Your Government

State Comptroller Nancy Wyman certified a $60 million-plus deficit this afternoon for the new fiscal year, even as she closed the books last year with a final surplus of nearly $450 million. Read more

WASHINGTON-As President Barack Obama prepares to mark the end of U.S. combat operations in Iraq with an Oval Office speech this evening, Connecticut lawmakers say they are still deeply anxious about the conflict and the U.S. role there.

Today marks an official change in mission in the seven-year war, which roiled domestic and international politics, has cost more than $700 billion dollars, and claimed the lives of about 4,400 U.S. troops, including more than three dozen from Connecticut. Read more

When it comes to fishing, boating and other sporting activities, getting access to Long Island Sound is anything but a day at the beach.

While sunbathers can flock to large state parks, those who seek less crowded spots for recreational use say a limited number of access points and restricted or expensive parking make getting to the water difficult. Read more

Optimistic assumptions about federal aid and social service caseloads came back to haunt state officials Friday as Connecticut's $19.01 billion budget, barely out of the gate, stumbled more than $60 million into deficit.

Rising income and sales tax receipts weren't enough to offset entirely a $193.4 million shortfall in federal stimulus grants and $171.7 million in projected cost overruns. Read more

Nearly 25 percent of Connecticut's Democrats and 30 percent of Republicans cast ballots in the Aug. 10 primaries, according to final statistics released this afternoon by Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz.

The turnout for last week's contests, which included a Republican primary for U.S. Senate, GOP and Democratic gubernatorial primaries, and major party races for several state underticket and state legislative district nominations, fell far short of participation rates of recent years. Read more

Gov. M. Jodi Rell's deputy budget director unveiled a new plan today to shave $300 million off annual pension costs by boosting worker contribution rates, raising retirement ages and developing a new 401 (k)-style retirement plan for new employees.

The proposals, offered to the governor's Post Employment Benefits Commission, were part of a larger plan to stabilize the Connecticut's severely under-funded pension program that also includes an end to retirement incentive programs and larger annual contributions by state government. Read more

The state Bond Commission approved Gov. M. Jodi Rell's request for $260 million to help fund the planned New Haven-to-Springfield commuter rail line today.

But the approval only came after two of the governor's fellow Republicans opposed it to protest a Rell-approved plan to borrow $580 million in 2009 from future capital projects to help government pay its bills. Read more

It was cake and benefits when Representative Joe Courtney celebrated the 75th birthday of Social Security at the Enfield Senior Center.

Signed into law on August 14th, 1935 by Franklin D. Roosevelt, Social Security is the largest, and many say most successful, federal program. Democrats hope to campaign on it this fall. Read more

The House gave final approval to a long-delayed $26.1 billion emergency aid package for cash-strapped states on Tuesday.

Connecticut officials had been anxious over the fate of the legislation, which will send an estimated $309 million to the state to help stave off teacher lays offs and cuts to Medicaid, the health care safety net program for the poor. Although less than hoped for, the aid will enable the state to avoid a deficit this year, they said. Read more