spazeboy

I learned via a diary by EquationDoc over at MLN that the New Britain Common Council voted 13-2 on a resolution condemning the War in Iraq:

WHEREAS, The New Britain Common Council expresses its deep opposition to the Bush Administration’s continuation of the war in Iraq after its mendacious and deceptive methods of garnering initial support; and

WHEREAS, the City of New Britain relies heavily on Federal money to provide services to its residents; and

WHEREAS, The United States Congress has appropriated over $400 billion to fund military operations and Iraqi reconstruction, while a steady decline in Federal Housing and Urban Development grants has been experienced since 2002, the year before the war began.

The resolution was drafted by Eva Magnuszewski, one of the newly elected New Britain alderman in last year’s election. Rick Guinness reports on this week’s common council meeting for the NB Herald:

Magnuszewski’s resolution — amended to cast equal blame on President Bush and Congress for starting and funding the war — estimated the city’s portion of paying for the war at $204 million. “All politics is local,” Magnuszewski said, quoting former U.S. Speaker of the House Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill. “The war is unraveling — in money, international relations and human lives.”

Hat tip to EquationDoc for posting about this at MLN, which called my attention to it.

Over at his blog, State Representative Tim O’Brien weighs in on his proposal to eliminate tuition to Connecticut’s public colleges for students willing to remain in the state after graduation:

I introduced this legislation because I think that it is time that Connecticut start talking about the fact that high tuition and fees at our public institutions of higher education is a growing barrier to a college education for many people in our state, even if good financial aid is available for students.

Equally important is the fact that strong action is needed to make it easier and preferable for young people to stay in our state. That is why my proposal would only require students who stay in the state to contribute back to the state an amount based on their income, and only for a fixed length of time.

By limiting the repayment to a fixed length of time, this plan is better than merely a deferred payment. I imagine that the repayment installments must be quite low, because two years of tuition at Tunxis were less than $8000 as an in-state student (and I think that $8000 is actually higher than the actual cost). Divide that up over 120 months (10 years) and you’re only paying about $67 a month (assuming no interest). That’s if the plan requires it to be paid off in full after the 10 years — and my interpretation is that the plan intends to forgive a portion of the tuition altogether.

As it stands, HB 5261 doesn’t mention repayment or post-graduation residency requirements at all:

AN ACT CONCERNING THE ELIMINATION OF TUITION FOR IN-STATE STUDENTS AT PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

That sections 10a-77, 10a-99 and 10a-105 of the general statutes and part II of chapter 185 of the general statutes be amended to eliminate all tuition and fees for in-state students. It is further proposed that funding be increased to the board of trustees of the constituent units to offset the cost of eliminating in-state student tuition.

Statement of Purpose:

To eliminate all tuition and fees for in-state students at the regional community-technical colleges, Connecticut State University system and the University of Connecticut.

Keep your eyes on this one. It will be interesting to see who works hardest against a bill that would provide for greater access to higher education for Connecticut residents.

State Representative Tim O’Brien is working on a plan to address brain drain in the state by creating an incentive for Connecticut college students to stick around after they graduate. His plan at present would allow students to defer the entire cost of college until after graduation, and pay back only a portion of the tuition based on income. Graduates who don’t plan to stick around CT for at least 10 years would have to pay back the full amount.

I have high hopes that this plan can go into effect. It’s too late to assist me, but as an adult student with roots planted in the state already, it would have influenced my decision about whether to attend a private school or not.

While I think this plan will do a lot to keep young college graduates in the state, I also think it will make it easier for more adults to go back to college. Surely they are planning to stay in the state, but may not be able to afford college along with all the other expenses of running a household–especially earning wages at a job that doesn’t require a degree. It sounds to me like O’Brien’s proposal would allow for CT residents to go to college and get better jobs, regardless whether the fickle youngsters decide to stay in the state.

I just read over at CTLP that the Working Families Party has made some early endorsements, and nearly all of the legislators representing New Britain have earned one:

• Sen. Donald DeFronzo
• Rep. Tim O’Brien
• Rep. John Geragosian
• Rep. Peter Tercyak

The cross-endorsement means they will have their names listed on the Democratic and WFP lines of the ballot this November.

The Hartford Courant has a full rundown of New Britain election results at this link.

Probably the best news of the night is that Phil Sherwood defeated an incumbent Republican in Ward 4, bumping up the Democratic majority on the Common Council. He earned it, for sure.

Disappointingly but not surprisingly, Jim Wyskiewicz didn’t unseat incumbent Republican Mayor Tim Stewart. There are certainly many factors contributing, but primarily I think it’s due to the fact that it’s notoriously difficult to unseat incumbents in the first place.

The New Britain Herald covers Phil Sherwood’s victory here, and Mayor Stewart’s re-election here.

First, take 10 seconds and vote for CT Local Politics (click here to vote). It’s the vote you can cast once per day!

Second, it’s a municipal election day in New Britain (and the rest of Connecticut too). We’ve got a great slate of Row B candidates. Democrat Jim Wyskiewicz is challenging incumbent Republican Tim Stewart for the city’s top job. We’ve also got six Democrats who were cross-endorsed by the Working Families Party (Row C):

• Phil Sherwood
• Mike Trueworthy
• Paula Mele — Paula Mele Official Website
• Eva Magnuszewski
• Greg Gerratana
• Aram Ayalon

OK, now here’s some polling place and voting info from the New Britain Democrat website:

New Britain Polling Places

Ward 1 (Voting Districts 1-10-11)

Vance School 183 Vance Street
First Church 830 Corbin Avenue
Franklin School 180 Clinton Street

Ward 2 (Voting Districts 2-3-6)

New Britain High School 110 Mill Street
Roosevelt School 40 Goodwin Street
State Armory 855 Stanley Street
(Corner of East Main St.)

Ward 3 (Voting Districts 5-5a-5b-7-8)

New Britain Senior Center 55 Pearl Street
School Apartments Senior Housing
Graham Apartments Senior Housing
Generale Ameglio Society 13 Beaver Street
Smalley Academy 175 West Street

Ward 4 (Voting Districts 9-12-13)

Welte Hall, CCSU Ella Grasso Boulevard
Transfiguration Church 8 Concord Street
Pulaski School 757 Farmington Avenue

Ward 5 (Voting District 4-14-15)

Gaffney School 322 Slater Road
DiLoreto School 732 Slater Road
Holmes School 2150 Stanley Street

Ride/Voter Line
348-0175

Wyskiewicz for Mayor Headquarters
450 Main Street (2nd Floor)
(Webster Bank Building)

I also want to give a shout out to Matt Lesser, a fellow Cardinal, who’s running for office in Middletown. Speaking of other young Democrats, Lon Seidman has a diary at My Left Nutmeg featuring an interview with Connecticut’s youngest candidate.

What are you waiting for? Go vote!