governor Lamont rolled out a long anticipated program to accelerate clean air in Connecticut’s schools. There will now be $150 million to be allocated to a newly established grant program dedicated to upgrading heating, ventilation, and air condition systems for public schools. The grants will be added to over $165 million that schools have already committed locally for air filtration improvements through COVID-19 Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSR) funding. The Governor this week stated that he is “creating the state grant program to ensure that schools have a dedicated source of funding to support additional infrastructure upgrades, noting that the pandemic exposed a significant need to have modernized air filtration units in schools.”

The Office of School Construction Grants and Review (OSCGR), which over sees school construction programs in the state, will administer these new dollars. In cooperation, OSCGR will coordinate with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Department of Education. For more information on these grants: ct.gov/hvacgrants 

Splitting Tickets

A recent poll has the Governor up big on his opponent, Bob Stefanowski in the Governor’s race this year. 55% of the state has a favorable view of Governor Lamont and although polls can be wrong, the numbers heavily favor the Governor less than two months out from Election Day. A lot can change as we head into the cold months of fall and part of that is how local elections can shake out. Many Connecticut towns are led by both Democrats and Republicans. Some towns have a Democratic Mayor or First Selectman with Republican representation in the legislature. This matters for a few reasons and one of them is split ballots. Voting for a Republican for one seat and a Democrat for another is common in the Nutmeg State. What towns are likely to vote for different candidates and not just the party line? Let’s take a look at a few.

Let’s start in Derby. Derby’s First Selectman is Rich Dziekan, a Republican. Mary Welander and Kara Rochelle, both Democrats, represent the town in the State Legislature with Republican Nicole Klarides-Ditria and Democratic Senator George Cabrera. Various towns in Connecticut are eerily similar to places like this. They split themselves between Democrat and Republican and frequently shift back and forth. In 2020, Joe Biden won the town. 2016? Donald Trump.

Let’s go down the road to Branford. Branford’s popular First Selectman is Jamie Cosgrove, a Republican. In 2021, he just about doubled up votes on his opponent. In 2016 and 2020, Branford voted for a Democratic candidate for President. Branford is also represented by Democrats Sean Scanlon and Robin Comey in the State Legislature (along with Democratic Senator Christine Cohen). This town has been split in recent years and Comey has a race this year different than years past as her opponent Ray Ingraham has been a bit more active than past challengers. While we may see a shift, again, it’s important to note that towns like this are common.

Lastly, let’s go to Darien. Republican First Selectwoman Monica McNally, a Republican, won big in 2021 with 61% of the vote. In the State Legislature, Darien is well represented by both parties. Senator Bob Duff is their State Senator along with Will Haskell, and Pat Billie-Miller, all Democrats. Representatives Tom O’Dea, Terrie Wood, Republicans, also represent the town. In 2016 and 2020, the Democratic candidate for President won.

Connecticut’s small towns have a history of being split party-wise. This matters for a few reasons, but there's one that overshadows the others. Split tickets. With a lot of statewide races on the ballot along with smaller, more localized elections, look for a lot of voters to cross party lines with their votes. 

September 16th: A Hero Dies at the Battle of Harlem Heights

Today in 1776, one of Connecticut’s most valiant heroes of the Revolutionary War, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Knowlton, died while commanding his men at the Battle of Harlem Heights in New York City. Born in Massachusetts but raised in Ashford, Connecticut since early childhood, Knowlton was a seasoned veteran who had served under fellow Connectican Israel Putnam in both the French and Indian War (where he had enlisted at the age of 15) and more recently at the Battle of Bunker Hill. He had a reputation as a brave officer who would never hesitate to lead — not follow — his men into battle. As one of his fellow soldiers said, Knowlton always shouted “Come on, boys!” instead of “Go on, boys!”

Knowlton’s bravery at the Battle of Bunker Hill attracted the attention of the American Commander-in-Chief himself. In August 1776, George Washington authorized the creation of “Knowlton’s Rangers,” a small, elite army unit under Thomas’s command. It’s main purpose was to gather military intelligence via scouting, tactical raids and other covert operations. For a brief time before embarking on his own mission, Nathan Hale, the patriot spy, was a member of Knowlton’s Rangers. After Hale’s departure in early September, Knowlton’s Rangers was called upon to assist the Continental Army’s slow, strategic retreat from New York City. While doing so, they executed a successful — but costly — repulse of British forces at Harlem Heights. Lt. Colonel Knowlton was mortally wounded by a British musket ball near the end of the battle. On hearing of Knowlton’s death, Washington lamented the loss of the officer he considered one of his best field commanders, describing him in the following day’s General Orders as “the gallant and brave Colonel Knowlton who would have been an honor to any country.”



As Knowlton’s Rangers was the Continental Army’s first military unit created for intelligence-gathering, the modern-day U.S. Army Intelligence department includes the date “1776” on their official seal. (The dragoon helmet featured on the same seal also refers to the intelligence actions of the Second Continental Light Dragoons, a largely Connecticut-based Revolutionary War unit.) In addition to being recognized as one of the fathers of American military intelligence, Thomas Knowlton is honored with a statue on the grounds of the State Capitol in Hartford, today in Connecticut history.

To view the full story on the CT Historian's website, click here.