In April of 2008, the Court of Common Council voted to hold a series of public hearings to gauge public sentiment about whether the Council should empanel a charter reform commission. The resolution directed the Legislative Affairs Committee to host four (4) public hearings throughout the city between June 1 and August 1, 2008. The four formal hearings were held in various locations across the city and in total approximately 150 community members attended the public hearings. The hearings provided an opportunity to share information with the public regarding the current charter and the process by which a commission would be empanelled. This report summarizes the themes raised in these meetings and the dialogue that took place. (PDF documents, 13 pages) Published by
City of Hartford, City Council Legislative Affairs Committee
; Publication Date: August 2008
Document Link: /issues/wsd/government/0808_CharterReformSummary.pdf
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A collection of resources about the economic recovery package, from federal to state to business resources. Published by
HartfordInfo.org
Document Link: /issues/wsd/EconomicDevelopment/wsd_040409.asp
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The 2010 Census Portrait of America Road Tour will be going to the Super Bowl and the NCAA Final Four as it travels across the country on a 150,000-mile tour. And Hartford is one of its first stops. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: January 04, 2010
Document Link: /issues/documents/people/htfd_courant_010410.asp
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The city of Hartford recently unveiled its "311" consumer call center, the first of its kind in Connecticut. The new system is an example of technology streamlining government. City residents who dial 311 will be forwarded to one of six call takers trained to answer questions from the public. The city representatives record the nature of calls electronically and make sure each call is forwarded to a manager in the correct department. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: September 12, 2006
Document Link: /issues/documents/Government/htfd_courant_091206.asp
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The City of Hartford is researching the viability of implementing a '311' non-emergency line. The project is not inexpensive, but cities across the country who have adopted the practice are realizing cost savings. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: January 31, 2005
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_013105.asp
Related Link(s):
311: one year later: non-emergency system performs its duties in Baltimore
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Operators Are Standing By:
With services like 311, a better, smarter city is just a phone call away.
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The Hartford Courant expresses the opinion that Eddie Perez was entrusted by Hartford voters with unprecedented power as the city's first strong mayor in more than half a century. That power may have gone to his head. He turned out, sadly, to be a grifter, another politician who traded his office and his city's resources for personal and political gain. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 19, 2010
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_061910_3.asp
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John Wardlaw, who died on November 7, 2008 at 71, headed the Hartford Housing Authority for nearly three decades, a remarkable tenure in such a high-pressure, high-profile job. He hired good people and ran a tight ship. He cared deeply for the thousands of people who lived in public housing and worked every day to better their lives. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: November 13, 2008
Document Link: /issues/documents/housing/htfd_courant_111308.asp
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The writer of this opinion piece suggested that voters should vote no on the referendum question on the ballots on November 4, 2008. Ballot question #1 asked: “Shall there be a Constitutional Convention to amend or revise the Constitution of the State?” Published by
Northend Agent's
; Publication Date: October 29, 2008
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/northend_agents_102908.asp
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Stan Simpson writes that the HFD is a model for how a department can diversify its personnel without compromising competence. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 09, 2009
Document Link: /issues/documents/history/htfd_courant_050909.asp
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In a dramatic finish to a disjointed day, the General Assembly recently passed critical improvements to the state's campaign finance reform law only minutes before the midnight adjournment deadline. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 4, 2006
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_050406.asp
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A video of the October 23, 2007 community program, A Dialogue with Hartford’s Mayoral Candiates – A Hartford Courant Key Issues Forum, which was held at the Hartford Public Library. Published by
HartfordInfo.org
; Publication Date: October 23, 2007
Document Link: /issues/wsd/Videos/wsd_10_23_2007.asp
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A video of the September 6, 2007 community program, A Dialogue with Hartford’s Mayoral Candiates – A Hartford Courant Key Issues Forum, which was held at the Hartford Public Library. Published by
HartfordInfo.org
; Publication Date: September 9, 2007
Document Link: /issues/wsd/Videos/wsd_09_06_2007.asp
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Is Ron Armstrong a commissioner on the Metropolitan District Commission, or isn't he? The Hartford city council approved his appointment last month, and last week the commission swore him in. But on Monday, both the city and the MDC agreed that they had acted in error. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: March 10, 2009
Document Link: /issues/documents/environment/htfd_courant_031009_1.asp
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The recent groundbreaking of a new public safety complex will result in economic development and neighborhood renewal. And a consolidated downtown presence of police, fire and emergency medical personnel should make for more responsive departments and allay fears that the city is unsafe. But alarms should also be sounding about the cost - now projected at $77 million, almost double what voters approved at a November 2000 referendum. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: July 18, 2007
Document Link: /issues/documents/Crime/htfd_courant_071807.asp
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The possibility of a trial for Mayor Eddie Perez on corruption charges in October gave new urgency to the city council's ongoing effort to hire an attorney to look after their interests. President Calixto Torres was tasked with signing a letter of engagement with an outside law firm by the council meeting held on April 6, 2009. Published by
The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: March 31, 2009
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_advocate_033109.asp
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This Courant editorial expresses the opinion that Noel McGregor Jr. must have mixed emotions as he leaves his position as Hartford Democratic town chairman after six years. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: March 23, 2008
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_032308.asp
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With city hall's main lobby filled with the sound of bagpipes and supporters calling out his name, Mayor Eddie A. Perez took center stage and offered, in his inaugural speech, a continuation of a campaign message he had fine-tuned over the past year — Hartford is on the right path, and he's the man to keep it there. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: January 08, 2008
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_010808.asp
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In a letter sent to the council recently, Mayor Eddie A. Perez spoke of a "spirit of cooperation" before outlining a process by which the council could request the presence of city staff at its meetings. But recently, despite assurances from Torres that the mayor's office would do better, the council voted to give itself subpoena power to compel the attendance of city staff and council meetings. Published by
Hartford Cityline, The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: August 12, 2009
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/cityline_081209_1.asp
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The angry outburst by Larry Deutsch at a recent Hartford city council meeting was out of order. But he did raise one valid issue. Mr. Deutsch, a first-term council member from the Working Families Party, had proposed a resolution to provide a grant to the Immaculate Conception homeless shelter. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 19, 2008
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_051908.asp
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At a group effort moneymaker, aimed at achieving public financing thresholds for state representative Kelvin Roldan and candidate for state representative Hector Robles, Ken Krayske comments on some of the conversations he had with politicians and their supporters. Published by
The Hartford News
; Publication Date: July 17, 2008
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_news_071708.asp
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There’s a political storm brewing in the 3rd Assembly District. An opponent has risen up, to take on five-term incumbent Minnie Gonzalez in the Democratic primary for State Representative. Francisco (“Frank”) De Jesus is on the ballot running against her. Published by
The Hartford Guardian
; Publication Date: June 21, 2006
Document Link: /issues/documents/Government/htfd_guardian_summer_2006_a.asp
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The text of the state law proposed to authorize municipalities that are implementing a revaluation to phase-in property tax assessments increases and to require the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management to establish criteria for exempting towns from revaluation for a period of five years. Raised Bill #535. Published by
Connecticut General Assembly
; Publication Date: February 2006
Document Link: /issues/wsd/taxes/bill535.asp
Related Link(s):
Connecticut General Assembly Bill Status
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The text of the state law proposed in regards to the establishment of abatements in qualifying municipalities and to eliminate the surcharge on corporations. Raised Bill #531 Published by
Connecticut General Assembly
; Publication Date: February 2006
Document Link: /issues/wsd/taxes/bill531.asp
Related Link(s):
Connecticut General Assembly Bill Status
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Ken Krayeske expresses the opinion that an active, passionate third-party registrar of voters in Hartford, a leader like Urania Petit, would be a boon to democracy. Unfortunately, a heck of a lot more people read the Hartford Courant editorial page than this column, and a few weeks back, the sinking ship editorialists at America's oldest daily newspaper surmised that Urania Petit's candidacy for registrar was a systemic redundancy. Published by
The Hartford News
; Publication Date: October 17, 2008
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_news_101708.asp
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The Freedom of Information Commission is preparing to cite the city of Hartford yet again for not following the rules. Published by
The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: February 11, 2010
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_advocate_021110.asp
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The Hartford Court of Common Council proposes to grant subpoena powers to Operations, Management and Budget Committee to study last year and this year's budgets. Published by
Hartford Court of Common Council
; Publication Date: August 10, 2009
Document Link: /issues/wsd/government/SubpoenaPowers.pdf
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In this opinion piece, the author suggests that Connecticut should build trolley lines when it spends expected federal stimulus money. Modern trams would spur jobs in town centers and get cars off the roads. If we have the chance to bring back streetcars across the state, we should do so. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: December 14, 2008
Document Link: /issues/documents/transportation/htfd_courant_121408_1.asp
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Mayor Eddie A. Perez, a city councilwoman, a former state representative and a city businessman appeared in Superior Court in Hartford on September 8, 2009, where their cases were transferred to another judge who will hold a hearing on Friday, September 11, 2009. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: September 09, 2009
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_090909_1.asp
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Rumors of Eddie Perez's political weakness were greatly exaggerated, or so the results of the recent Democratic mayoral primary suggest. Hartford's first strong mayor stiff-armed three opponents, sprinting ahead of I. Charles Mathews, his closest challenger, by 20 percentage points. State Rep. Art J. Feltman and former state Sen. Frank Barrows finished well behind Mr. Mathews. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: September 13, 2007
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_091307.asp
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His supporters and his opponents agree on one thing. The I. Charles Mathews that led Hartford's city council 20 years ago was a tough, skilled politician; a self-made man who got things done and often rubbed people the wrong way doing so. Today, as he runs for mayor, his supporters say that the Mathews who returned to Hartford two years ago, after a decade's absence during which he survived a bout with cancer, is a mellower, more mature version of the original. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: September 09, 2007
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_090907_2.asp
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Vice President Joseph Biden couldn't have been more effusive in his praise of U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd. At a fundraiser for Dodd at the new Connecticut Science Center, Biden called the senator an honorable and courageous man. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: December 12, 2009
Document Link: /issues/documents/downtowndevelopment/htfd_courant_121209.asp
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Helen Ubiñas comments on the Connecticut state legislature’s approval of the plan to ease the impact of tax revaluation on city homeowners developed by Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 7, 2006
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_050706.asp
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The Hartford News comments on a conversation with Abe Giles about his G & G Enterprises, Inc. and its win of the City contract for “on demand moving and storage services of personal effects of evicted tenants.” Published by
The Hartford News
; Publication Date: August 07, 2008
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_news_080708_1.asp
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Abraham L. Giles is on the ballot for state representative for the first time in 20 years. He's running to represent the 5th District, which includes both ends of Hartford's economic spectrum — the moneyed downtown business district and the impoverished North End. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: August 06, 2008
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_080608.asp
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Susan Campbell comments on the upcoming referendum that would approve a Constitutional Convention in the state of Connecticut. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: October 28, 2008
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_102808_2.asp
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Helen Ubiñas writes that Councilman Luis Cotto clearly forgot that he asked her to stay on him about his plan to start a fund to save the remaining portion of the old Lyric Theater. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 11, 2010
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_051110.asp
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The death of a witness enabled Hartford state Rep. Minnie Gonzalez to turn aside one of seven allegations that she broke absentee balloting laws in 2006. But an examination of files at the State Elections Enforcement Commission shows there's a lot more to come in the case. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 14, 2009
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_061409.asp
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A woman fined $10,000 by state election officials in 2005 for absentee ballot fraud has obtained a one-week, pre-election temporary job in the office of the city registrars. Published by
Hartford Cityline, The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: October 26, 2009
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/cityline_102609.asp
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Immigration activists gathered outside St. Augustine Church in Hartford in support of a new proposal in Congress, The Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act, revealed May 12th. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 27, 2005
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_052705.asp
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The city council decided recently to hire its own attorney, but not until after a nasty exchange between councilors centered on whether the council's new law firm wants to impeach Mayor Eddie A. Perez. Published by
Hartford Cityline, The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 14, 2009
Document Link: /issues/documents/legalissues/cityline_041409.asp
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Stan Simpson writes that in firing Public Works Director Clarence Corbin this week, Mayor Eddie Perez makes it plain: City employees who act unethically should be fired. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: April 04, 2009
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_040409.asp
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Connections is a Hartford drop-in center for people with HIV and AIDS helping clients stay clean. But, Connections is among more than 30 Connecticut organizations that will be affected by a proposed $3 million cut in state funding for AIDS services. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: February 24, 2009
Document Link: /issues/documents/health/htfd_courant_022409.asp
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Helen Ubiñas writes about how the drastic cuts to federal AIDS funding may affect Hartford families. The $4 million in federal funds Hartford expected was cut in half because the number of new cases didn't meet the new guidelines. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: March 22, 2007
Document Link: /issues/documents/Health/htfd_courant_032207.asp
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When he was hired at the Hartford Housing Authority in January 2008, Alan Green inherited a mess. Before he can put his full focus on the tenants who live in the 4,000 units he oversees, Green has had to turn his attention to fixing a dysfunctional agency. Green wants to change the culture for those living in public housing. But first he's changing the culture for those working for public housing. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: March 25, 2009
Document Link: /issues/documents/housing/htfd_courant_032509.asp
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A March 2009 presentation to the city council of the plans for stimulus funds that Hartford expects to receive. (PDF document, 12 pages) Published by
City of Hartford
Document Link: /issues/wsd/EconomicDevelopment/Stimulus_Presentation_3-31-09.pdf
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City Councilman Larry Deutsch's campaign to take a vote of no confidence in Hartford Corporation Counsel John Rose was tabled for the second city council meeting in a row recently, as Deutsch became increasingly isolated in his attempt to impose some sort of formal sanction on Rose. Published by
The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: April 20, 2010
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_advocate_042010.asp
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In this editorial, the Courant expresses the opinion that while some political officeholders stay too long at the fair, we should give state Rep. Art Feltman of Hartford credit for a thoughtful decision to bow out. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: May 15, 2008
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_051508.asp
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Rep. Art J. Feltman, D-Hartford, has criss-crossed Hartford as one of three challengers to Eddie A. Perez for the Democratic mayoral nomination. He has campaigned with the same fervor he displayed as a community organizer fresh out of Wesleyan University. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: September 09, 2007
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_090907_1.asp
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The governor wants the poor to pay for the state deficit. Now it's up to Democrats to broker a fair budget. When Gov. Jodi Rell presented her state budget proposal in February, she promised "shared pain" and "shared sacrifice." But, Rell would avoid hiking the income tax and cutting money for cities and towns by making the elderly pay more for prescription drugs and slashing funds for needle-exchange programs (see sidebar), just two of what turned out to be a laundry list of draconian cuts to state services. Published by
The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: June 09, 2009
Document Link: /issues/documents/region/htfd_advocate_060909.asp
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John Tornatore, owner of Gordon Bonetti Florist on Franklin Avenue, had a special delivery to make at the recent public hearing at Bulkeley High School on Mayor Eddie Perez’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. But Tornatore didn’t hand out roses or chocolates. Instead, he delivered a stinging criticism of Perez’s financial management of the city. Published by
The Hartford News
; Publication Date: April 30, 2009
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_news_043009_1.asp
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It could be said that Perez's political career started on Park Street, often called the heart of the state's Latino population. And it also could be said that his political career ended here. His months-long criminal trial was launched by his relationship with contractor Carlos Costa, who, in 2003, won the bidding for the $5 million Park Street streetscape project. But some Park Street residents - and people elsewhere in the capital city - had a more complicated reaction to the news of Perez's conviction. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 19, 2010
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_courant_061910_1.asp
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I. Charles Mathews, a blast from Hartford's political past, recently announced his candidacy to run against Mayor Eddie A. Perez in the 2007 election. Mathews, a former deputy mayor in Hartford, joined a growing list of candidates seeking to oust Perez, who also recently made official his bid for re-election by registering as a candidate with the city clerk. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: January 10, 2007
Document Link: /issues/documents/Government/htfd_courant_011007.asp
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Helen Ubinas writes that a $130,000 grant for an asthma outreach and education program has been canceled. The grant, which survived a line-item veto by Gov. M. Jodi Rell, was approved by the legislature in August 2009. But, while the legislature may have approved funds for programs like these, in the same budget, they demanded $95 million in cuts in non-direct-care contracts. Published by
The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: March 18, 2010
Document Link: /issues/documents/health/htfd_courant_031810.asp
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Parents in the city know Milly Arciniegas as their Number One advocate in her role as president of the Hartford Parents Organization, a coalition of school PTOs. Now she's hoping to add another venue from which to champion for city kids, parents and schools. Arciniegas has joined the endorsed slate of Parents Choice party candidates for a position on the Hartford Board of Education. Published by
Hartford Cityline, The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: October 05, 2009
Document Link: /issues/documents/education/cityline_100509.asp
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Gov. Jodi Rell's 2009 budget shrinks arts funding in the name of fairness. Under the Governor’s plan, the amount of money in the Connecticut budget for the arts would go down overall, but could fund smaller start-up venues at the expense of successful, established events. Published by
The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: February 10, 2009
Document Link: /issues/documents/artsandculture/htfd_advocate_021009.asp
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Mayoral candidate Art Feltman disseminated his plan to restore ethics and honesty to city government just before the Perez campaign accused his campaign of forging signatures. Published by
The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: August 30, 2007
Document Link: /issues/documents/government/htfd_advocate_083007.asp
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Even groups left out of Hartford's arts stimulus program support the spirit of the effort. Published by
The Hartford Advocate
; Publication Date: July 15, 2009
Document Link: /issues/documents/artsandculture/htfd_advocate_071509.asp
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The application review process for the city's arts stimulus funding began recently, with 57 applications competing for the city and state money intended for job creation. Published by
Hartford Cityline, The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 01, 2009
Document Link: /issues/documents/artsandculture/cityline_060109.asp
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The city has awarded more than $1 million to 23 local artists and organizations as part of its arts stimulus program. The money comes from the city, which is also awaiting another $600,000 in federal funds to be used for the program. The recipients were chosen by a 10-member panel and the money will be administered by the Greater Hartford Arts Council. Published by
Hartford Cityline, The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: June 26, 2009
Document Link: /issues/documents/artsandculture/cityline_062609.asp
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Recently, the city announced just which organizations got a piece of the $1.1 million stimulus pie. Here, is a little more information. Included here is a spreadsheet that lists (on three separate worksheets) which organizations said they were interested, which ones applied, and which ones got funded. Dollar amounts are included. Published by
Hartford Cityline, The Hartford Courant
; Publication Date: July 09, 2009
Document Link: /issues/documents/artsandculture/cityline_070909.asp
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