Capitol Watch

As the battle over highway tolls presses on at the State Capitol, some Democrats are holding out until they know the details.

Meanwhile, Connecticut's new transportation chief, Joseph Giulietti, already has his hands full, from trains to the CTfastrak to infrastructure to (you guessed it) tolls.

Courant reporters Neil Vigdor and Steve Singer drop by to discuss the state's transportation situation. All aboard.

It's Easter Sunday, and we've got a bonus podcast for you.

Governor Ned Lamont has been in office for 100 days. How's he doing so far?

Reporter Daniela Altimari grades the Governor's performance on tolls, marijuana, school regionalization and other key issues.

Last week, with March Madness already in full swing, Sen. Chris Murphy released "Madness, Inc.," a report that argues college athletes really should get a chunk of the roughly $14 billion collected annually across the NCAA landscape.

How to do it? That's even madder.

On the latest Capitol Watch podcast, reporter Alex Putterman goes deep on compensating college athletes in the era of Duke's Zion Williamson and other unpaid NCAA superstars.

Connecticut lawmakers are pushing hard for paid family leave and to raise the minimum wage from $10.10 to $15 an hour, but businesses are pushing back.

On the latest Capitol Watch podcast, reporter Steve Singer explores the business community’s response to paid family and medical leave and minimum wage legislation.

We'll also head to Beer30, a networking event for startups (hosted by reSET), to gauge the reaction from young entrepreneurs.

Earlier this month, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz floated the idea of free community college tuition as a way to retain young people.

You had ideas of your own.

A college-to-job pipeline. Lower taxes. Affordable housing. Vibrant urban centers. Jobs. A few others.

On a special pop-up newsroom episode of Capitol Watch, we asked hungry customers at Hartford's Tangiers International Market a simple question: how do we keep young people from leaving Connecticut?

When Gov. Ned Lamont unveils his budget on Feb. 20, it’s only the beginning of a long process, one that ultimately affects everyone living in Connecticut.

But how many of us really understand the function of a state budget? What are the main components, and how is the overall picture likely to reflect Lamont’s values?

Capitol bureau chief Christopher Keating, who’s been covering the state budget since 1995, returns to Capitol Watch for a ground-up tutorial.

As the debate over legalizing cannabis for recreational purposes picks up steam in Connecticut, where does the issue of drugged driving fit in?

How is cannabis intoxication different than alcohol intoxication? Can police officers really tell if someone is high during a roadside stop?

Reporter Rebecca Lurye returns to Capitol Watch, along with retired psychology professor Michael Milburn, Ph.D., the inventor of a public health app that measures cannabis impairment called DRUID (“DRiving Under the Influence of Drugs”).

You don't have to be a politics professor to predict the cost of living in Connecticut will likely rise in 2019 with the incoming statewide Blue Wave.

We spoke to one anyway: Dr. Gary L. Rose, Professor and Chair in the Department of Government, Politics and Global Studies at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield.

Dr. Rose tells Capitol Watch why Democratic gains in both the house and senate, and with Democrat Ned Lamont winning the race for governor, could mean higher taxes, highway tolls and other factors that might affect your bottom line.

On Tuesday, former National Teacher of the Year Jahana Hayes became the first African-American woman to represent Connecticut in Congress.

How did she get there?

Political reporter Daniela Altimari traces her path on the latest Capitol Watch podcast.

The Courant's Dom Amore and Chris Brodeur break down the upcoming UConn men's basketball season, beginning with a look at Dan Hurley's coaching habits, Jalen Adams' potential as a gritty leader and Alterique Gilbert's return from injury. The guys then delve into the Huskies' schedule and what it might take to qualify for an NCAA tournament berth, give an update on the Kevin Ollie situation and quickly preview Jim Calhoun's upcoming season at Division III St. Joseph in West Hartford.