The CT Policy Talks series is part of the ongoing partnership between the UConn School of Public Policy (SPP) and the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG), focusing on issues that matter to Connecticut residents. This session, hosted on October 15th at the Hartford Public Library, centered around the budget challenges faced by local governments in Connecticut, with a particular focus on education spending. Please feel free to view The Connecticut Network’s taping of the forum.
Entitled “Meeting the Moment: Addressing CT’s Crisis in Managing Municipal Finances”, the half-day forum included an overview of the municipal financial landscape from Amanda Kass (Research Director, Good Jobs First), a panel on local government finances, and a panel on educational equity. It concluded with a reflection from Sean Scanlon, Connecticut’s State Comptroller.
Among the panelists were City of Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam, Connecticut Council of Small Towns Executive Director Elizabeth Gara, Connecticut Conference of Municipalities Deputy Director/COO George Rafael, UConn SPP faculty Eric Brunner and Lydia Wileden, Hartford Public Schools Superintendent and CEO Dr. Andraé Townsel, and Erika Haynes, Chief of Engagement and Development for the School + State Finance Project. SPP’s alumni represented were Executive Director of CRCOG Matt Hart and City of Bristol Mayor Mary Ellen Zoppo-Sassu.
Topics discussed included the “fiscal vice” faced by municipalities as a result of increased pressure from multiple sides, changes to federal aid, Connecticut’s education Minimum Budget Requirement, state law limitations on local revenue streams, the Education Cost Sharing formula, and the regionalization of municipal services as a cost-saving measure. Our engaging panelists also touched on the Hartford School Choice program and its effects, as well as special education funding challenges.
For more detailed information, or to watch the forum, visit The Connecticut Network’s recording. For information on future CT Policy Talks forums, follow announcements on UConn SPP’s LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.