Budget Update

"All Hands On Deck" Coalition Urges Legislature to Consider Revenue Options

"All Hands on Deck," a coalition of non-profits, child advocacy organizations, women's organizations, education providers, labor and citizen action groups, held a well-attended press conference, both by advocates and the media. The coalition pushed seven potential revenue options, including: higher tax rate on wealthy individuals (0.5% increase on the upper income earners), reduce corporate expenditures by 10%, institute a low wage employer fee, expand sales tax while lowering effective tax rate, legalizing and regulating recreational marijuana (NOTE: The Alliance has never taken a stance on this option), sweetened beverage tax, and tolls. Any combination of these, even just two or three, would be beneficial to reducing the number of cuts necessary to balance the budget. Some of the articles on the event and options: CT Mirror, CT NewsJunkie, CT-N (you can watch the full press conference with this link). Also in attendance: Channel 3, Fox 61, Hartford Courant, Meriden Record-Journal, and Waterbury Republican American.

Congress Has Yet to Re-Authorize CHIP Program; CT Could Run Out of Money to Fund CHIP

Congress returns from its August recess next week and on the agenda is the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which currently covers 17,000 Connecticut children under the age of 19. The program is funded largely through federal dollars, with a small contribution by the state. Authorization for CHIP, also known as HUSKY B, is set to expire by the end of September. The program was last re-authorized in 2015 for two years. The concern is that CHIP re-authorization will become entangled in "replace and repeal" of the ACA, or get lost in the mix with raising the debt ceiling, approving a federal budget, and a disaster relief bill in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. According to the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, without re-authorization, Connecticut would be one of the first states to run out of money. CT's Department of Social Services (DSS) says with leftover funds, from the last allocation of federal CHIP dollars, money will run out by the end of December. The CT Mirror explains the current situation faced by Connecticut and the rest of the nation when it comes to CHIP.

All Our Kin Offers Resources in the Wake of Charlottesville

We try our best to shield our children from the violence and racism that exists in our country, but sometimes, it's very hard to do. Our friends at All Our Kin have compiled a list of resources that can help adults talk to children, and answer any questions they may have, about systemic racism and social inequality in an age-appropriate way. AOK is also partnering with family child care providers, children, and parents, to create a more just and equitable world. This fall, with the support of the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund, AOK is launching a new initiative, "Building a Better World for Our Children. This project will bring family child care providers and staff together to dream the reality we want for our children, our communities, and ourselves, and then co-create strategies to move us towards this vision. To learn more, contact Dana Holahan at 203-772-2294 or [email protected] 

Racism and Violence: Using Your Power as a Parent to Support Children Aged Two to Five

The Diaper Bank Hosts Annual "Rock Your Baby" Event

Mark your calendars for Thursday, September 14, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and buy your tickets for the annual "Rock Your Baby" event, hosted by The Diaper Bank, at Amarante's Sea Cliff in New Haven. Tickets are $75 per person and sponsorship opportunities are available. Proceeds benefit The Diaper Bank, a Connecticut-based non-profit organization, that centralizes the fundraising and distribution of free diapers to poor families through existing service providers, including local food pantries soup kitchens, daycare centers, social service agencies and shelters. In its 13 years of existence, The Diaper Bank has distributed more than 20 million free diapers to poor and low-income families through its Diaper Distribution Network (DDN) of over 60 agencies in New Haven, Fairfield, Hartford, Middlesex and Windham Counties. To purchase tickets or sponsorship info, click HERE.