Meet the Candidates: Hamden Democratic Primary Forum | Hosted at African American Lodge #024

Over 200 residents gathered on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at The African American Lodge #024 in Hamden, CT, for a powerful and informative Democratic Primary Candidate Forum.
Moderated by 94.3 WYBC’s “The Electric Drum” host and media professional Jose Candelario, this event offered voters a unique opportunity to hear directly from the candidates ahead of the upcoming primary election.

Candidates included:

Dominique Baez
Peter Cyr
Lushonda Howard
Adam Sendroff
Walter Morton
Jameka Jefferies

Community members packed the hall at 12 Manila Avenue, engaging with the candidates’ platforms and asking critical questions about the future of Hamden. The forum was presented by The African American Lodge #024, a pillar of civic engagement in the region.

Don’t miss highlights from this important political event as candidates laid out their vision, answered tough questions, and connected with the community ahead of the Democratic Primary.

The Jose Candelario Show Sits Down with Bud Mench of BMMG1.com !

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Please like and share the great work that they are doing at the Stetson Library. READY for the Grade Family Night Drum Circle With Michael Mills was amazing to experience

HARTFORD, Connecticut – On Wednesday morning, State Treasurer Erick Russell hosted the July meeting of Connecticut’s Investment Advisory Council (IAC), which convened at the State Office Building in Hartford. In that meeting, Treasurer Russell announced $775 million in new investment commitments for the Connecticut Retirement Plans and Trust Funds (CRPTF).

“The foundation of our investment decisions, and ultimately our long-term investment success, is our strategic asset allocation,” said Treasurer Russell. “By thoughtfully calibrating our portfolio across asset classes, including these investments we’re announcing today, we’re positioning the CRPTF to weather market fluctuations and capture growth over time.”

In private real estate, Treasurer Russell committed up to $150 million to Sterling United Properties I CF, L.P., and $200 million to TA Realty Core Property Fund, L.P. 

In private credit, he committed up to $175 million to Anchorage Credit Opportunities IX, L.P., and up to $75 million to Anchorage Credit Opportunities IX Co-Investment, L.P.

In private investment, Treasurer Russell announced a commitment of up to $175 million to Integrum Capital Partners II, L.P. 

These commitments followed feedback provided to the Treasurer by the IAC at the May meeting.

Several potential investments were reviewed for consideration at the meeting. Presentations included Reverence Capital Partners PE Opportunities IV (Fund VIII) L.P. and Verdane Freya XII AB (private investment fund opportunities), Crescent CRPTF Private Credit L.P. (a private credit fund opportunity), and HarbourVest Infrastructure Income Partnership L.P. and Palistar Digital Infrastructure Fund III L.P. (both infrastructure fund opportunities).

Wednesday’s meeting also included a presentation on an update to the CRPTF’s Investment Policy Statement as well as strategic reviews of Global Fixed Income and Risk Mitigation.

“Our Investment Advisory Council brings exceptional insight and judgment to the table, and their support is a major driver of our portfolio’s strength,” said Treasurer Russell. “I’m grateful for their clear-eyed analysis as we navigate these critical investment decisions.”

The IAC shares responsibility for Connecticut’s investment strategy and performance. Its members are appointed by unions representing teachers and state workers, legislative leaders, and the Governor. It plays a key role in setting the pension funds’ investment policy and asset allocation, and in the hiring of key investment personnel. All IAC meetings are open to the public. Meeting materials, including past agendas and investment presentations, are available on the Office of the Treasurer’s website: portal.ct.gov/OTT/About-the-Treasury/Advisory-Council. 

About the Office of the Treasurer 

The Office of the Treasurer is charged with safeguarding Connecticut’s financial resources through prudent cash management and debt management, with the State Treasurer serving as principal fiduciary for six state pension and twelve state trust funds. Additionally, the Office enhances the state’s fiscal stability through programs promoting financial literacy and college savings, and it leverages business partnerships to support the advancement of Connecticut’s social and policy priorities, including combating gun violence and protecting our environment. The Office of the Treasurer is led by State Treasurer Erick Russell, the first Black out LGBTQ person to win an election for statewide office in American history. To learn more, visit portal.ct.gov/ott. 

ARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed into law the biennial state budget bill for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, which makes historic investments to expand access to early childhood education, which is among the costliest item for families, all while holding the line on taxes.

Notable investments include:

• Early childhood education: The budget makes historic levels of investment to support Connecticut’s early childhood education system, including $417.5 million in fiscal year 2026 and $443 million in fiscal year 2027. General Fund appropriations for early childhood education are up $252.7 million between fiscal years 2018 and 2027 – a 133% increase. In addition to these investments, the budget establishes the Early Childhood Education Endowment by transferring up to $300 million of the unappropriated General Fund surplus at the close of fiscal year 2025. This endowment will be used to make more early childhood education slots available and enroll more children into the system.
• Special education: The budget makes historic levels of investments to support special education, growing by $44.9 million in fiscal year 2026 and an additional $49.9 million in fiscal year 2027, as well as capital investments of $10 million in each year. By 2027, state investments in special education will have grown by 95%.
• K-12 education: The budget fully funds Education Cost Sharing (ECS) grants for towns and cities, including a hold harmless provision that provides $8.7 million in fiscal year 2026 and $17.4 million in fiscal year 2027 to ensure that no municipality loses ECS funding over the biennium. Since Governor Lamont took office in 2019, ECS grants have grown by roughly $443 million – an 18% increases in support for K-12 public schools.
• Higher education: The budget increases funding for the Roberta B. Willis Scholarship Fund – Connecticut’s state-funded scholarship program for residents who attend in-state public and private higher education institutions – by $1.4 million in fiscal year 2026 and $16.4 million in fiscal year 2027. When combined with $15 million previously reserved for fiscal year 2026, both years of the biennium will be funded at $41 million – the highest level of state-appropriated scholarship funding in more than a decade. General Fund support for UConn is increased by an additional $49 million in fiscal year 2026 and $34 million in fiscal year 2027; UConn Health receives an additional $29 million in fiscal year 2026 and an additional $25 million in fiscal year 2027; and Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) receives a budget increase of an additional $32 million in fiscal year 2026 and $45 million in 2027.
• Health and human service providers: The budget supports $50 million in fiscal year 2026 to annualize fiscal year 2025 increases and $126 million in fiscal year 2027 to support a 3% increase for private providers, plus an additional $30 million specific to non-DDS providers. Plus, the budget provides an additional $100.1 million to support the group home settlement over the biennium, representing a 15% increase.
• Housing: The budget provides $3.5 million in fiscal year 2026 and $5 million in fiscal year 2027 to support eviction prevention, as well as support HUBs, which are the physical locations where individuals and families get appointments to gain access to homelessness resources. Plus $6.7 million is provided, beginning in fiscal year 2027, to increase elderly and disabled RAP vouchers, as well as HeadStart on Housing Vouchers, which is a system approach to combating homelessness with the support and collaboration of private providers, state agencies, and local communities across housing, childcare, and social services.

Governor Lamont said, “This is a balanced, sensible budget that is under the spending cap, provides predictability and stability for residents, businesses, and municipalities, and holds the line on taxes while keeping us on a sound fiscal path. Importantly, it includes significant investments in our education system, beginning with historic levels of support for early childhood education, up through our K-12 public schools and our higher education institutions. It also protects our social services safety net, prioritizing our health and human services providers and increasing support for our most vulnerable residents, including seniors and those who have disabilities, who receive Medicaid. And while we are doing all of this, we are continuing to make historic and long-overdue payments into the pension system, preserving the strength of our fiscal guardrails, and making fiscally responsible investments into the rainy-day fund that will protect our state against any potential economic headwinds we may face in the future. I thank the legislature for their hard work and collaboration on this budget. While other states are increasing taxes and cutting services, economic analysts are pointing to Connecticut as an example of a state that has worked hard to maintain fiscal stability and is making the smart decisions that are critical for economic growth.”

Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney said, “This budget includes several major initiatives, including a new trust fund for early childhood education that will be transformative in getting children ready for kindergarten, and a larger investment in special education to help towns deal with ever-increasing special education costs.”

Speaker of the House Matt Ritter said, “Our budget showcases our priorities. We make critical investments in education and childcare while providing relief to thousands of working families with a $250 credit through the EITC framework. This budget was a team effort and I want to thank the chairs, Senate leaders, Governor and the staffs who worked so hard to ensure we crossed the finish line.”

Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff said, “Voting for a significant special education funding increase and prioritizing millions of dollars more in the classroom underscores our commitment to students, parents, teachers and school personnel across this state. I want to thank Senator Looney for fighting for a strong state budget, as well as Senators Osten and Fonfara, Speaker Ritter, Majority Leader Rojas, their fiscal chairs, and all our hardworking staff for negotiating a two-year budget that delivers on so many of our promises.”

House Majority Leader Jason Rojas said, “This budget represents a bold investment in Connecticut’s most vital asset: our people. It reflects our commitment to invest in our future – our youngest learners – through historic levels of funding for early childhood education and childcare as well as investments in special education and fully funding the state’s obligation to our traditional public schools. We know that when we invest in our children, we invest in the foundation of our communities. We continue to support our towns and cities by sustaining and increasing municipal aid to help relieve the pressure of property taxes and ensure that local governments can serve residents effectively. We’re also addressing some of the most urgent needs in our state, including affordable housing and transportation so people and our economy can keep moving forward.”

Senator Cathy Osten, co-chair of the Appropriations Committee, said, “This is a good budget that addresses the real issues for real people that we heard about in countless hours of public hearings – food, health care, nonprofits and education.”

State Representative Maria Horn, co-chair of the Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee, said, “This budget reflects the legislature’s commitment to responsible, people-first policymaking. We delivered a $250 refundable credit for working families, a $500 credit for home daycare providers, and new incentives to help families save for college – all targeted toward easing everyday costs. We also ensured small businesses can compete on a fairer playing field by modernizing our tax code and expanding support for local farms and rural economies. Even with a tough revenue forecast, we passed a balanced, forward-looking budget that supports families, strengthens our workforce, and creates a better environment for small businesses to thrive.”

The budget bill is Public Act 25-168. The 2026 fiscal year begins July 1, 2025.