'Mad As Hell' About High Electric Bills, Lamont Warns Against Cosmetic Changes

CONNECTICUT — The high costs of energy, health care and education in Connecticut were the key touchstones of Gov. Ned Lamont's annual State of the State address delivered Wednesday before a Joint Convention of the General Assembly.

Lamont suggested to lawmakers that holding down those expenses should be the "north stars" of the 2025 legislative session, which commenced following his speech.

The governor touted last session's increasing of the state's minimum wage ("and no, that was not a job killer"), and introduction of "one of the nation’s most robust paid family and medical leave programs" as aspirational for the legislators during the coming year.

Energy

Taking aim out of the gate at the high cost of electricity in Connecticut, the governor said, "Everyone was mad as hell looking at their bills following the hottest July in recorded history – so was I." Noting that the increased demands from advanced manufacturing and accelerated artificial intelligence initiatives would only exacerbate the already high power bills, Lamont suggested that traditional approaches to the problem needed an overhaul.

"Feel free to debate whether you want to shift electricity costs from the ratepayers to taxpayers, or move from three to five PURA commissioners, but cosmetic changes won’t make a dime’s worth of difference," Lamont said.

Among the low-carbon answers that would move the needle are wind, commercial solar from Maine, and hydropower generated in Canada, according to Lamont.

"Nuclear power already provides most of our carbon-free power. That’s why we’re working with the federal government to find ways to expand nuclear capacity here in Connecticut," Lamont said.

Health Care

Climbing alongside energy costs are those of health care, at both the residential and state levels.

"Just as we are bending the curve on fixed costs, such as pension contributions and debt payments, the costs of Medicaid and employee health care are spiking," Lamont said. Simultaneously, pharma costs have also significantly increased as a share of the state's health care spend, and costs of hospital services have continued to rise.

Lamont said his administration will continue to encourage primary and preventative care, "which keeps you healthier and keeps you out of the hospital. We’re also seeking better coordination with Medicaid for wrap-around services, which lets you age at home as an alternative to the nursing home."

The governor said he favors tying pharma price increases to the rate of inflation for generic drugs.

"This way pharmaceutical companies will still be incentivized to develop next generation therapies, but once off patent, these drugs will be much more affordable, and we must direct pharmacies to prescribe the lower cost generics when appropriate."

Education

Pointing out that "Connecticut boasts the best schools in the nation and unfortunately, some of the highest costs per pupil, which can drive up property taxes and tuition," Lamont said the state budget would continue to increase the funding for Education Cost Sharing.

The governor said he was also focusing on the costs associated with being an educator, and had plans to make it less expensive to become a teacher and get more teacher aides into Connecticut classrooms.

Jokingly referring to it a new "DEI initiative," Lamont said his administration was doing outreach to get more men into teaching: "Statistically, boys are most likely to be the disconnected youth. A few more male mentors in the classroom – and coaching – just might help."

Lamont said he was also reaching out to university presidents across the country who receive significantly less state funding per student than their Connecticut peers who still "maintain excellence, and yet … hold the line on tuition increases. They point to expanding the size of their student body, more capacity in the high demand majors including the sciences, while scaling back low-demand majors."

The 'Lightning Round'

In what he referred to as the "lightning round," Lamont dropped quick directives into the laps of Committee chairs. The governor suggested their agendas include speeding up regulatory decision-making, finding better ways to protect civil liberties, bolstering gasoline tax revenues, strengthening labor unions, accelerating construction permitting, making child care more accessible and affordable, and bringing workers back into offices.