The Appropriations Committee’s progressive members were at odds with other state representatives over an amendment that adds the term “expectant mothers” to a mental health services bill. Introduced by Rep. Robyn Porter (D-New Haven) […]
America is losing its religion. In a recent Gallup report, only three in 10 Americans say they attend religious services regularly. Within that, Mormons are the “most observant, with two-thirds attending church weekly or nearly […]
Re-Energize Connecticut – Download Full Report Re-Energize Connecticut – One-Page Overview Connecticut’s people suffer from some of the highest electricity rates in the nation. Electricity is a top budget priority for every household, but there […]
After failing to eliminate the subminimum wage during the last legislative session, the out-of-state advocacy group — One Fair Wage (OFW) — is once again spearheading efforts to get the bill passed. The proposed legislation […]
On Wednesday, March 20, a revised draft of Gov. Ned Lamont’s proposal to expand Connecticut’s paid sick leave law was made available exclusively to legislators. This updated version redefines the term family member to now […]
YI Director of Policy David Flemming writes in the CT Mirror on how Sen. Julie Kushner has incorrectly analyzed the impact of proposed paid sick leave legislation. Read the article here.
YI Labor Fellow Frank Ricci explains how the Biden administration censored Free Speech during the Covid-19 pandemic in The Daily Caller. Read the article here
Irish immigration to Connecticut can be traced to the early 1600s, hundreds of years prior to the Revolutionary War. While some emigres from the Emerald Isle journeyed across the Atlantic Ocean as adventurers and soldiers, […]
In Connecticut, public schools are consistently failing to meet the needs of children from low-income families. Despite calls for help from parents and local communities, teacher unions continue to be a roadblock to progress for these […]
In a move to combat the ongoing nursing shortage in Connecticut, a bill sponsored by Gov. Ned Lamont successfully cleared the Public Health Committee on Monday (March 11). The bill paves the way for […]
The Connecticut State Legislature will begin its 2023 session on January 4th and will adjourn on June 7th. The “long session,” as non-election years are called in Hartford, will be centered around the biennial budget. The Office of the State Comptroller reports that state government found a way to spend $47.11 billion in 2022 and, if trends continue, we can expect that number to grow even more going forward. Concerns over energy prices, inflation, and general cost of living continue to dominate the headlines and the threat of a recession hovers over economic forecasts.
What will our elected officials be working on to improve policy outcomes for Connecticut residents? What tax reform proposals will there be? What can be done to lower home heating bills? How will state and local budgets be affected by fewer federal resources? How will schools be implementing to curriculum requirements?
While we wait to see the thousands of individual and committee bills that while dominate the myriad policy debates this year, Yankee Institute is hard at work promoting free-market solutions to the problems we face from Stamford to Putnam and Mystic to Salisbury. To that end, we have produced a new edition of our Charter for Change. The Charter provides commonsense reforms to make Connecticut’s government work for its residents.
Though the list of reforms may be exhausting to review, it is far from exhaustive! And that’s why we want to work with you to build a broad-based coalition to encourage sound policy reforms to enable Connecticut residents to forge a better future for themselves and their families.
It’s also imperative that we do so. As we noted in a report and CT Mirror op-ed last year, the debate over whether we’re in a national recession really misses the point for Connecticut residents. We had more people employed in the private sector in 2007 than we do today. Our economy has grown at one of the slowest rates in the nation for the past decade, and we are getting outpaced year after year. We’re not attracting innovation and industry. We’re losing some of our best and brightest as they seek other parts of the country where it’s easier to make a living.
But together, we can reverse this trend.
At Yankee Institute, we know Connecticut is a state with boundless opportunity, and we intend to help make our state more than a place where people are just able to make ends meet! Connecticut should be a place where everyone can thrive – and with your help, it will be.