By Chris Powell Yale University’s police union seems to have thought last week that it could scare up a better contract by distributing to incoming freshmen a handbill suggesting that New Haven is so dangerous that just leaving their rooms in the university cocoon could get them killed. Crime and violence in New Haven areContinue reading “Cities can’t save themselves and Connecticut isn’t helping”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Hartford election for mayor invites ranked-choice voting
By Chris Powell Hartford’s Democratic primary for mayor Sept. 12, which will be the equivalent of the general election in November, may give Connecticut another reason to enact the runoff election mechanism known as ranked-choice voting. Under ranked-choice voting, voters designate not just the candidate who is their first choice but also second and evenContinue reading “Hartford election for mayor invites ranked-choice voting”
Connecticut shouldn’t raise taxes even on the super-rich
By Chris Powell While Connecticut state government reduced income taxes this year, being flush with hundreds of millions of dollars of “emergency” federal aid for an emergency that is long over, no one should expect state government to make a habit of it. With a national economic recession coming on, state taxes probably will beContinue reading “Connecticut shouldn’t raise taxes even on the super-rich”
Decline of Catholic Church isn’t improving Connecticut
By Chris Powell Some people may privately celebrate the steady decline of the Catholic Church in Connecticut, which worsened last week as Hartford Archbishop Leonard P. Blair announced the closing of two more churches in Waterbury and the merger of three others there. The church is resented for its opposition to homosexuality, its exclusion ofContinue reading “Decline of Catholic Church isn’t improving Connecticut”
Week’s sales-tax suspension is a bribe we pay ourselves
By Chris Powell Next week’s installment of Connecticut’s annual suspension of sales taxes on clothing and shoes may be a reminder that government is very good at bribing people with their own money. Sales Tax-Free Week is promoted as state government’s special benevolence to families with children about to return to school and in needContinue reading “Week’s sales-tax suspension is a bribe we pay ourselves”
How much should Connecticut let parents be irresponsible?
By Chris Powell Government’s subsidizing and thereby encouraging and legitimizing parental irresponsibility isn’t the only cause of the country’s long-worsening child neglect. Government causes the problem in other ways too. The next most important cause of child neglect may be persistent inflation, which is always underreported in government economic data, since the criteria for measuringContinue reading “How much should Connecticut let parents be irresponsible?”
Public’s confidence counts more than trooper union’s
By Chris Powell Most people in Connecticut want to support the police, especially now that social order seems to be breaking down throughout the state. But last week the state police union provided another reason why such support is not always deserved. The union announced that its members had taken a vote of no confidenceContinue reading “Public’s confidence counts more than trooper union’s”
Lamont has Saudi link too; and put homeless in motels
By Chris Powell During last year’s campaign for governor, leading Democrats from Governor Lamont on down may not have known that they were probably being hypocritical by criticizing the Republican nominee, Bob Stefanowski, for doing consulting work for a company connected to the Saudi Arabian government. But now that it has been disclosed that theContinue reading “Lamont has Saudi link too; and put homeless in motels”
Where’s the emergency money to stop repeat offenders?
By Chris Powell Connecticut is full of repeat criminal offenders. It is unusual to find any serious crime in the state whose perpetrator didn’t already have a substantial record. State government’s most recent report on recidivism found that 43% of people released from prison in the state were convicted and imprisoned again within three years.Continue reading “Where’s the emergency money to stop repeat offenders?”
Hartford boy’s fatal fall indicts welfare premises
By Chris Powell Who is to blame for the death last month of the 2-year-old Hartford boy who, along with his four sisters 12 and younger, was left unattended by his mother as she went to work as a taxi driver only for the boy to fall out a window of their squalid third-floor apartment? Continue reading “Hartford boy’s fatal fall indicts welfare premises”
Chris Powell column 