By CHRIS POWELL Secret payments are contradictions of open, accountable, and democratic government. They are the essence of government corruption. Yet last year the General Assembly and Governor Lamont authorized such secrecy. Why? Because it was sought by the University of Connecticut, which is often considered the fourth branch of state government and entitled toContinue reading “Secret payments are corrupt even when UConn teams win”
Author Archives: cxpowell
Medicaid could be reduced; and deliver the voter rolls
By CHRIS POWELL State Comptroller Sean Scanlon warns that Connecticut’s state budget is in danger of being devoured by its Medicaid program, whose costs are soaring even as federal aid to the program is being reduced. To ensure that the state’s approximately one million Medicaid recipients maintain their health insurance coverage, Scanlon says “every optionContinue reading “Medicaid could be reduced; and deliver the voter rolls”
Lamont’s ‘unfinished business’ needn’t wait for another term
By CHRIS POWELL Being governor is a tough job, especially in Connecticut, where thousands have their hands out and the more they’re given, the more they want and expect. The state has not prospered particularly during Ned Lamont’s two terms, but given his party’s ravenous constituencies, things probably would be worse under any other Democrat.Continue reading “Lamont’s ‘unfinished business’ needn’t wait for another term”
Economizing in schools is illegal; and four years of paid leave drag on
By CHRIS POWELL Hamden Mayor Adam Sendroff says the town is in “a financial crisis.” Indeed, the town long has been struggling financially. So the mayor has asked town departments to reduce their budgets by 5%. Connecticut’s minimum wage increase indicates worsening poverty ‘Affordability’ doesn’t apply to cost of state employees Mayor panders to theContinue reading “Economizing in schools is illegal; and four years of paid leave drag on”
Connecticut’s minimum wage increase indicates worsening poverty
By CHRIS POWELL Connecticut’s minimum wage, having been indexed to inflation since 2019, rose to $16.94 per hour this month and was celebrated by Governor Lamont and state Labor Commissioner Dante Bartolomeo. ‘Affordability’ doesn’t apply to cost of state employees Mayor panders to the mob, inviting more insurrection Minneapolis incident distracts from the big underlyingContinue reading “Connecticut’s minimum wage increase indicates worsening poverty”
‘Affordability’ doesn’t apply to cost of state employees
By CHRIS POWELL While it would be impossible politically, freezing most state government salaries for a year or two would be fair, for as Chris Keating of the Hartford Courant reported the other day, those salaries have increased by more than 30%, more than private-sector salaries have increased, since Ned Lamont became governor in 2019. Mayor panders toContinue reading “‘Affordability’ doesn’t apply to cost of state employees”
Mayor panders to the mob, inviting more insurrection
By CHRIS POWELL If the country is in big trouble, it’s not just because the president pretends he has authority to wage war wherever he wants. It’s also because the country is full of people who are striving to obstruct immigration law enforcement, full of people who hallucinate that the government is getting ready toContinue reading “Mayor panders to the mob, inviting more insurrection”
Minneapolis incident distracts from the big underlying issues
By CHRIS POWELL Seven years ago a Wethersfield police officer shot and killed a motorist who drove straight at him after evading a traffic stop. While police video of the incident indicated that the officer could have gotten out of the way in time and didn’t have to stand his ground, the state’s attorney concludedContinue reading “Minneapolis incident distracts from the big underlying issues”
Venezuela isn’t liberated yet; its oil has only switched sides
By CHRIS POWELL President Trump’s people say the U.S. military raid in Venezuela to abduct President Nicolas Maduro wasn’t an act of war. Then why was it conducted with so many ships and aircraft operated by the War Department? If the raid was just an ordinary arrest, why did it kill scores of people, many ofContinue reading “Venezuela isn’t liberated yet; its oil has only switched sides”
So where are the fathers? And town farms aren’t cruel
By CHRIS POWELL Much of the social disintegration riddling Connecticut ends up on the doorstep of the state Department of Children Families, on which is thrust responsibility for the children of irresponsible parents. The department sometimes makes mistakes, but while nearly all its mistakes are secondary to the mistakes of people who failed to takeContinue reading “So where are the fathers? And town farms aren’t cruel”
Chris Powell column 