Summer youth jobs casualty of budget

Thousands of youth and five regional workforce boards were told the youth jobs program would be canceled.

NEW HAVEN » Thousands of youth and five regional workforce boards were told last week that the youth employment program would be canceled this summer because there isn’t a state budget.

The program gives jobs and job training to at-risk young people. The funding for the program mostly goes to pay their wages.

Because there is no budget in place the program has been suspended in many, but not all, of the towns where it is utilized, according to coordinators.

The youth program is a $5 million budget line item — most of it spent on the summer program. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy proposed cutting the funding as part of his original budget proposal even though he said he appreciates the program and understands the good work it does preparing youth for the workforce.

Malloy said he doesn’t want to see the program cut, but his hands are largely tied.

The executive order Malloy unveiled Monday eliminates all funding for the youth program on July 1.

The alternative “minibudget,” which failed to pick up steam Tuesday in the House, would keep the summer youth funding. But program officials say the action is likely too little, too late.

The summer youth employment program gives work to economically disadvantaged youth, placing them in work locations in which they have expressed an interest in pursuing careers — such as law offices, technology, or learning academies, according to program organizers.

The jobs created for the youth are primarily in the larger cities, because the cities have alternative sources of funding such as community foundations, banks, or other organizations to help fund the program while the smaller surrounding cities and towns do not. One of the towns that will not be using any youth workers is East Haven, which normally employs about 35 young people during the summer.

In an email sent to East Haven and other the participating towns in the Greater New Haven area, John Brancato, a manager with Workforce Alliance, said: “Unfortunately, we have been informed that the Summer Program is not being considered for emergency monthly funding in absence of a state budget and because of the timing and uncertainty of budget discussions it is recommended that there be no program implemented for Summer 2017.”

Brancato sent an email to East Haven and the 29 other towns in the South Central Connecticut area he is responsible for, advising officials to “not have anyone begin summer activities July 1st unless other funds are being used.”

“This is a very sad and disappointing turn of events,” Brancato wrote. “I apologize for such late notice. However, conversations have been ongoing for the past week in hopes of averting this outcome.”

The news wasn’t received well by East Haven Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr.