Governor Dannel P. Malloy and Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman will hold a community forum in Milford Wednesday evening to discuss state issues they think will be important over the next few years.
In particular, the governor said he would like to discuss the responsible management of the state’s finances, efforts to support job growth, proposals to increase universal access to pre-kindergarten and make higher education more affordable, and increase the state’s minimum wage.
The forum will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. at Milford City Hall. Residents who want to ask Malloy a question should arrive a little early to submit their names on the sign-up sheet, forum organizers said.
“In the last three years, the private sector has grown more than 40,000 private sector jobs, the state’s long-term debt has been reduced by more than $11.5 billion, and the state budget went from a $3.6 billion deficit to a $500 million surplus,” Malloy said. “These are all signs of progress, however there is still more work to do. Engaging the public at forums like these is a critical component in our strategy to make our communities stronger and our economy more competitive.”
This legislative session, Malloy has proposed a series of initiatives that will build a prosperous future, including:
Malloy has backed a number of initiatives, including increasing the state’s minimum wage to $10.10 by 2017.
He’s also made moves toward universal access to pre-kindergarten, serving 4,000 more children by 2018 and preparing for full statewide access.
In Milford, school board members recently debated pre-kindergarten and the idea of funding a more extensive program than the city currently offers. The idea did not move forward, as school administrators said they needed time to study the impact and ramifications of providing pre-kindergarten for all students.
Malloy said he is also is focused on making higher education more affordable, offering new parents up to a $250 investment in a tax-free college savings account for their child, increasing funding for college scholarships, and incentivizing college completion by offering free classes to returning students.
Malloy and Wyman have held these forums each year since their inauguration in 2011.
This year’s schedule of events can be located online at http://governor.ct.gov/communityforums.