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Child care, broadband and education: Here’s what’s in Gov. Ned Lamont’s plan to spend $2.6B in federal coronavirus stimulus funds.

Hartford Courant - 4/26/2021

Gov. Ned Lamont unveiled a sweeping plan Monday to spend $2.6 billion in unprecedented federal stimulus funds to combat the COVID-19 crisis and kickstart Connecticut’s economy.

The plan covers at least 15 agencies across state government, ranging from the executive to the judicial branches.

It also covers children of all ages — from the Birth to 3 program to college. The plan provides money for mental health, public health, criminal justice, early childhood, K-12 schools and higher education, among others.

The money represents the largest grants to state governments in American history, and the total going to Connecticut is $6.28 billion.

That includes $2.6 billion for state government and $1.56 billion for local town governments, but the guidelines have not been released yet on exactly how the towns can spend the money, officials said. The measure also includes nearly $1 billion for elementary and secondary schools. Lamont’s plan also seeks about $345 million each for child care expenses and housing.

“The funds due to arrive in Connecticut through the American Rescue Plan Act represent an incredible opportunity for this state to make transformative investments to emerge healthier and stronger,” Lamont said. “Our proposal places a special emphasis on equity, investments in children and families, and making our state even more prepared in the event of another public health emergency or crisis. This is a unique moment for Connecticut, and by maximizing the utility of these resources, we can continue putting our state on an upward trajectory for the remainder of the pandemic, the recovery, and into the future.”

Here are some of the ways Lamont has proposed spending the funds:

Free summer preschool: $3.5M

The plan calls for $3.5 million to offer free summer preschool for 3- and 4-year-old children in state-funded centers. The plan would also fund kindergarten readiness programs because many children remained home during the pandemic and missed those experiences.

The plan would also open up 900 more preschool spaces for families at little or no cost. Lamont is also calling for expanding the Care4Kids program to help the families of 17,000 children from lower and middle incomes by eliminating fees for parents.

Free youth admission to museums and arts venues: $15M

Lamont’s plan sets aside $15 million to provide residents 18 and under with free admission from July 1 through Labor Day to museums and arts venues including the Connecticut Science Center, the Beardsley Zoo and the Mystic and Norwalk aquariums.

“The goal is to provide children with access to enrichment and to address the impact of the pandemic on our youth due to the physical and social isolation experienced during the public health emergency while providing necessary support for our state’s treasured attractions, which have felt the negative economic impacts of the pandemic,” the plan reads.

Community health workers: $33M

Over the next three years, $33 million ($11 million per year) will fund 100 new community health workers who will work with 3,000 high-risk families and children to prepare them for future health emergencies. Their duties will include health care system navigation, health education, health services access, social support and patient advocacy.

Broadband expansion: $30M

The proposal by Lamont calls for $15 million to expand broadband in public places like schools and libraries and an additional $15 million to build out broadband connectivity in low-income communities.

“Ensuring equitable access to broadband at home will improve access to essential government services for workforce development (ability to access online programs to upgrade skills and apply for jobs), healthcare (telehealth), and education (digital learning),” the plan says.

Gun violence reduction: $3M

An investment of $3 million over two years will “fund a package of community gun violence reduction strategies,” according to the plan.

A total of $905,000 in prior federal funding has been directed to Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport and Waterbury to combat gun crimes but “the need has remained acute and calls out for more durable solutions.”

The new funding will be integrated with existing violence reduction programs like Project Longevity.

What happens next?

The legislature’s budget-writing appropriations committee is expected to vote on the plan by May 16. Top legislative leaders then would negotiate a final deal that is subject to approval by the state House of Representatives, Senate and Lamont, who would sign it into law. They would be operating in a parallel track in the same fashion to approve the state’s two-year, $46 billion budget that is intertwined with the federal money.

This story will be updated.

Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@courant.com.

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