[GoHuskies]

Originally Posted by hartford_renter

CT needs to file for bankruptcy

Default on the debt, the pensions and everything

Otherwise we will go insolvent, because we can never pay back our obligations, our pension plan is only 50% funded. There is no way to ever pay this

Defaulting on debt did wonders for Cleveland

[mlassoff]

Originally Posted by hartford_renter

CT needs to file for bankruptcy

Default on the debt, the pensions and everything

Otherwise we will go insolvent, because we can never pay back our obligations, our pension plan is only 50% funded. There is no way to ever pay this

Other perspectives.

CT News Junkie | Policymakers Will Have To Make Choices In Future About Unfunded Pension Liability

Of course running out on our obligations is the truly conservative thing to do, right?

[Mike 75]

States can't file for bankruptcy. So its not an option unless the law is changed. So there are a few options - 1. divert spending from other areas of the budget to fund pensions, 2. raise taxes to cover the pension funding, 3. lay off state workers, 4. negotiate concessions with the state employee unions. The reality is probably a bit of all 4 are necessary, although 1 and 2 will not go over well with the population at large and 3 and 4 will not go over well with state employees. My guess is its more 3 and 4 and less 1 and 2 in light of the response to the latest budget and the recent cuts proposed by Malloy. I don't think there is much sympathy for state employees in the electorate.

[JayCT]

Looks like construction is about to begin on the new technology park at UConn. Will be interesting to see how it does. Jay

UConn breaking ground on $183.5M tech park | HartfordBusiness.com

[Sigequinox]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Looks like construction is about to begin on the new technology park at UConn. Will be interesting to see how it does. Jay

UConn breaking ground on $183.5M tech park | HartfordBusiness.com

Why did they decide to build this in the middle of nowhere on the Storrs campus?

I know they're hoping for this facility to produce more SciFi-ish next generation type research, and therefore grant funded, tenured academic professors will be an integral component to it's success; but wouldn't it be easier to attract the industry talent (who don't already live here) and future companies if it were somewhere more desirable?

I'm no fan of New Haven, but many (at least small) tech companies + Yale are located there and it is home to many of central CTs best restaurants and nightlife so would make a much better location to lure companies (and individual talent) from elsewhere.

NH is also much closer to the ferry and NYC, providing easier collaboration for scientists with Stony Brook, Brookhaven National Laboratories (has particle accelerator), Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, NY Genome Center, NYU (yucky hipster liberals), Columbia, Mount Sinai, + still commutable to Boston area and I'm sure I left out dozens of other high profile labs, universities and institutions that are in NY. Storrs was a poor choice of location in my meaningless, unsubstantiated personal opinion.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

Other perspectives.

CT News Junkie | Policymakers Will Have To Make Choices In Future About Unfunded Pension Liability

Of course running out on our obligations is the truly conservative thing to do, right?

Nothing wrong with Bankruptcy Reorganization.

[GoHuskies]

Originally Posted by BobNJ1960

Nothing wrong with Bankruptcy Reorganization.

Ask any pre-2009 GM shareholder how they felt about bankruptcy reorganization.

It was one of those cases where the shareholders got the shaft while the rank & file employees stayed on while keeping many benefits.

This isn't my forte but I image there are some legal protections for state employees that prevent the state from simply trying to press restart without paying out on pensions or benefits.

[ctguy87]

Anyone surprised?

Governor's disapproval rating the highest it's ever been - WFSB 3 Connecticut

58% overall disapproval, with 33% of Democrats disapproving.

[Mike 75]

I'm a bit surprised that its that low, considering how overwhelmingly Democratic the state is. To be fair, I wonder what the approval rating of the state legislature is. IMO, they are an order of magnitude worse than the Governor.

[ctguy87]

Originally Posted by Mike 75

I'm a bit surprised that its that low, considering how overwhelmingly Democratic the state is. To be fair, I wonder what the approval rating of the state legislature is. IMO, they are an order of magnitude worse than the Governor.

Someone made a good point about how these poll numbers do not even count people who've left the state already. The Courant article also states the below:

A total of 75 percent of voters say Connecticut's economy is "not so good" or "poor," and only 10 percent say it is getting better. Another 41 percent say it is getting worse and 48 percent say it is the same, according to the poll.

I have to agree with this as Hartford's insurance presence continues to dwindle. Again, FFC and most of New Haven County are doing fine - Hartford not so much.