An original Norman Rockwell painting hangs behind Gov. Ned Lamont’s state Capitol office desk between the flags of the United States and Connecticut. The celebrated artwork depicts citizens assembled solemnly in front of a government hearing-room desk, and it’s called “The Right to Know.” But that title doesn’t fit in with what critics call a dismal track record by Lamont and his administration as to openness and prompt compliance with requests for public documents under the the state Freedom of Information Act. “I would say that certainly he’s developing a track record of somebody who sees FOI as more of a nuisance than a necessity,” said the president of the Connecticut Council on Freedom of Information, Mike Savino.
Maybe it’s both.
Day columnist David Collins filed a request to the Lamont administration back in September for emails between Lamont or those in his office and David Kooris, chairman of the Connecticut Port Authority. That is a straight-forward request. It should not be hard to use a search mechanism to come with all such emails. There are various exemptions in the FOI law that prohibit some documents and communications from disclosure, or portions of them, but the law requires a public agency to reference those exemptions if it maintains they apply.
This is a process that should take weeks, not months.
According to the governor’s proposal, which he plans to submit to the Connecticut General Assembly in February, the initiative has several key goals. They include increasing access, reducing costs of building out broadband systems and establishing better consumer protections.
“If the governor is doing that, that would be a blessing for everybody in the community,” said Hector Negron of New Britain.
Negron has a son in college. His classes are online, and Negron is trying to provide the necessary technology but it’s difficult.
“Right now, the internet prices are so high that I can only afford the lowest (level) of the internet,” Negron explained.
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Biden picks Education Secretary committed to opening schools as pandemic rages
On Tuesday, President-elect Joe Biden said that he will nominate Miguel Cardona as Secretary of Education for his incoming administration. Cardona has been Connecticut’s commissioner of education since 2019 and his chief qualification is heavily promoting the reopening of schools during the pandemic, which Biden has stated will be a top “national priority” upon taking office.
Miguel A. Cardona [Credit: Connecticut State Colleges & Universities]
In selecting Cardona, who is of Puerto Rican descent, Biden is furthering the promotion of racial politics to pursue his thoroughly reactionary agenda. In this case, Cardona’s background as an English language learner and his supposed sympathy for students struggling with remote learning will be invoked to justify the opening of schools throughout the US in the interests of Wall Street.