Governor Ned Lamont gave a biennial budget address for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
Credit: AP
FILE- In this Feb. 5, 2020 file photo, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont delivers the State of the State address at the State Capitol in Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File) Author: FOX61 Staff Updated: 12:01 PM EST February 10, 2021
HARTFORD, Conn Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Senator Kelly, Representative Candelora, members of the General Assembly, Lt. Governor Bysiewicz and the people of the great State of Connecticut.
As your governor, one of my top priorities has been to get Connecticut’s fiscal house in order. My first stop two years ago was the state’s budget. For decades, Connecticut was defined by one fiscal crisis after another. Which is why when I spoke to you at my first budget address, I challenged us to pass an honestly balanced budget on time.
Connecticut’s Comeback
Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Senator Kelly, Representative Candelora, members of the General Assembly, Lt. Governor Bysiewicz and the people of the great State of Connecticut.
As your governor, one of my top priorities has been to get Connecticut’s fiscal house in order. My first stop two years ago was the state’s budget. For decades, Connecticut was defined by one fiscal crisis after another. Which is why when I spoke to you at my first budget address, I challenged us to pass an honestly balanced budget on time.
The budget we passed together, on a spring day rather than in the middle of an autumn night, resulted in a small surplus in year one and, so far so good, a bigger surplus in year two.
Connecticut officials have touted workforce development as key to the state s economic recovery from COVID-19, but some contractors say restrictions on apprenticeship hires is hurting their ability to bring on new employees, even as the industry faces a worker shortage.
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Chris Fryxell
The state Department of Consumer Protection imposes a so-called hiring ratio on contracting companies in electrical, plumbing and metal-working trades. The rule is a bit technical but it essentially requires contractors to have a certain number of licensed journeymen on staff for each apprentice they hire.
The ratio allows contractors to hire up to three apprentices on a 1:1 ratio. That means a company must have three licensed journeymen on staff if it wants three apprentices. It would need two journeymen for two apprentices.
UpdatedWed, Feb 3, 2021 at 4:58 pm ET
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Connecticut will roll out driver s license renewal to more drivers soon. (Patch graphic)
CONNECTICUT The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles is rolling out online driver s license renewal for Connecticut residents in a major step to make trips to the DMV less frequent.
The DMV launched a pilot program in November for online driver license renewal. So far 100,000 people have been eligible to renew online and around 20 percent have done so, Commissioner Sibongile Magubane said.
The proportion of people renewing online is expected to increase as the option becomes more publicized and the process becomes common knowledge, state Chief Operating Officer Josh Geballe said. Other online renewal states have around a 40 percent online renewal rate.