City Scrambles To Salvage State Millions

DAVID YAFFE-BELLANY PHOTO

Friday, January 20, 2017 - 

City officials are hustling to secure promised state reimbursements for upwards of $5 million in road-paving money after being caught off guard by the abrupt ending of a popular capital improvement program.

Whatever happens, they promise, the city will keep patching potholes.

The scurry began on Dec. 29 of last year, when Connecticut Office of Policy and Management Secretary Benjamin Barnes sent a letter to towns and cities throughout the state announcing the end of the Local Capital Improvement Program (LoCIP).

Click here to read the full article.

Paperwork Snag Could Cost City

Alders Dolores Colon, Adam Marchand, Evette Hamilton at hearing.

Tuesday, January 10, 2017 - Alder Al Paolillo Jr. ran both of his hands through his hair as he tried to process what city Budget Director Joe Clerkin had just said: $1.6 million from the state might not make it into city coffers because of uncompleted paperwork.

That’s not money designated for future capital and infrastructure investments; that’s money the city has already spent and counted on getting back.

“So we’re not getting the [money] from the state?” Paolillo asked. “And the state just told us this?”

Click here to read the full article.