Kate Farrar

Early childhood education was one of House Democrats’ priority bills during the 2025 legislative session. The newly formed Early Childhood Education Endowment is already making a difference for families and educators in Connecticut. Beginning in January 2026, the state will add up to 1,000 new spaces to the Early Start CT program, expanding access to affordable early learning opportunities for more families. In addition, provider payment rates will increase by up to 8% to help offset operational costs and support improved staff compensation. 

You’re invited to join the conversation and help shape the future of early childhood education in Connecticut by offering your feedback. As House Chair of the Early Childhood Endowment Advisory Board I hope you will attend our Annual Public Hearing on Wednesday, December 10, starting at 6:00 p.m. at the Legislative Office Building.

Click here to sign up to testify in person or virtually by 5 p.m. on Monday, December 8, and to submit written testimony if you are unable to attend.

This week, as a member of the Finance Committee, I participated in our annual Fiscal Accountability Reports from the Office of Fiscal Analysis and the Office of Policy and Management. These reports provide a comprehensive assessment of our state budget and Connecticut’s financial outlook. We are on solid fiscal footing, having paid off more than $10 billion in pension debt and maintained projected surpluses despite significant uncertainty around federal funding and broader economic conditions.

Looking ahead, however, we must confront the rising cost of daily living for residents who are struggling, prepare for the impact of potential federal cuts, and remain focused on fixing our upside-down tax system. Only by addressing these challenges can we build a brighter, fairer future for all Connecticut families.

You can learn more and read the reports by clicking the images below.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is holding a regional Bear Management Listening Session in West Hartford on Tuesday, December 16 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Elmwood Community Center (1106 New Britain Avenue). 

The discussion will be focused on bear activity, public safety concerns, and strategies for living with bears. Feedback from this session will help with the next phase of DEEP's bear management planning, which includes the creation of a report that will describe the current state of the bear population in Connecticut, public perceptions towards bears, implications of the state's growing bear population, and various strategies for mitigation bear-related impacts. Click here for more information

The session is free, no town residency is required, and seats will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here to reserve your seat.

The Newington Children’s Theatre Company closes its Fall Season this weekend with ‘Annie’ and ‘A Christmas Carol’ This Weekend. Connecticut’s longest-running nonprofit children’s theatre, holds a weekend of double features Dec. 6-7. 

Performances for “A Christmas Carol,” will be on Saturday, December 6 at 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., and on Sunday, December 7 at 2:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. This is a two-act show; tickets range from $12 to $18 in advance and $18 to $20 at the door.

Performances for “Annie Kids,”  will be on Saturday and Sunday, December 6 & 7 at 9:30 a.m. and noon. It’s a one-act show; tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.

Click here for additional details on both shows and to purchase advance tickets. Performances are at John Wallace Middle School (71 Halleran Drive, Newington).