What Happened With My Energy Bill?

If your energy bill went up in July and you’re asking why, you have good reason. Folks statewide are getting unwelcome news when they open their bills – here’s why the increase is happening, and what you can do to shave a few bucks off your payments in the meantime.

Earlier this year, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, which makes decisions on electricity regulations in Connecticut, allowed Eversource and United Illuminating to recover funds it previously expended. The ten-month order will be in place through May 2025. The amount will add up to about $30 per month for many households.

These previously allocated funds, about 77% of them, come from the 2017-2019 Millstone agreement, a Republican-led bipartisan agreement that was intended to preserve the Millstone Nuclear Power Station located in Waterford. The effort came from an effort to protect thousands of Connecticut jobs and shore up and improve Connecticut’s access to carbon-free energy resources.

The Millstone agreement was put in place and received bipartisan support amid concerns that without the agreement in place, Millstone’s financial viability would be at risk. Millstone is the only nuclear power plant in Connecticut and the only multi-unit plant in New England; there were concerns that without the agreement moving forward, the source of enough energy to light two million homes and 15% of New England’s total power generation would struggle.

Under the Millstone agreement, Eversource and UI must purchase half of the power plant’s energy output through 2029, which has had a varying cost based on the cost of energy in Connecticut. Our state uses natural gas for 55% of its total energy generation, and in some years, natural gas being much cheaper caused the deal to operate at a financial loss. In some years, like the natural gas limitations and shutoffs occurring at the start of the Ukraine-Russia conflict in 2022, it became financially advantageous.

The agreement to keep Millstone open preserved zero-carbon energy generation in our state as well as jobs. Millstone generates roughly 37% of Connecticut’s energy, heavily supporting state goals of environmentally friendly fuel generation whenever possible. When it was being debated, fluctuation in the marketplace was expected, and costs have shifted over the years.

Where does that leave you as a consumer? Third-party electricity suppliers at www.EnergizeCT.com often offer alternative rates for shoppers to consider, many of which are likely lower than current electric rates. The Office of Consumer Counsel also has a guide to understanding your energy bill better.

Those struggling financially are asked to call power suppliers before missing payments if possible. Aid programs are available including financial hardship designations, which provide access to a Low-Income Discount Rate and payment arrangements for customers in need; energy assistance through the Department of Social Services; negotiated flexible payment arrangements for non-financial hardship customers; and energy efficiency programs offered by utilities to evaluate customers’ homes and provide rebates and discounts on needed improvements.

Posted by Joe O’Leary

Connecticut Ranked Number 2 in Overall Mental Health and Well-Being

A new report is shedding light on the mental health crisis across the U.S. Mental Health America released their 2024 report highlighting how many people in America need and have access to mental health services. Connecticut ranked number 2 in the overall mental health and well-being just behind Massachusetts.

The access to care rankings includes access to insurance, access to treatment, quality and cost of insurance, access to special education, and mental health workforce availability.

About 23% of adults nationwide experienced a mental illness in the past year, which is equivalent to nearly 60 million Americans. In Connecticut, 21% of adults experienced a mental illness. 20% of youth, ages 12 to 17, nationwide experiencing a mental health issue with 19.8% of youth in Connecticut.

Sadly, even when people have some insurance coverage for their mental health, it does not guarantee they will be able to receive mental health care that is covered by insurance. Individuals are often forced to pay to see out-of-network providers because of a lack of mental health providers working in network. A 2024 study found that patients went out-of-network 3.5 times more often to see a behavioral health clinician, 10.6 times more often to see a psychologist, 8.9 times more often to see a psychiatrist, and 19.9 times more often for sub-acute behavioral health inpatient care than to see a medical/surgical clinician.

Access to mental health services is crucial for promoting overall well-being and addressing the diverse needs of individuals. Quality mental health care provides essential support for those experiencing issues such as anxiety, depression, and other disorders. It plays a key role in early intervention and prevention, helping to identify and treat conditions before they escalate.

To reduce the negative impact of the mental health crisis, states must take a public health approach focused on prevention of mental distress and promotion of well-being. Social and community support are integral to overall health, where low levels of social support are associated with poor health outcomes and high levels have been found to improve both physical and mental health. According to data from the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, the most commonly reported adverse social determinants of health were social isolation or loneliness and a lack of social and emotional support, both identified as proxies for a lack of social connection.

In 2021-2022, only 56% of families in the U.S. reported that their children lived in supportive neighborhoods, (where people in the neighborhood help each other and watch out for each other’s children. Lacking community support is a risk factor for poor mental health outcomes.

To build social connection and promote mental well-being, states and localities must create communities in which people are able to thrive. Some prevention strategies, such as early childhood programs and family economic supports, have been found to have wide-reaching impact on both increased social support in communities and reduction of poor mental health outcomes and adverse childhood experiences.

To review the full report, you can click here.

If you or someone you know needs mental health services, click here.

Posted by Michelle Rappaport

CT’s Free Community College Expanded

Connecticut students can apply to attend community college tuition-free this fall through the Mary Ann Handley Award, a newly expanded program designed to bridge the gap between federal and state aid.

The program is named after the late Mary Ann Handley, a former Democratic state senator from Manchester and a history professor at the community college now called CT State Manchester. Handley was a strong advocate for the community college system and the opportunities it offers Connecticut residents for higher education.

This year, state policymakers expanded the initiative named for Handley by removing several restrictions like requirements that students maintain continuous enrollment or complete their program in 48 months in order to maintain eligibility. The updated program no longer requires that students graduate from a high school in Connecticut to enroll.

To be eligible for the 2024-2025 academic year, participants must be enrolled in a degree or credit-bearing certificate program for at least six credits at any of CT State’s 12 campuses. Students must be Connecticut residents who either graduated from high school, completed homeschool, or received a GED.

They must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and accept all awarded financial aid. The Mary Ann Handley Award is designed to cover tuition costs leftover after financial aid is applied.

CT State President John Maduko emphasized the program’s importance in a press release earlier this year.

“Connecticut’s dedication to offering one of the nation’s most comprehensive free tuition programs not only underscores a commitment to breaking down financial barriers but also recognizes the pivotal role education plays in driving our economy and increasing personal prosperity,” Maduko said.

Applicants wishing to enroll in the program can visit ctstate.edu/apply to begin the application process and complete the FAFSA at FAFSA.gov using CT State’s federal school code, 007635. There is no separate application for the free tuition benefit; eligible students will be automatically considered.

Posted by Hugh McQuaid

CT Teachers Laud Democrats’ Education-First Priorities

The Connecticut Education Association recently released its Legislator Report Cards, an annual grading of every elected legislator in the state regarding voting records, advocacy for policies that benefit educational priorities and efforts to improve education in Connecticut as a whole.

With 24 Democratic State Senators in Connecticut, the CEA gave them high marks, with the average score among Democrats being a 90.5, considered an A grade in the report cards’ grading scales. Comparably, the 12 Republican State Senators in Connecticut fared worse, mustering a 70.2, equating out to a “C” grade – and barely over the margin preventing them from receiving D-grades.

The highest score for any legislator in these metrics was State Senator Jan Hochadel of Meriden, who received a 97 for her efforts over the 2023 and 2024 legislative sessions to support policies including improving teacher salaries, fairer teacher discipline, improvements to teacher certification and enhancements to indoor air quality. The lowest score for any legislator went to State Senator Lisa Seminara of Avon, who scored a 55.9, considered a failing grade, regarding educational priorities.

In fact, the lowest score for any Democratic Senator was a solid B at an 85%, indicative of Democrats’ efforts to continually support education throughout the state. Legislators received support for their votes to improve the resources available to paraeducators, who assist teachers and educators in their day-to-day work; for preventing book bans in school libraries, keeping freedom of expression and interest alive for students statewide; and for their support of improved mandated reporting procedures, which will keep students safer around the state.

Efforts like these have helped make Connecticut a national leader in education, backed up by a recent report from WalletHub that the state placed second nationally in a ranking of the top-performing school systems in the nation, behind only Massachusetts. More work can be done, though, and legislators remain focused on issues such as a troubling achievement gap where students in different communities have different opportunities available to them.

Previous years’ votes under consideration included ones supporting play-based learning in classrooms, giving children more hands-on opportunities in their studies; supporting teacher recruitment and retention as the state experienced some staffing shortages; and funding the Education Cost Sharing system, adding funds to the Teachers Retirement Board for Retiree Healthcare and improving oversight on the Education Mandate Review Advisory Council.

“The most important thing our state can do is ensure that our education system has the support and resources to prepare every child in Connecticut for a successful future,”  said Hochadel about receiving the highest marks. “This means investing in our schools, empowering our teachers, and providing opportunities for all students to excel. These priorities have guided my work since taking office, and I’m honored that the CEA has recognized these efforts with this year’s report card.”

Posted by Joe O’Leary

Connecticut Continues to Rank Low in Vehicle Thefts

Recent articles about car thefts in Connecticut may seem alarming, and vehicle owners should always take steps to protect their important possessions. However, while the takeaways are important to consider, there’s more to the issue at hand – and the Nutmeg State far better than it may seem from all the noise.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, vehicle thefts increased about 1% nationwide from 2022 to 2023, with vehicle theft rates rising steadily over the last half-decade. These statistics, released in April, showed that Connecticut saw the third-highest increase in thefts from 2022 to 2023, up 33% in that time.

With a noticeable increase, Connecticut must be high on the national list of thefts experienced, right? Not quite. When sorted by theft rate, the Nutmeg State doesn’t reach the top 10 – or even the top 20. Connecticut is 34^th nationally, below the national average by a significant amount. Vehicle theft doesn’t discriminate, with Colorado, Nevada, the District of Columbia, Missouri and Texas all in the top 10.

So if Connecticut isn’t high when it comes to overall theft, why is it so high in the metrics? That’s because starting with a lower number causes any increases to be more noticeable. In Connecticut, 2022 saw just under 7,100 vehicles stolen; in 2023, that indicates about 9,400 vehicles were stolen when considering the growth in rating. That’s a mere fraction of theft rates seen in other states, including Washington, Illinois, Ohio and Georgia, all of which saw total theft numbers at least three times higher than Connecticut.

Vehicle theft is a national problem, one made worse by the NICB’s report on theft trends in May of this year. Due to social media trends informing many people of a design flaw with Kia and Hyundai vehicles, which can allow a potential thief easy access to bypass their security systems, a number of cars and trucks are at increased risk of theft. Hyundai and Kia models represented six of the top ten stolen vehicles in the United States in 2023, with those six models alone representing 17% of all stolen cars in the country.

Thieves are stealing cars in Connecticut, but they’re stealing cars nationwide. This isn’t an issue unique to our state; in fact, we’re better protected from its worst impacts, seeing lower rates of theft than more than half the country. What’s more, more than 85% of stolen vehicles are recovered by police or owners, with one-third of all auto thefts recovered within one day of their initial theft. This is a serious issue, one with victims who are right to feel violated or frustrated by the challenges this can cause; it’s also a national issue, and one that can be countered.

Protect your vehicle by locking it and keeping it secure, hiding valuables out of sight and not leaving keys in vehicles or leaving vehicles running unattended. If your vehicle is stolen, call your insurer and police immediately; the sooner you report theft, the higher the odds of recovery grow.

Posted by Joe O’Leary