‘It’s Time To Get Connecticut’s Fiscal House In Order,’ Letter to the Editor from Larry Craybas

Governor Malloy, over the previous four years, has authorized the spending of tens of millions of dollars on ‘failing’ urban schools when Stefan Pryor was recruited as Commission of Education, and Governor Malloy wanted to be known as the ‘Education Governor.’ Little meaningful has changed in these schools, with only minor improvements in student achievement and stagnant graduation numbers.

Now the Governor has decided to take from those Towns that have managed their finances well, despite the burdens Hartford’s mismanagement has put on them. School Districts in these same Towns have operated efficiently and effectively with only marginal additional funding support from the state while delivering a quality educational experience to their students and achieving meaningful sustainable growth in student achievement.

Now our ‘Educational Governor’ wants to “rob Peter to pay Paul,” taking Town cash reserves and once again dumping tens of millions into troubled urban schools to improve educational outcome. More money did not fix the incessant problem before and probably will not this time.

Hartford’s fiscal mismanagement coupled again with additional funding to troubled schools to improve inner-city education does not replace the existing fundamental socio-economic problem that exists in these areas. Money is not the answer, Governor!

Inner-city families and the youth in these areas need hope and meaningful employment. Peoples’ self-respect and self-worth diminishes when you are constantly looking for work and have difficulty making ends meet. The Governor’s efforts to correct this has been to give more and more Connecticut companies incentives to stay rather than putting together a real action plan to create jobs. That plan starts with getting Connecticut’s fiscal house in order. Unfortunately it always seems to be the wrong focus with corrective actions driven by re-election hopes and strategies. It’s beyond time for a change!

Larry Craybas

Bethel, CT