by Zachary Janowski | Jun 23, 2014 | Features, General, State Budget, Taxes & Spending
A review by an unnamed software company found 4,500 improper licenses on state computers, according to the Auditors of Public Accounts, a failure that could cost more than $5.2 million. Auditors, reporting on the state’s former information technology agency now...
by Zachary Janowski | Jun 20, 2014 | Features, General, Taxes & Spending
The IRS has a $50,406.93 tax lien against the Hartford home of Democratic Sen. John Fonfara, chairman of the legislature’s finance, revenue and bonding committee which handles state tax policy. The IRS filed a notice of tax lien in October 2011 with the Hartford City...
by Suzanne Bates | Jun 19, 2014 | Features, General, Politics, Unions
Connecticut’s public employee unions are big players in the state’s elections, spending millions on their political operations, which may affect 2014 races. The unions are a highly-focused, highly-motivated interest group when it comes to state-level elections,...
by Zachary Janowski | Jun 18, 2014 | Features, General, State Budget, Taxes & Spending, Unions
The Department of Correction agreed last year to restore nearly three years of expired time off for 40 parole officers, an average of 3.5 weeks each. In 2011, auditors discovered an accounting glitch that allowed a small group of state employees to build up thousands...
by Zachary Janowski | Jun 12, 2014 | Features, General, State Budget, Taxes & Spending
Connecticut’s longevity pay for state employees – $13.8 million in April – is no secret, but a small group of state employees also get “lump sum payments” equal to 2.5 percent of pay. While longevity payments go to union state employees based on the...
by Zachary Janowski | Jun 6, 2014 | Features, General, State Budget, Taxes & Spending
Fewer people with developmental disabilities in Connecticut need the highest level of care, but rising costs are growing the gap between high-cost treatment in state-run facilities and lower-cost private alternatives. According to 2013 data provided by the Department...