Thumbs up, thumbs down
Thumbs up to the UConn women’s basketball team. Twelve straight Final Fours is something no other team has accomplished, men’s or women’s, but setting records is UConn’s thing. It hasn’t been an easy path this season, but the Huskies will play for yet another championship this weekend. They’ve been the best at what they do since before any of the current players were born, and it never gets old watching them win.
Thumbs down to allergies that are apparently hitting hard with the whiplash transition from winter to spring. While we join everyone else in welcoming spring weather conditions, experts also point to warmer temperatures sparking a rise in pollen growth. For the millions who suffer from allergies, it will likely only get worse with the approach of summer.
Thumbs up to Connecticut Attorney General William Tong defining his role within his first 100 days in office. On the campaign trail, Tong acknowledged respect for his two immediate predecessors, fellow Democrats George Jepsen and Richard Blumenthal. Now that he holds the title himself, Tong is clearly steering the AG’s mission in the direction of civil rights. He has hired a prominent civil rights lawyer, introduced related legislation, hosted an interstate summit on civil rights and is seeking to establish a civil rights division within the office. It’s the right directive at the right time.
Thumbs down to the condition of the state Capitol reflecting cracks in the Connecticut economy. Major $ 8 million repairs budgeted for 2007 were put on indefinite hold as the economy crumbled. The intervening years have — as they tend to do — only caused more consequences of aging. Thus, any restoration work would now come with a much higher price tag. William Morgan, a member of the State Capitol Preservation and Restoration Commission, deserves credit for accepting a measure of blame for the neglect. That’s not something we’re used to hearing in the Capitol.
Thumbs up to a renewed discussion on eminent domain for the purposes of economic development. A legislative committee approved a bill last week to restrict public taking of private land for economic development purposes, though the bill’s future seems questionable. Still, it’s an important debate, with cities holding that economic growth is just as vital to the public good as a new road or school, while opponents argue that private property rights should always come first.
Thumbs down to another tuition increase at the state’s four regional universities. Students will pay an average of $479 more next year in tuition and fees if they commute and $ 860 more if they live at the university, according to a vote of the Board of Regents for Higher Education last week. Even in an improved economy, plenty of people are struggling to get by, and a college education can be a ticket to a better future. The money to run the system has to come from somewhere, but the tougher it gets for students to go to college, the more the entire state suffers.
Thumbs up to a University of Connecticut program that will work to help homeless people in the Hartford region. A federal grant will support the five-year project in which 500 people will receive help and support to find and maintain permanent housing. The state has made great strides in reducing homelessness in recent years, and programs like this can help continue that work.