In This Issue:

From Paddi's Desk

On The Marble

Municipal Roundup

Federal Focus

CT Agency Corner

This Day in CT History

This Week's News:

New leaders named to 8 committees of CT General Assembly

CT reports progress on underfunded state employee pension funds

Report: Avg. healthcare premium in Hartford area tops $8,200

“I want every little girl who’s been told she is bossy, to be told she has leadership skills” – Sheryl Sandberg. That infamous quote a couple years back has been the mantra for women’s leadership for many. After the past week’s focus on the former Governor M. Jodi Rell’s passing, I think that iconic quote should read something like this going forward for little girls and boys in CT:    

"I want every little girl and boy in Connecticut, who’s ever been told they’re too bossy, too quiet, or too different, to be told they have the potential to lead with civility, respect, and grace—values that define true leadership."

Governor Rell arrived in Hartford in 1985 with a sense of caring, desperate to help people no matter who they were, what they did or their situation. She quickly earned the respect of her Republican caucus was elected deputy Republican leader and then honored to be selected as a candidate for Lt. Governor on the Rowland ticket. Governor Rell was more successful than she would ever have imagined. To her surprise, her calm, collective and direct leadership (sprinkled with a lot of civility, respect and intuitiveness) would be called upon again as she was elevated to serve as Connecticut’s 87^th Governor under difficult circumstances.

And she led while doing it “her way”.

This past week Connecticut paid tribute to her as a leader who “stood for something,“, never deviated from her core values and brought the state of Connecticut together. Republicans, of course, arrived at the capitol on Tuesday along with leading Democrats, state employees representing dozens of state agencies, ordinary people from across the state, and her long-time TEAM Rell to send her off on an     adventure with her beloved husband, the late Lou Rell.

Folks representing Connecticut’s Fidelio Seeing Eye Dog organization and the University of Hartford’s Governor M. Jodi Rell were there to recognize her efforts to support the many things true to her heart-public service, civility and going good not just doing well.

She has been missed since she left public office. She has stayed active in her retirement serving as the state’s leading crusader for the return of civility, respect and collaboration in public service. For this was, and will be, her lasting legacy.

As hundreds showed their respect to Connecticut’s “People’s Governor” at the Capitol where she lay in state in the same spot she greeted residents the day she was sworn in as Connecticut’s 87^th Governor. This time her portrait, borrowed from the Connecticut State Library, reminded viewers that she was the real deal.



At the end of the day, “Jodi” lived up to her pledge on that day in July of 2004. She served Connecticut to the best of her ability – and man it was the best.  

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes



As David Bowie once wrote, “changes are taking the pace I’m goin' through.”

This week the House Democrats slowly began sharing news that some major Chairmanship moves have been made in preparation for committee to have new leadership. Here’s a quick profile on some of those committees who will have new leadership in January on the House side:

●       Rep. Aimee Berger-Girvalo (D-Ridgefield), who is entering her third term of office, will be the next House Chair of the Transportation Committee. The role is familiar ground for Representative Berger-Girvalo who spent the last two years as vice-chair of the committee and is anticipated to work on a number of topics including airport regulation, ride-share statutes and transportation infrastructure funding. Her Senate counterpart has been announced, Senator Christine Cohen (D-Branford) who has chaired the committee the past two years will be joining Aimee on Education.

●       Rep. John-Michael Parker (D-Madison) is another legislator approaching his third term in office who will be taking on a major chairmanship for the first time. Representative Parker’s previous role as vice-chair of the Public Health Committee did not see major landmark initiatives adopted partially because he welcomed a new child to his family during year one of his term as vice-chair. As Environment Chair the major piece of “unfinished business” perceived by the Democratic caucuses in both chambers is major climate change regulation in addition to electric vehicle infrastructure.

●       Rep. Roland Lemar (D-New Haven) will be leaving the Transportation Committee to chair the General Law Committee which is the committee of cognizance for artificial intelligence, gambling, alcohol and cannabis regulation. Representative Lemar replaces retiring legislator, Mike D’Agostino, who served as Chair the past three terms and was the lead legislator on craft beer regulation, recreational marijuana and occupational licensing overhaul.

●       Rep. Corey Paris (D-Stamford) who entered the House in 2021, will be House Chair of the Children’s Committee this coming session. This switch from vice-chair of Appropriations might not come as a surprise as Representative Paris was selected as the 2022 “First for Kids honoree” by the Connecticut Voices for Children, which highlights leaders who have worked to advance the mission of improving family economic security and economic justice.

●       Rep. Jennifer Leeper (D-Fairfield) will be beginning her third term in the House in January, but not her first term on the Education Committee as she previously served as vice-chair on the Education Committee. Representative Leeper is an advocate for education, she served on Fairfield’s Board of Education and has advocated for improved school quality in the legislature.

●       Rep. Kate Farrar (D-West Hartford) who previously was vice-chair of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, will be taking on the Internship committee as House Chair. The Internship Committee Chair holds the responsibility of development and oversight of the Legislative Internship Program.

●       Rep. Mary Welander (D-Orange) will be Chair of the Regulation Review Committee in her third term in the House. Representative Welander has a strong commitment to children and education and is an advocate in building community violence prevention programs. Her additional background in management and planning will benefit the Regulation Review Committee greatly in the upcoming session.

●       Rep. Jaime Foster (D-Ellington) is set to be House Chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee, after serving as vice-chair of the Energy and Technology Committee. Dr. Jamie Foster uses a data-driven outlook in policy to advocate for meaningful change that will improve the lives of her community. During her time in the legislature, she has championed legislation aimed at improving the lives of seniors, families, law enforcement and healthcare in the state of Connecticut.

New Chairs on the Senate side and ranking members of the House and Senate are expected to be announced next week with more changes moving on the agenda of the session. 

Governor Ned Lamont announced $20 million in state grants to revitalize 21 contaminated and blighted properties across 18 cities and towns. These funds, issued through the Department of Economic and Community Development’s (DECD) brownfields program, will help clean up 150 acres of "zombie properties," leveraging an estimated $530 million in private investment. The projects are expected to generate 1,392 housing units and foster business development. Highlighted initiatives include converting a former power plant in Enfield into a 160-unit residential complex and transforming a     historic mill in Stonington into a mixed-use apartment building. Lamont emphasized the importance of repurposing long-vacant properties to promote housing and economic growth.

The grants cover a range of developments, from large-scale residential projects to community-focused revitalizations. Notable examples include the $3 million cleanup of Cromwell's Red Lion Hotel site for a proposed mixed-use development, $1.85 million to restore the historic Mason House in Norwich for community services, and $950,000 to remediate a Stamford site slated for 714 housing units and public amenities. Smaller allocations fund environmental assessments, testing, and planning for properties in Hartford, Torrington, New Haven, and other municipalities. These investments aim to address contamination, spur redevelopment, and support adaptive reuse of historically significant sites, contributing to the state’s broader economic and housing goals.

In other re-development news, the iconic Republican-American newspaper headquarters in downtown Waterbury, featuring a 245-foot clock tower inspired by Siena's Torre del Mangia, is set for a $12 million redevelopment into a mixed-use complex. The proposal, led by American Republican Inc. and Parker Benjamin Real Estate Services LLC, includes 38 luxury apartments, office space, and retail options, with the newspaper retaining a 10,000-square-foot presence. City officials applaud the project as a catalyst for downtown revitalization and transit-oriented development, aligning with efforts to transform nearby Freight Street. The team has applied for state and federal tax credits and is seeking $250,000 in state funding for detailed planning.

Shut It Down



Every year (and what now feels like every six months), the federal government tries to come together to pass a budget. Just like some of our family holiday get-togethers, these conversations can go off the rails and lead to a government shutdown. Normally, these types of shutdowns last a few weeks and most are avoidable with a “continuing resolution” that kicks the can down the road. This year is different. With a new administration about to take the reigns in just over a month and so much uncertainty coming our way next year, the importance of passing a funding bill is huge for the sitting elected officials in Washington DC who want to see programs and initiatives stay alive. Let’s jump into what that may mean for Connecticut.

Republicans are torn over whether or not to support a funding bill that takes us well into next year. Why? Passing a bill under the current administration may give them credit as they depart office. The upside of not passing a long term spending bill now means they can work on one with the incoming administration and both chambers of congress that will be moving in the same direction (relatively). The downside? They’ll be working on a budget while trying to confirm nominees, judges, and other priorities during a very consequential first hundred days of the incoming administration. Related (or Also?), Speaker Johnson doesn’t want to get into a funding fight, especially in the beginning of a new movement of Republican power. Democrats hold a lot of the cards as any budget bill needs 60 votes in the Senate - meaning both parties have to come together. What does this mean for us? Any new funding bill will include hundreds of projects in Connecticut that need funding to get going. It will also include billions in new funding for emergency disaster relief for states like Connecticut impacted by storms. Care about defense spending (ahem eastern CT)? There will be a significant portion in any budget bill that will impact that sector.

Kicking the can down the road is never a good thing especially for budgets, but this year is different with a completely new administration taking the sleigh reigns come January. I could speak to the impact of continuing resolutions for too long but for now let’s hope these legislators can come together to pass a budget as nobody likes uncertainty, especially during the holiday season. 

Another week, another headline about Connecticut’s fiscal guardrails. On Monday, Governor Lamont, Comptroller Scanlon, and Treasurer Russell announced that the state had paid down more than $8 billion in pension debt thanks to the stringent savings program established in 2017. In the full report prepared by CavMac, Connecticut’s taxpayers will save $737 million from the payoff in 2024, and without any additional paydowns, the savings will total more than $18 billion by 2049. While Connecticut still has the sixth-worst funded pension program in the country (up from third!), the Lamont administration points to the paydown as proof that the fiscal guardrails are doing their job.



Support for the fiscal guardrails includes none other than General Assembly Republicans. In a press release issued by the Senate Republicans this week, the caucus urged the Governor to, “continue          to stand strong in defense of limited government spending,” and pledged that, “Republicans will continue to be your ally in this fight for Connecticut’s future.” The Yankee Institute also praised the program as a “responsible fiscal policy that benefits the state’s employees, residents, businesses and taxpayers.”

Under the program, Connecticut is on track to have a $1.4 billion surplus this fiscal year, followed by $1.2 billion surpluses in each of the next two fiscal years. Democrats see those huge figures, coupled with pressure from advocacy groups across the state to increase funding to nonprofits and K-12 education      in addition to rising Medicaid costs, as evidence that the state’s fiscal guardrails are too restrictive.

If the guardrails and spending cap are left as-is, it will leave the General Assembly with just a $71.2 million surplus, according to numbers released last month.

With Governor Lamont and Comptroller Scanlon standing firm, and pressure mounting from within their own party, the fiscal guardrails showdown will be the big fight of the legislative session with major implications for anyone and anything that is tied to state spending. Stay tuned!

December 4: Four Trains, Two Tracks─ The Great East Thompson Train Wreck

Today in 1891, one of the largest train disasters in American history — and the only one to involve four different trains — occurred outside of the small town of East Thompson. Located in the extreme northeast corner of the state, nestled right against the Massachusetts and Rhode Island borders, the tracks in East Thompson were heavily traveled in the late 19th century. They were part of a time-saving diagonal “shortcut” through Connecticut often taken by trains traveling between Boston and New York City.

In the ominously foggy morning hours of December 4, two passenger trains and two freight trains were scheduled to pass through the tracks in East Thompson within 10 minutes of each other — not an especially unusual occurrence. That morning, however, a local railway dispatcher in the nearby town of Putnam made the decision to guide a heavy eastbound freight train onto the tracks normally reserved for westbound trains. He did so to make room for a speedier Eastern States Express passenger train traveling behind it. Unfortunately, the dispatcher in Putnam completely forgot about the second freight train — which was traveling westbound and scheduled to pass through at the same time — and he failed to notify East Thompson’s dispatcher that he had shifted the eastbound freight train onto the westbound track.

At 6:40 am, the two heavy freight trains hit each other in a violent, head-on collision that instantly destroyed both engines and derailed several cars — some of which jackknifed over both the eastbound and westbound tracks. Minutes later, the Eastern States Express roared around the corner at full speed and struck one of the jackknifed cars lying across the eastbound tracks, causing its engine to derail and crash into a nearby telegraph pole, killing the engineer and fireman inside. With so much chaos occurring over the span of only a few minutes, local railwaymen didn’t have time to send a message to the crew of the second incoming passenger train, which crashed into the wreckage of the Eastern States Express at 6:45 am, setting itself ablaze.

Miraculously, the engineer and fireman were the only two fatalities amidst all of the wreckage. The incident, which became known as the Great East Thompson Train Wreck, did, however, injure hundreds of crewmen and passengers and rendered the vital rail line completely inoperative. The damage to the rails was so extensive that instead of pouring countless time and dollars into repairing them, the rail lines’ owners decided to reroute traffic around East Thompson altogether. After a steep decline in rail traffic, the East Thompson station was razed in the early 20th century. The site of the rail tracks that once ran through the town has since been converted into the multi-use, linear Air Line State Park. There, visitors can find a commemorative plaque in memory of one of the worst rail disasters in American history, which took place today in Connecticut.

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