State Shouldn’t Lose Focus on Sheff’s Goals

By BRIAN DURAND

Last month I posted on the progress (or rather, the lack thereof) Hartford has made in reaching goals set in 2003 as a result of Sheff v. O’Neill. Plaintiffs from the case had recently returned to court to argue that not enough has been done by local and state officials to make the agreed upon changes.

Interestingly, The Courant reports yesterday that while Hartford continues to struggle with desegregation, other towns in the region are seeing a sharp rise in minority student numbers:

While the number of minority students in Hartford’s schools has declined slightly since then, the number in the rest of the region has nearly tripled. Outside of Hartford, school districts within the 36-town Capitol Region Education Council enrolled almost 38,000 minority students in the 2006-07 school year, up from a little more than 14,000 in 1988-89.

And while some schools outside of Hartford have themselves become overwhelmingly minority, three out of four minority students in those districts attend schools that would meet the Sheff goal of having a minority enrollment below 75 percent.

These numbers are going to be interpreted differently by people on both sides of the debate, with many already wondering if the goals for Hartford should be rethought or restructured based on what now appears to be a changing racial makeup of the region.

That line of thinking is extremely premature. By all accounts, the biggest impediment to progress inside Hartford has been a disconnect between state and local officials who can’t seem to agree on exactly what each other’s responsibilities and roles should be. The failure hasn’t been the goals themselves, but rather the lack of a cohesive effort to reach them.

One thing these numbers do show is that more minorities are moving to the suburbs. While that’s definitely a positive trend for Connecticut, it may not be a permanent one and shouldn’t hinder ongoing and long-term plans to desegregate our schools. If anything, it should be taken as a positive indication that affordable housing efforts around the state are working.

It’s absolutely good news that many school systems are diversifying. It’s important, however, that Connecticut doesn’t use those changes as a reason to stop pushing ahead with Sheff’s goals for Hartford. As Wesley Horton, one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys in Sheff, puts it: “The fact that the suburbs are more integrated isn’t any use for the kids still in Hartford. Certain kids are lucky enough that their parents can move to the suburbs. That’s wonderful. … But what about the kids that can’t?”

A Malloy Holiday Message

From DAN and CATHY MALLOY

As I am writing this note, I’m reminded of the extraordinary personal support that so many friends, family and colleagues have given to my wife, Cathy, our boys, and me over this last year.

If this season is about nothing else, it is about taking stock of blessings and putting hopes and dreams out there for the future. I know Cathy and I feel blessed beyond reason for so much support and kindness. As the Irish poet Thomas Moore wrote, “To the soul, there is hardly anything more healing than friendship.”

And we are filled with a great deal of hope, as well.

It is our hope that we as a nation will know peace next year, and our troops will start to come home, safe and sound. We hope that we in Connecticut will know the courage of our convictions and tackle the tough problems of our time, like real property tax reform, a fully funded education system for our kids, criminal justice reform, and so much more.

It is also our hope for you personally that if you knew illness this year anywhere in your life, this coming year you will know healing. If you knew strife, you will know calm. If you knew guilt, you will know forgiveness. If you knew sadness and roadblocks, you will know joy and prosperity.

Most of all, Cathy and I wish you a safe and happy holiday season with family and friends, and we look forward to a wonderful 2008, with you.

All our best,

Dan and Cathy Malloy

Senator Dodd’s Victory

By DAN MALLOY

There is not much to say that isn’t already being said about Senator Dodd’s victory yesterday in the battle against telecom amnesty. However I do want to quickly add my voice to the multitude of grateful Connecticut residents the Senator serves.

Senator Dodd spoke eloquently for over eight hours, defending the importance of civil liberties and the rule of law. He called on his fellow legislators to take a stand with him in that fight, and to prove that in the United States no one is above the law. And, he sacrificed valuable time on the campaign trail to do it – putting this principled stand on behalf of his constituents ahead of his presidential ambitions.

While the fight may not be over, yesterday was a tremendous victory as well a fine example of how to lead. I encourage you to show your support for Senator Dodd, and to take action alongside him.

Rep. Tong in the Advocate

By BRIAN DURAND

This weekend, the Stamford Advocate had a nice feature story on state Rep. William Tong. The article tells the story of William’s father, Ady Tong, who was facing deportation in the early 70’s. He was able to avoid that fate and go on to raise a family and run his own business — but only with the help of then President Nixon.

It’s a very cool story, which I encourage you to read here. The article was spurred by a post William wrote here on DanMalloy.com, which can be found here.

The Ticking Clock of Parole Reform

By ANDREW McDONALD

Last week, the ACLU of Connecticut sent a letter to Connecticut’s State Correction Commissioner, laying out their concerns over our dangerously overcrowded prisons and threatening legal action if the conditions are not addressed. In recent months the ACLU has received a flood of correspondence from inmates seeking assistance. Some excerpts from their letter:

Multiple inmates report that hundred of inmates are being housed in non-housing areas, including gymnasiums, hallways, dayrooms, visitation rooms, and chow halls. In at least one facility, there are approximately sixty inmates sleeping on a gymnasium floor…

…These dangerous and unhealthy conditions in DOC facilities are inhumane and violate not only the DOC’s own Mission Statement, but also the U.S. Constitution.

(You can see more in a video from WTNH’s Mark Davis, who has also received letters from inmates hoping to bring awareness to their living conditions.)

The overcrowding is, of course, directly related Governor Rell’s parole ban, and the ACLU’s threat of legal action should be seen as a warning that our window to address this problem with thoughtful and effective reform is closing. If we wait for the ACLU and others to take their complaints to the courts, we risk a mass release of inmates – the equivalent of shoveling water out of a sinking ship, instead of trying to patch the hole.

Instead, the Governor and legislature must work together to find equitable administrative solutions. Governor Rell should immediately reveal her proposed changes to the parole program and her plans for easing the backlog of parole cases that are stacking higher each day. In conjunction with that, the legislature should continue working towards progressive ways of monitoring and reintegrating paroled inmates back in to society, including funding for additional parole officers and utilizing new technologies such as GPS tracking. Finally, with rehabilitation and reintegration reforms in place, we should look to construct the necessary additional facilities for both housing and treating those inmates not yet ready to be released.

I share the ACLU’s concerns over this growing problem, but I also hope that legal action by them is not necessary. If Governor Rell will take action now along with the many legislators already working toward reform, there should be little in our way. The clock is ticking.

Jim Himes Pub Quiz — Saturday Night

By BRIAN DURAND

Bloggers from around Connecticut are hosting a pub quiz trivia night for Jim Himes in Bridgeport on Saturday night.  If you’re around — go have some fun and support a great candidate!  More info here:

That’s right. It’s time for another end of quarter blograiser. You don’t have to be a trivia whiz – just have a good sense of humor, an interest in history, politics, or current events, and a strong desire to work for better leadership in Washington by electing Jim Himes to Congress.

When: Saturday December 15 from 7 to 10PM

Where: Murphy’s Law
239 Fairfield Ave.
Bridgeport, CT 06604 [MAP]

Suggested Minimum Contribution: $25

RSVP by clicking here.

You’re Invited!

By ARIELLE REICH

Tonight, the Southern Fairfield County Young Dems are hosting their annual holiday party right here in Norwalk. Come on over, have a few drinks with our very special guests, and win a door prize! Getting involved with and supporting the Young Democrats is a fantastic way to meet new people and stay caught up in the political scene!

All ages are invited (not-so-young Dems included!), but you must be 21 to drink. The party is at the Black Bear Saloon, located at 80 Washington St. in SoNo, TONIGHT, from 6-8 PM. The $30 minimum contribution includes open beer and wine, appetizers, and prizes. We’re looking forward to seeing you there!

Why us?

By BRIAN DURAND

While most states are seeing a decrease in gas prices, Connecticut prices at the pumps are going up. From the AP:

In the past month, gas prices have gone up by two cents a gallon in the state and the rest of Southern New England.

Connecticut motorists are paying an average of $3.23 for a gallon of regular unleaded gas, up from $3.21 in November…

Nationally, the average price went down in the past month, from $3.10 to $3. A year ago the national average was $2.29 a gallon.

What the article doesn’t explain is why. I understand that New England prices are generally higher due to a number of factors, such as regional competition amongst suppliers, consumer demand, state environmental restrictions, etc. However even if we’re paying more overall, I would think that prices dropping in the rest of the country would mean we’d get a proportionate break as well.

Perhaps someone with a greater understanding of how state-to-state gas and oil pricing works can enlighten me?

Connecticut’s Foster Care Dilemma

By BRIAN DURAND

Connecticut has a foster care problem. According to The Courant, our state has more than 5,000 children living in foster homes, and about one third of them do not have any prospects for a permanent home in the future.

It is a dismal statistic for Connecticut’s child welfare agency, the Department of Children and Families, and one experts say lags far behind model states like Kansas and Pennsylvania, where the number of foster children with no plans for permanent future homes are 9.2 percent and 15.4 percent of each state’s total foster care population.

On Wednesday, at a foster care forum at the state Capitol, Connecticut child advocates, service providers and others recognized the urgent need to help these children and to reduce the overall number of children taken away from their families because of allegations of abuse or neglect.

Obviously, the state should remove a child from any living situation that puts that child’s safety or health in serious jeopardy. However, finding ways to improve poor living conditions and ultimately keep kids with their families should always be our first priority, especially considering how things end up for most adults who walk away from state care at age 18:

National studies show only about half find regular employment; nearly half wind up getting arrested; and a quarter will experience homelessness. More than half of the young women who age out of foster care will give birth and a great many former foster children will rely on welfare programs to survive.

Connecticut’s Department of Children and Families has made keeping families together a priority, spending additional resources on helping them with things like heating bills, food problems or transportation. They’re also working with other great organizations in our state – such as Voices for Children and Children in Placement – and it does look like things are moving in a better direction, albeit a little slowly.

One Small Step

By ARIELLE REICH

While working to obtain a masters degree in public health, I have learned about enough health risks to worry even the most practical person and turn a hypochondriac into a recluse. In epidemiology, we’ve seen everything from tainted spinach, to infectious mosquitoes, to a potential deadly flu epidemic. In fact, I have learned about so many diseases and harm-causing elements that I often wonder if trying to protect ourselves is an exercise in futility.

There is however, one small and simple step that we can take that will both help the environment and lower our risk for disease. Studies have shown that common residential pesticide use, such as lawn and garden pesticide, can increase rates of breast and other cancers in adults and children. From a study by the Ontario College of Family Physicians:

“This review found consistent evidence of the health risks to patients with exposure to pesticides, naming brain cancer, prostate cancer, kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer and leukemia among many other acute illnesses.

In addition to harming our health, pesticides applied to lawns often seep into the earth, winding up in our water system and ingested by animals. Certain pesticides have been proven to taint not only wildlife and water, but even air quality and the ozone layer. Many people are unaware of the types of treatment used on their lawns and are often surprised to find that those little yellow signs that appear when the landscapers come are in fact warning of hazardous chemicals. If a sign tells you to keep children and animals off the grass, it is easy to deduce that something is not right!

It is certainly impossible to protect ourselves and from every potential health risk, but eliminating chemical pesticides on our lawns can significantly reduce damaging toxicity in the water we drink and air we breathe. If you do feel the need to use insect repellant on your lawn, I urge you to research environment friendly pesticides that you can use in lieu of the toxic chemicals. Consider new methods and do your part to be green and protect the people you love!