Capitol News from State Senator Tom Gaffey

September 2009 Issue

Capitol address
Legislative Office Building
Room 3100
Hartford, CT 06106-1595

On the Web
www.SenatorGaffey.cga.ct.gov

Phone
Capitol: 860-240-0425
Toll-free: 1-800-842-1420

As start a new school year I want to comment on timely policy issues with this edition of our streamlined, energy and cost-efficient electronic newsletter. Your feedback is encouraged about its content and this new, environmentally friendly format. And please let me know if there's someone you know who might like to be included on the distribution list for these updates.

Budget Update

The General Assembly and Governor Rell have finally agreed on a budget for the next two years. The budget is the result of months of negotiations and reflects compromise from both Democrats and Republicans.

We approved more than $3 billion in spending reductions — the largest budget cut in state history — that impacts every agency and all parts of government.

At the same time, we were able to protect middle class families, the elderly, children, and the poor from devastating cuts to critical services and programs. Thanks to Democrats, the LIFE STAR medical helicopter will continue to save lives, college students will have access to financial aid, and small business incubators will continue to grow jobs.

We also make the tax code fairer for working families and the middle class by lowering the sales tax and raising revenues from joint filers making more than $1 million a year.

Make no mistake; there is no perfect budget this year. Tthe historic deficit forced us to make tough cuts and very difficult decisions. Thankfully, we were able to craft a budget that strikes a balance and stabilizes Connecticut’s economy.

Vo-Tech Schools at Risk, Jeopardizing State’s Economic Recovery

This summer I publicly split with Governor Rell over her seeming willingness to abandon the state’s vocational/technical (vo-tech) high schools. My outspoken criticism follows the failure of the governor’s budget office to adequately fund the vo-tech system and provide one-for-one replacement of retired teachers. My long-standing position is that these vital learning centers which augment our skilled workforce must be treated equally as all public schools.

Statewide, 161 vo-tech teaching positions were vacant after this year’s Retirement Incentive Program. But the governor’s office — even after adding positions in response to my criticism — still has filled only about half of those. I agree with vo-tech administrators who say even that level remains inadequate if they are to suitably serve the system’s enrollment of some 10,000 students. To add insult to injury, many of the buses and vans that transport students to work sites and athletic events did not undergo summer maintenance and therefore were not eligible for re-registration in time for the new school year.

Here’s part of a letter I received from the principal of Windam Technical High School on August 12th:

“In this age of NCLB (No Child Left Behind), which requires highly qualified teachers in all subject areas and adequate yearly progress for schools and districts on high-stakes tests, it is unfathomable that the students and staff of the Connecticut Technical High Schools face the start of the school year under these conditions.”

In addition, as if to add insult to these injurious cuts to the system, the governor’s office has not released funds for athletic directors and individual coaches, so fall sports programs at 16 high schools are behind schedule, just when practices should begin.

The shortsightedness of this approach extends far beyond the obvious slight to worthy students in viable, albeit alternative, schools. These schools provide invaluable lessons, hands-on experience, internships and proficiency in a wide variety of trades and professions. The expertise acquired by students is an essential part of the well-educated, highly trained workforce we’ll need to move forward in Connecticut.

The high quality of our vo-tech trained workforce will attract new businesses to our state and convince existing businesses to expand here. Our economic recovery — our future — depends on the well-prepared students in our vo-tech system. This is precisely the wrong time to ignore its needs. Our budget framework is in place but I remain hopeful that our governor will see the need to maintain vibrant, well-funded vo-tech high schools.