The fiscal year ends on July 1st, but Connecticut’s state legislature still hasn’t passed a budget bill. This means school districts are stuck in limbo. It also means that, unless the legislature can get it together before Friday, thousands of youth services jobs through the state’s summer youth employment program will go unfunded — a job program designed to help high-risk students.
Connecticut New Junkie has the story:
“The youth program is a $5 million budget line item — most of it spent on the summer program. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy proposed cutting the funding as part of his original budget proposal even though he appreciates the program and understands the good work it does preparing youth for the workforce.
Malloy said he doesn’t want to see the program cut, but his hands are largely tied.
The executive order Malloy unveiled Monday eliminates all funding for the youth program on July 1.
The alternative “mini-budget,” which failed to pick up steam Tuesday in the House, would keep the summer youth funding. But program officials say the action is likely too little, too late.
The summer youth employment program gives work to economically disadvantaged youth, placing them in work locations in which they have expressed an interest in pursuing careers — such as law offices, technology, or learning academies, according to program organizers.
The jobs created for the youth are primarily in the larger cities, because the cities have alternative sources of funding such as community foundations, banks, or other organizations to help fund the program while the smaller surrounding cities and towns do not.”