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Governor Lamont Announces Federal Acceptance of Connecticut's Digital Equity Plan
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has received notification from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) informing him that the federal agency has accepted the State of Connecticut’s digital equity plan, “Connecticut: Everyone Connected.” Federal acceptance of this plan makes the state eligible for $18 million in Digital Equity Act Capacity Grant funds, which would support implementation of the plan.
A draft of the state’s plan was released in December by the Commission for Educational Technology, which resides within the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (DAS). In developing the draft plan, the commission engaged more than 7,000 Connecticut residents and conducted in-depth research into the barriers to technology access. Following the release of the draft, the commission held a 30-day public comment period, during which it received more than 500 comments, which were incorporated into the final plan.
“This is an important step forward for Connecticut’s digital equity efforts,” Governor Lamont said. “After extensive research, we understand that Connecticut has done a good job building the infrastructure to support high-speed internet for all. Yet, adoption remains a barrier for underserved groups. In an increasingly digital world, high-speed internet is no longer a luxury. This digital equity plan will help remove barriers and increase connectivity.”
The plan will help ensure that all Connecticut residents can benefit from life in the digital world for learning, career advancement, telehealth, and leveraging state services. Consistent with federal guidance, the plan emphasizes the needs of traditionally disenfranchised groups, including residents at or below 150% of the poverty line, racial and ethnic minorities, the aging, those incarcerated in or in transition out of state correctional facilities, individuals with disabilities or language barriers, those living in rural areas, and veterans.
Goals of the plan include:
Developing and promoting digital skills and technical support programs that directly serve residents;
Ensuring residents have options for getting online that are affordable and meet their needs; and
Expanding digital government services at the state and local levels.
Funding to support the development of the plan, as well as the potential future implementation funding for which Connecticut plans to apply, comes from the Biden-Harris administration’s Internet for All Initiative, which was created as part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will make the state eligible for implementation funds to expand Connecticut residents’ access to affordable, high-speed internet, devices, and training.
“Federal acceptance of Connecticut’s digital equity plan means more than eligibility for implementation funding,” DAS Commissioner Michelle Gilman said. “It is a recognition of the incredible work of the Commission for Educational Technology team. In particular, Doug Casey and Lauren Thompson worked tirelessly to research the obstacles residents faced, write a detailed draft report, and solicit and incorporate significant feedback from stakeholders. I am confident that their work will lead to better connectivity opportunities for many Connecticut residents.”
“Today, Connecticut is taking a major step toward closing the digital divide,” Angela Thi Bennett, director of digital equity for NTIA, said. “The state's digital equity plan will make certain everyone in Connecticut possesses the digital skills, tools, and capacity to thrive.”
“The Connecticut Digital Equity Plan does not require the public to obtain access to high-speed internet that they do not want,” Mark Raymond, chairman of the Commission for Educational Technology and state chief information officer, said. “This plan addresses the difficult topic of the public being left out of opportunities because they cannot afford or do not appreciate how being connected can improve their lives.”
“We are thrilled that the Connecticut Digital Equity Plan is approved with no changes – essentially a ‘perfect score,’” Doug Casey, executive director of the Commission for Educational Technology, said. “Our research points to the immediate need to address the digital skills gap in our state. We now have a green light to apply for funding to address that need through training and digital navigation investments.”
“’Connecticut: Everyone Connected’ underscores our collective commitment to bridging the digital divide, ensuring equitable access to digital resources for all residents,” Digital Equity Program Manager Lauren Thompson said. “Through our collaborative efforts and strategic goals, we aim to empower communities, foster digital inclusion, and drive meaningful change for residents of Connecticut. We are thrilled to see the acceptance of Connecticut’s digital equity plan by the NTIA. This milestone opens doors to $18 million in Capacity Grant funds, propelling our team’s mission forward.”
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Annual Clean-up Day April 6!
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Call To Action: Wilton's Annual Townwide Cleanup Day
The Wilton Conservation Commission is looking for volunteers to join them for 2024 Townwide Cleanup Day on Saturday, April 6.0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Early voting starts today! Head to Wilton Town Hall, Room B, from 10AM to 6PM. Use the rear entrance.Early voting for the Presidential Preference Primary will begin at 10 AM on Tuesday, March 26, at your early voting location. Find your early voting location and learn more about the process at MyVote.ct.gov #ct #vote #election League Of Women Voters of Connecticut Common Cause Connecticut AARP-CT ... See MoreSee Less
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We are very excited to announce that 20-year Wilton resident and our 2024 Democrat of the Year Savet Constantine is running to represent the 42nd State House District! DTC Chair Tom Dubin called Constantine “the perfect candidate” to represent the three towns in Hartford. “As a longtime Wilton resident, parent and PTA member, she has the lived experience necessary to really deliver for voters, and she will always be there to listen to their concerns. She understands the obstacles our families and small businesses are facing, and she has what it takes to get them what they need. We’re very excited she’s decided to run.” Read more about Savet here:
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What a great turnout on a soggy day for our Annual Spring Breakfast! Great to hear from Representative Jim Himes, Office of Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz, State Senator Ceci Maher and especially our Democrat of the Year Savet Constantine! Thanks to Lorie Paulson and Jane RInard who made the day so special, and to everyone who filled the table with tons of delicious food! Wish you'd been there? Don't miss our next event - get our newsletter at wiltondems.org. ... See MoreSee Less
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Robert B. Reich: The biggest contrast in the upcoming election (other than democracy vs. “blood in the streets” fascism)
Here’s the thing: Income subject to the payroll tax is capped.
Tribune News Service
March 19, 2024 at 7:00 a.m.
One of my goals in this column is to give you the facts and analysis you need to make informed decisions, especially political ones — and equip you to spread the word to others. So here goes on social security.
During a typically rambling and incoherent interview last week, Trump admitted he would cut Social Security and Medicare if reelected. “…there is a lot you can do in terms of entitlements, in terms of cutting and in terms of also the theft and the bad management of entitlements.”
Trump has tried to walk back the remarks, saying that when he used the word “cutting” he didn’t actually mean “cutting,” and that Social Security has a lot of waste. (In fact, Social Security is well managed, and theft or fraud is rare.)
But there’s no question Trump and his Republican allies want to cut Social Security and Medicare.
Here’s why. At the heart of their economic agenda — at least the portion they’re sharing with their super-wealthy backers — is another giant tax cut for the super-wealthy and big corporations.
The problem is that this tax cut would cause the federal budget deficit to explode — as did their last tax cut for the wealthy — unless Social Security and Medicare are cut. (Remember that as president, Trump repeatedly included cuts to Social Security and Medicare in his official budget proposals.)
This is why Trumpers have been ramping up calls for cuts in Social Security (or raising the age of eligibility, which is the same thing).
Last week, Daily Wire founder and professional bloviator Ben Shapiro— oblivious to the fact that millions of Americans do hard work that takes a toll on their bodies — urged that the retirement age be raised. “No one in the United States should be retiring at 65 years old. Frankly, I think retirement itself is a stupid idea unless you have some sort of health problem.” Turning Points USA founder Charlie Kirk echoed Shapiro: “I’m not a fan of retirement. I don’t think retirement is biblical.”
I want to be clear with you about Social Security. (I was once a trustee of the Social Security Trust Fund, so I know about this issue.)
Even without another Trump Republican tax cut for the rich, America still faces a pending problem financing Social Security. (Medicare is less problematic because the rise in health care costs has slowed, probably due to the Affordable Care Act.)
That’s because the American population is aging, with a rising ratio of retirees receiving Social Security benefits to workers paying into Social Security.
The Congressional Budget Office expects that over the next 20 years, spending on Social Security and Medicare will rise by about 3 percentage points of GDP.
In their annual report, the trustees of the Social Security Trust Fund said that Social Security will be able to pay full benefits for another decade but thereafter faces a significant funding shortfall. Unless something changes, after 2034 it will be able to pay only about 80% of scheduled benefits.
But this pending problem in no way requires cuts to Social Security benefits or increases in the retirement age.
In sharp contrast to Trump, Biden correctly asserts in his new budget that Social Security (and Medicare) can remain solvent by raising taxes on high incomes rather than by cutting benefits.
The problem isn’t that the giant baby-boom generation is sucking up too many Social Security benefits. The Social Security trustees anticipated the boom in boomer retirements. This is why Social Security was amended back in 1983, to gradually increase the age for collecting full retirement benefits from 65 to 67. That change is helping finance the retirements of boomers (like me).
So what did the trustees fail to anticipate in 1983 when they raised the retirement age for collecting full benefits? Answer: the degree of income inequality in 21st century America.
Put simply, a big part of the American working population is earning less than the Social Security trustees (including me) anticipated decades ago — and therefore paying less in Social Security payroll tax.
Had the pay of American workers kept up with what had been the trend decades ago — and kept up with their own increasing productivity — their Social Security payroll tax payments would have been enough to keep the program flush.
At the same time, a much larger chunk of the nation’s total income is going to the top than was expected decades ago.
Here’s the thing: Income subject to the payroll tax is capped. Not a single dollar of earnings in excess of the cap is subject to Social Security payroll taxes. This year’s cap is $168,600.
Which means, for example, that Jeff Bezos finished paying all his Social Security payroll taxes due this year at around 7 minutes into January 1.
The Social Security cap is adjusted every year for inflation, but the adjustment is tiny compared to what’s happened to incomes at the top.
As the rich have become far richer, more and more of the total income earned by Americans has become concentrated at the top. Therefore, more and more total income escapes the Social Security payroll tax.
The obvious solution to Social Security’s funding shortfall, therefore, is to lift the cap on income subject to the Social Security payroll tax, so the super-rich pay more in Social Security taxes.
To make sure it’s the super-rich — and not the upper-middle class — who pay, it makes sense to eliminate the cap altogether on earnings in excess of, say, $400,000.
As it happens, Biden’s plan does exactly this.
So there you have it: Trump and his regressive mouthpieces want to cut Social Security so they can give another giant tax cut to the super-rich.
Biden wants to save Social Security by having the super-rich — who have become far richer over the past several decades — pay more Social Security taxes.
The contrast couldn’t be more obvious or more important. Please help get the word out.
(Robert Reich, former U.S. Secretary of Labor, is professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley and the author of “The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix It.” Read more from Robert Reich at robertreich.substack.com/)
©2024 Robert Reich. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. www.courant.com/2024/03/19/robert-b-reich-the-biggest-contrast-in-the-upcoming-election-other-tha...
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