University of Connecticut President Susan Herbst summed up the Republican budget, saying it would decimate UConn, its satellite campuses, the state university system and community colleges across the state. Rep. Haddad called the GOP budget "a recipe for disaster" in his remarks to legislators.

Each year, more than $2 billion in state education aid is distributed to towns and cities through entirely arbitrary block grants. There is no strategic approach that reflects the state's priorities, the needs of students or what cities and towns can afford. There is no "formula." That's why the way the state distributes school aid is now in the courts. It is the responsibility of the legislative branch, working with the executive branch, to adopt a fair school finance system for Connecticut.

Hidden in the Republican budget is a new, annual tax on all public school teachers. Every teacher must contribute 1% of salary for half of this year, and 2% of all of next year's salary to state general fund! The GOP bill is cleverly worded. The word "teacher" does not appear in the legislation but it clearly pertains to teachers.

The Governor's revised executive order makes unacceptable education funding cuts to Cheshire, Southington, and Wallingford.

I want to inform you about CT's Tax Free Week, which runs Sunday, August 20 to Saturday, August 26.

Several new pieces of legislation that will help improve the quality of life in Connecticut went into effect Saturday, July 1.

Our state tops the nation in the rate of kids going to preschool and is lowest when it comes to child and teen death rates. In education, the state ranks fourth overall, but we still have more work to do to combat poverty and other issues affecting children. I will do everything I can to ensure that Connecticut remains a leader in education and to eliminate poverty despite our fiscal challenges.

I was happy to welcome hundreds of technical high school and college students to the Capitol to meet with local manufacturers.