Category: Local News

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today released data

showcasing the impact that ratifying the United Technologies Corp. agreement will have on communities throughout the state.

 

“United Technologies is a company that has thousands of employees.  Their business not only impacts the people they directly employ, but also thousands of suppliers and other companies,” Governor Malloy said.  “This town-by-town breakdown shows just how many people will be impacted by this is once-in-a-generation opportunity – one that ensures that we are keeping and creating good-paying jobs with good benefits in our state.  I urge the legislature to move quickly so that we can send a clear message that Connecticut will continue to lead the world in the aerospace industry.”

 

Last month, Governor Malloy and senior officials at UTC announced an agreement

under which UTC will invest up to $500 million to upgrade and expand its aerospace research, development and manufacturing facilities over the next five years.  During the same time period, UTC expects to invest up to $4 billion in research and other capital expenditures in the state.  The agreement is expected to have an impact on more than 75,000 jobs in the state.

 

Specifically, the company will:

 

• Construct a new Pratt & Whitney corporate headquarters, which it will keep in Connecticut for a minimum of 15 years
• Construct a new Pratt & Whitney worldwide engineering center of excellence in Connecticut
• Keep Sikorsky corporate headquarters in Connecticut for a minimum of five years
• Create a customer training center at UTC Aerospace Systems (UTAS) in Windsor Locks
• Build new labs and infrastructure at United Technologies Research Center (UTRC)
• Invest in new research projects and capital investments at Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, UTAS and UTRC

 

Construction on the projects is expected to begin this year and continue through 2018.  The agreement does not require any borrowing or payments by the State of Connecticut, and is expected to create nearly 1,500 construction and other related jobs throughout the initial capital expansion.

 

**On the Web: Impact of United Technologies Corp. Agreement on Communities in Connecticut: Town-by-town documents

Positive Directions and the Westport Human Services Department are teaming up to offer the

award winning Creating Lasting Family Connections Program to elementary and middle school

parents on Tuesdays or Thursdays beginning March 18 or March 20. Classes will be held at

Positive Directions 420 Post Road West and Westport Town Hall.

Many parents have discovered that their child’s transitions from grade school to middle school

and beyond can be a challenging and sometimes traumatic event for both parent and child.

Children are asked to adapt to a new environment, increased expectations, and develop a new

set of peer relationships. While many succeed effortlessly, most children need the support and

active involvement of a parent to help ease the transition and ensure that they are effectively

coping with the challenges.

Positive Directions’ award-winning parenting program, “Creating Lasting Family Connections,”

has helped parents throughout Fairfield County learn effective approaches to preventing risky

behaviors, raising resilient children and enhancing family relationships during this important

transition in their child’s life.

For the past 12 years, this program has been presented for a variety of parents in Westport and

Wilton with positive responses from participants. A choice of weekday and time is currently

being offered in Westport. Classes are available on Tuesday mornings from 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m.

for parents of K – 4th

for parents of 5th

facilitators from Positive Directions and Westport Human Services.

graders at Westport’s Town Hall or Thursday afternoons from 1 – 2 p.m.

– 8th

grades at Positive Directions. The workshops are provided by professional

Marty Hauhuth, Executive Director of Positive Directions, says that the workshop has proven to

be effective in providing useful parenting tools for parents. “While each child faces a unique set

of challenges and opportunities, there are tools that can help prevent your child from adopting

or engaging in risky behavior that can have consequences,” says Hauhuth, “Learning effective

communication is a critical component of the workshop.”

Reservations for the Creating Lasting Family Connections workshops are limited and are

expected to fill quickly. The fee for the workshop (including materials) is $200 for registration.

Scholarships are available but limited and requests are confidential.

For more information and/or to register, contact Marty Hauhuth at

mhauhuth@positivedirections.org at 203-227-7644 or Elaine Daignault at

elained@westportct.gov.

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today lauded the Connecticut General Assembly’s Labor Committee, led by State Senator Gary Holder-Winfield and State Representative Peter Tercyak, for approving legislation he introduced that will increase the state’s minimum wage to $10.10, mirroring recent efforts by President Barack Obama and other Congressional leaders to raise the federal minimum wage to that same amount.

 

The favorable committee vote comes one day prior to the President’s scheduled visit to New Britain for an event on the minimum wage and the importance of giving hardworking Americans the raise they deserve.

 

“For too long, the minimum wage has not kept up with the cost of living.  In this day and age, no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty,” Governor Malloy said.  “This is money that goes right back into the economy.  When workers earn more money, businesses will have more customers.  This is an important public policy issue that clearly has had bipartisan support in the past, and there’s no reason why there should not be bipartisan support for it now.”

 

Governor Malloy also commended Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio for signing a local ordinance earlier today that increases the minimum wage for municipal employees and contractors working for the City of New London to $10.10 an hour.  “I applaud Mayor Finizio and the City of New London for taking steps that will help increase the momentum in our efforts to raise the minimum wage both on the state level and nationally,” the Governor said.

 

Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman said, “Raising the minimum wage is an important step in promoting economic security for all of Connecticut’s working families, particularly the 127,000 working women who would benefit from this increase — women who are trying to support themselves and their children on about $350 per week.  I applaud the Labor Committee on moving this bill forward.  It strikes a good balance for working families and business in Connecticut, and it will help provide for women’s future economic security.”

 

“The majority of workers earning the minimum wage are not teenagers at summer jobs, but are adults trying to provide for themselves or their families,” Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) said.  “One of the best ways to improve conditions for low-wage workers is to modestly raise the minimum wage and help lift thousands of workers out of poverty.”

 

Speaker of the House Brendan Sharkey (D-Hamden) said, “Just two years ago, right here in Connecticut, we helped kick-off a nationwide discussion of a $10 minimum wage.  In support of the thousands of struggling working families in our state, and the hundreds of millions of dollars that would be added to our economy, we are proud to lead this conversation again.”

 

“Across Connecticut there is strong support to address income inequality,” Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) said.  “People working fulltime jobs should receive a wage that allows them to care for their families.  A low minimum wage forces the government to subsidize the cost of employment while privatizing the profits.  As a result, the costs are shifted to government in the form of aid to low-wage workers.”

 

“I applaud President Obama and Governor Malloy for their leadership on such an important issue,” House Majority Leader Joe Aresimowicz (D-Berlin, Southington) said.  “Hardworking families and their children deserve a fair wage for an honest day’s work.”

 

The legislation is Senate Bill 32, An Act Concerning Working Families’ Wages.

(HARTFORD, CT) – On Tuesday at noon, Governor Dannel P. Malloy will keynote the Hamden Regional Chamber of Commerce’s member luncheon, where he will speak to the business community about his agenda for Connecticut’s future.

 

 

WHO: Governor Malloy

WHAT: Governor Malloy keynotes Hamden Regional Chamber of Commerce luncheon

WHEN: Tuesday, March 4, 2014; Event begins at 11:30 a.m., Governor Malloy to speak at 12:00 p.m.

WHERE: Whitney Center, Cultural Arts Center; 200 Leeder Hill Drive, Hamden

(HARTFORD, CT) – Tomorrow, Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman will make remarks at the Connecticut Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s MS Action Day. The half-day event will raise the visibility of issues facing people living with multiple sclerosis.

 

WHO: Lt. Governor Wyman

WHAT: Remarks at MS Action Day

WHEN: Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at 11:15 a.m.

WHERE: Old Judiciary room, State Capitol