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https://www.wtnh.com/news/politics/speaker-nancy-pelosi-to-headline-connecticut-dinner-1/2032856171
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi will be the keynote speaker for the Connecticut Democratic Party‘s annual fundraising dinner.
The California congresswoman will appear June 21 at the John Bailey Dinner at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. General admission tickets cost $200 for the evening event, named after the late party chairman. Tickets for a VIP reception with Pelosi cost $1,000.
Tickets for young Democrats, age 36 and under, cost $125.
Organizers say the dinner will focus on women in leadership. Former State Democratic Party Chair Nancy DiNardo, the first woman to hold the position, will receive the party’s highest honor, the 2019 William A. O’Neill Award for leadership.
Former Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, the current Democratic Party chair, says it will be a “night of Nancys.”
https://www.wshu.org/post/connecticut-democrats-push-public-healthcare-option#stream/0
Connecticut Democrats will take action on a bill to create a state public option for healthcare coverage before the state legislative session ends in 11 days. Republicans say they’ve not been consulted.
Governor Ned Lamont joined Democratic legislative leaders in announcing the bill. He says as a former small business owner, he appreciates the state creating a public option for healthcare.
“It gives us the best opportunity in a long time to extend access to people who don’t have access to affordable healthcare, and to bring down the cost of healthcare.”
Matt Lesser, Senate chair of the Insurance Committee, says the plan would reduce healthcare costs by 20 percent for individuals and small businesses.
“We are going to lower the price of prescription drugs by bringing in prescription drugs from Canada. We are going to expand Medicare for low income adults. We are going to control rising premiums, deductibles, with subsidies and reinsurance. We are going to follow other states and create a cost containment commission, looking at the overall cost of healthcare.”
He says it will also be paid for by a 1% tax on opioid manufacturers.
Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano is alarmed that Democrats are introducing the bill so late in the session without consulting Republicans.
“With a bill that hasn’t even had one day of sunlight. Even as we stand here. But that is the arrogance of the majority that we have never seen in this building, even under Malloy. He would at least give the opportunity before parading it out at a news conference.”
The Connecticut healthcare public option would be available by 2022 if Democrats are able to pass the bill and have it signed by Lamont.
Both Democrats and Republicans are praising Gov. Ned Lamont’s aspiration for rapid train service connecting Hartford to New Haven, New Haven to Stamford, and Stamford to New York City.
“I’m so excited that we have a governor that finally understands the importance of Fairfield County and Metro-North,” said Rep. Laura Devlin, (R – Fairfield). “The economic factor that that could drive and the desirability factor just to get to New York within even an hour from Fairfield, that would provide.”
Lamont made this bold statement during his first address to the people of Connecticut Wednesday: “You know what we do? I believe in the 30/30/30 – I want the following to be a reality: 30 minutes from Hartford to New Haven; 30 minutes from New Haven to Stamford; and 30 minutes from Stamford to New York.”
New Democratic Sen. Alex Bergstein campaigned on upgrading Connecticut’s railways to high-speed systems. She was also very happy to hear the new governor mention rapid train times during his first major address.