PERSPECTIVE: Protecting the Separation of Powers

by Mark Dubois [This is] a topic that is much discussed by us who study and live the law, but little understood and appreciated by the public: the separation of powers.

The origin of the separation of powers is specifically credited to Montesquieu during the Enlightenment, who wrote of it in “The Spirit of the Laws in 1748,” a document whose influence was significant in the 1787 creation of the Constitution of the United States.

“When the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person, or in the same body of magistrates, there can be no liberty; because apprehensions may arise, lest the same monarch or senate should enact tyrannical laws, to execute them in a tyrannical manner.

“Again, there is no liberty if the judiciary power be not separated from the legislative and executive. Were it joined with the legislative, the life and liberty of the subject would be exposed to arbitrary control; for the judge would be then the legislator. Were it joined to the executive power, the judge might behave with violence and oppression.

“There would be an end of every thing, were the same man, or the same body, whether of the nobles or of the people, to exercise those three powers, that of enacting laws, that of executing the public resolutions, and of trying the causes of individuals.”

James Madison wrote on the necessity of a separation of powers in the “Federalist Papers”: “It may be a reflection on human nature that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?

“If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.

“In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.

“This policy of supplying, by opposite and rival interests, the defect of better motives, might be traced through the whole system of human affairs, private as well as public … that each may be a check on the other that the private interest of every individual may be a sentinel over the public rights.

“These inventions of prudence cannot be less requisite in the distribution of the supreme powers of the State.”

The role of the courts in regulating the other branches of government was not immediately acknowledged, receiving its first expression in Marbury v. Madison in 1803 and later in Dred Scott in 1857, both instances when SCOTUS held federal laws to be unconstitutional and unenforceable.

As a matter of fact, it wasn’t until after the Civil War that the notion that our federal courts were a co-equal branch of government and not just a place for the resolution of private disputes really began to take hold.

Since then, however, it’s become accepted and understood that our courts remain the bulwark where those seeking relief from executive fiat or legislative errors can be given shelter.

Closer to home, and unlike the federal system where separation of powers is found in the interstices rather than in the text, we have our own constitution which specifically spells the concept out.

In Connecticut, separation of powers was not codified into our law until the adoption of the Constitution of 1818.

Article 2, as amended by Article 18 of the amendments, provides: “The powers of government shall be divided into three distinct departments, and each of them confided to a separate magistracy…”

Before that constitution, much of the power of state government resided in the legislature. And here in the land of steady habits, change came slow. It took more than 60 years from the adoption of the 1818 constitution until the first meaningful iterations of the principle of separation of powers was realized by action of the Supreme Court of Errors in Styles v. Tylerin 1884 and the Norwalk Street Railway Appeal 13 years later in 1897.

Indeed, the most significant separation-of-powers cases did not begin until the latter half of the last century, with the Connecticut Bar v. Connecticut Bank unauthorized practice of law case in 1958, Adams v. Rubinow, dealing with probate courts in 1968 and State v. Clemente, in 1975, a criminal case nearly 160 years after the constitution was adopted.

As with our federal brethren, our state courts have now fully embraced their role as protectors of this important principle.

Recently we’ve seen separation of powers being the deciding issue in a number of cases in very different contexts. State v. Courchesne, and its progeny, dealt with the ability of the Legislature to establish rules governing how courts were to interpret statutes; Bysiewicz v. Dinardo (whether exercising executive powers and functions could be deemed to be practicing law); Persels v. Banking Commissioner (regulation of the legal profession by the executive branch); and Coalition for Justice in Education Funding v. Rell (education funding).

The push and pull of power and authority against and across the necessary porous boundaries between these separate magistracies remains an ongoing dynamic, no less today than when Montesquieu and Madison wrote about it in the 18th century. And, as Madison correctly noted, none of us is an angel. The process of government is far from perfect, and even the best systems are no better than those who enforce them.

Federal courts who have been asked to slow our president down have been attacked as “so-called judges,” not much different from a half century or more ago when they were desegregating the schools.

Closer to home, the recent legislative grilling of a sitting Supreme Court justice over his rulings on the death penalty and other politically charged issues during hearings over his proposed ascension to the position of chief justice warns us that we’re no better or worse than our friends in Washington.

We may not all agree on specific issues, but we can and should agree that the system of separation of powers or constitutional checks and balances is a necessary and enervating principle essential to the proper working of our government.

It is our duty, having taken an oath as both a lawyer and a commissioner of the superior court, to stand up and say no when political, personal or passing fashions or ideas threaten the proper and independent operation of any of our branches of government, especially the judiciary.

It is therefore fitting that we take time today, celebrating the rule of law, to reaffirm our fealty to these principles. If the ideals embodied in our state and federal constitutions are to continue to make us a strong and vibrant country, it’s all our duty to speak out and protect them when we see them under attack.

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Former Connecticut Chief Disciplinary Counsel Mark Dubois is with Geraghty & Bonnano in New London.  These remarks were delivered as part of a Law Day 2018 observance in Middletown this spring, and subsequently published in the Connecticut Law Tribune.  

PERSPECTIVE: Challenging Times, Leaders Needed

by Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole I do not think I have to convince you that we are living in very challenging times.

But in case you ask me for evidence that all is far from peaceful and just in our communities, our nation, and our world—let me recall with you that on August 12 in Charlottesville, Virginia, white supremacists wore the symbols and shouted out words associated with the Ku Klux Klan and Nazis. And day after day, we hear from more than one leader in the world expressions and actions of bigotry and hatred for people of color, for women, for people of Jewish and Islamic faiths, for individuals of LGBTQ communities, for differently abled individuals, for immigrants, and yes, for women, men and children who are poor.

Surely you agree with me when I say that in communities across our nation and our world, there is a crying need for peace, justice, and equality for all people. It is because of the state of our nation and our world that we turn to you, the graduates of this very special college, to say that you can be and you must be the leaders we desperately need.

So what is required of you to be the leaders we have been waiting for? First, you must be of service to others. Listen to these words of Dr. Martin Luther King:

“Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. You don’t have to know Einstein’s theory of relativity to serve. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”

This idea of being a servant leader was taught to me by my parents, my minister, and my community leaders as I grew up in the segregated South. They repeatedly said to me, “Doing for others is just the rent you’ve got to pay for your room on earth.”

The much-admired African American educator, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, who founded Bethune- Cookman College that is now a university, would often say, “Go on and climb to the top. But remember, you must lift others as you climb.”

Elie Wiesel, the great humanitarian who as a boy was put in a concentration camp because he was Jewish, once said this, “Our lives do not belong to us alone. Our lives belong to those who need us the most.”

There are so many ways to be of service, such as volunteering in a soup kitchen, a center for the victims of domestic violence, or an after-school program. Beyond the moral and ethical reasons to volunteer, there are some very practical reasons. Studies have shown that people who volunteer have less stress, greater satisfaction, as well as improved problem-solving and networking skills. And yes, students who volunteer do better in school.

A second requirement if you are to fulfill the promise of being effective leaders in today’s highly technological and diverse world is this: You must not only understand and respect your own culture; you need to have knowledge of and respect for people who are different from you. Indeed as technology transforms our world into a global village, a leader must respect the diversity of humankind and think and act in an inclusive way.

To acquire the skills and sensibilities to function in today’s world, you must be able to work and interact with people who do not have the same skin color and hair texture as you do, who do not speak as you do, worship as you do, move about physically as you do, and partner as you do.

There is an incredibly rewarding bonus in store for those who manage to do this. And that is you will come to more fully understand and respect yourselves. As we anthropologists say, “It’s scarcely the fish who discovers water.” Indeed by learning about others, we better understand ourselves.

Here is a third requirement if you are to fully embrace your potential to be the leaders we desperately need: You must believe that a positive change is possible and that you have a responsibility to help to make it happen. There are so many ways that, as young and not-so-young people, you can help to change our world. Indeed, we are witnessing a time in our county when young folks are at the forefront of the call for positive change on a number of issues.

One of my heroes, Marian Wright Edelman, the president of the Children’s Defense Fund, has said this: “If you don’t like the way the world is, you change it, you have an obligation to change it. You just do it one step at a time.” There is an African saying that speaks to the power of one person to make a difference. It says: “If you believe one creature cannot make a difference, you have never spent a night in a closed room with a mosquito.”

Let me bring closure to my remarks by telling you a story.

One day, while walking on a beach, an old man encountered a young girl picking up starfish and throwing them back into the ocean. The old man asked, “Why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” The girl replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out, and if I don’t throw the starfish into the ocean, they will die.” “But young girl, don’t you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it? What you are doing can’t really matter.” The young girl listened politely to the old man, but then as she bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it into the ocean, she said, “It mattered to that one.”

The girl was indeed a leader. This young hero honored her responsibility to be of service to others—including starfish! She understood and respected diversity, including biodiversity. And this young girl was committed to being an agent for positive change, even when that meant saving a few starfish along a beach.

I believe that each of you can and must be the leaders we need—for you can be of service to others, you can respect human diversity, and you can be agents for positive change. So go on dear graduates and be the leaders we have been waiting for!

___________________

Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, former president of Spelman College and Bennett College, and former director of the National Museum of African Art, delivered this Commencement Address at Trinity College in Hartford on May 19, 2018. In honor of her broad civic involvement in various worthwhile causes, Cole has received 64 honorary degrees and numerous awards, including the TransAfrica Forum Global Public Service Award; the Radcliffe Medal; the Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medal; the Alexis de Tocqueville Award for Community Services from United Way of America; the Joseph Prize for Human Rights presented by the Anti-Defamation League; the Straight for Equality Award from Families and Friends of Gays and Lesbians (PFLAG); and the Alston-Jones International Civil and Human Rights award.

PERSPECTIVE: “Mamas, Please Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be CPAs” (apologies to Willie and Waylon)

by Bonnie Stewart Farm Aid, an event synonymous with Willie Nelson, will visit Connecticut this year on September 28.  The event makes me think of the great Willie and Waylon (Jennings) country anthem where each chorus pleads “Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys…” The duo continues their advice with “Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and CPAs…”  

Well, all right, they don’t actually sing “and CPAs…”

But they should.  Here’s why…

Parents counseling their children on careers would do well to suggest that of the certified public accountant, as it offers outstanding opportunity, reward, and respect.  There’s never been a better time than today to be a CPA -- except for maybe tomorrow!  And it comes down to – you guessed it – the numbers.

Opportunity

First, we need more CPAs.  Lots more.  Connecticut’s CPA profession is aging.  We expect that 75 percent of CPAs will retire over the next 15 years; at the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants (CTCPA) it’s referred to as “The CPA Silver Tsunami.”  And yes, it’s tied directly to the national demographic phenomenon of Baby Boomers qualifying for Medicaid to the tune of 10,000 per day – every day – until 2029, according to the Pew Research Center.

In its 2018 Salary Guide for Accounting and Finance Professionals, Robert Half, a global staffing firm specializing in accounting and finance professionals, reports “There’s high demand for top talent in public accounting due to a severe shortage of skilled candidates…”  Their “In-Demand Certifications” list puts “CPA” at the top.

Nationally, college accounting enrollment remains at an all-time high – 79,524 in 2016 – but the number of new CPA exam candidates for that year was far lower at 48,044.  At the same time, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment of accountants and auditors is expected to grow faster through 2018 than for all the occupations the bureau tracks.

Some CPA firms now start recruiting accounting majors on campus as early as the students’ sophomore and even freshman years, and certainly by the time they are juniors and seniors, these students know where they’ll land well before they don cap and gown and “walk.”  Not every college grad shares such a bright employment outlook.  Hey, even during the 2009 recession, the unemployment rate for the accounting profession was 4.5 percent – equal to full employment.

Reward

CPA expertise is in demand, and people are willing to pay for it.  CPAs earn 10 to 15 percent more than non-CPA accountants.  Recent grads with “up to one year” of experience who are good to very good candidates start at a range of $46k to about $55k annually; for superstars, that jumps up to the low $70k’s.  Senior managers are well into six figures and new partners can earn upward of $250,000 annually and as much as $500,000 or more when you factor in bonuses and other parks. 

Respect

In addition to the compensation, there are intrinsic rewards, such as respect.  Ninety-one percent of business decision makers consider CPAs valuable assets to their organizations.  Many CPAs serve as expert members on the various boards of municipal governments, not-for-profits, and volunteer organizations, where their fellow board members appreciate the talent those CPAs bring to the table.

Forget the so-very-yesteryear, hackneyed Hollywood image of the pocket-protected number cruncher.  Today’s and tomorrow’s CPAs increasingly must understand technology but more so, its application.  A recent Deloitte survey showed 21 percent of organizations currently have blockchain in production, with 25 percent more planning to do so in the next year.  Artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data analytics, and the so-called “disruptive changes” taking place today and tomorrow will only further heighten demand for CPAs and their analytical skills.

As long as people and their various organizations seek to maximize financial outcomes, manage business performance, make informed investment decisions, plan for their financial futures, and comply with local, state, federal, and international rules, regulations, and taxes, the CPA will be in demand.

“Mamas, please…“

Indeed!

_____________________________

Bonnie Stewart is Executive Director of the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants. The Connecticut Society of CPAs is celebrating more than a century of service to membership and community alike.  Formed by nine CPAs in 1908 at New Haven’s Union League Club, today CTCPA has a current membership of almost 6,000 individuals in public practice, business and industry, government, and education.  Its function is to advocate on behalf of the accounting profession, foster a professional community among CPAs, and provide continuing education opportunities as well as a comprehensive peer review program and a variety of membership services for CPAs in Connecticut.

PERSPECTIVE: Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation of Connecticut's Hunters and Anglers

by William A. Hyatt R3, or recruitment, retention, and reactivation, is the newest buzz word being bantered about Fish and Wildlife Agencies. At first glance, R3 seems like nothing new. After all, it is just another way of saying that our agencies need to pay close attention to the ever-changing interests and behavior of our customers if we are to remain a vital force for conservation, hunting, and fishing through the 21st century. But, it is something new, really new.

While agencies like ours have always understood the need to recruit new sportsmen and women—witness our tremendously successful Conservation Education/Firearms Safety and Aquatic Resource Education programs—we have not historically recognized the importance of retaining and reactivating participants or understood the impact of “churn” on our customer base. Most of us have grown up thinking that the majority of hunters and anglers purchase a license each and every year. However, recent data have revealed this is simply not the case. In fact, participation rates of two or three years out of five are more the norm (this is “churn”) and many people stop buying a license at some point due to unrelated life events and simply do not return to the sport.

Why is this so important?

I’ve previously written about the amazing contributions hunters and anglers make in supporting conservation through the purchase of licenses and gear. By now, I hope all of Connecticut’s hunters and anglers know that 100% of the money they pay for licenses and permits comes back to our Agency and is used to fund natural resource programs. But, it’s not just about the money!

Conservation of our fish, wildlife, and natural landscape is a quality of life issue that affects not only us, but our children and all subsequent generations. Our collective ability to succeed in conserving critical habitat, public access for fishing and hunting, or just enjoying nature is a function of having both the financial resources and political will to get the job done and done right. Funding provided by sportsmen is our foundation and the large number of hunters and anglers, found across all walks of life in Connecticut, are the engine that makes all of this possible.

Sportsmen spend a huge amount of time in the woods and on the waters learning what they need to know to be successful. In the process, they absorb a great deal of knowledge on how natural systems work and develop an instinctive feel for what is truly needed to conserve fish and wildlife. Along with this comes a passion for wild places and, oftentimes, a lifelong commitment to hunting and fishing traditions and environmental stewardship. In short, these sportsmen become the public’s most knowledgeable, passionate, and effective conservationists. This is why our Agency has invested so deeply in conservation education, youth hunting days, pheasant stocking, trout parks, community fishing areas, free fishing days, and Connecticut Hunting and Fishing Day.

Let’s get back to R3 and the need to do even more.

Going forward to help motivate and inspire, we will make hunting and fishing information more convenient as we deliver interactive maps, posts on social media, and live stream about fish and wildlife (check out our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/CTFishAndWildlife). We also will be emailing relevant news and information through monthly newsletters and exploring truly innovative methods for contacting and encouraging lapsed sportsmen to get back outdoors.

However, we cannot do this alone. To be successful, we need to call on each of you to be on the lookout for friends and family members who used to hunt and fish but no longer do. We need you to reach out to these folks and help them return to the outdoors. Often all that is needed is an invitation; your excitement and passion will carry the day. Please join me in making a pledge for 2018 to re-introduce someone to hunting, take a kid or a friend fishing, buy someone a license, or invite a nonmember to your club. You will be doing them a favor and also helping future generations and all of Connecticut in the process.

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William A. Hyatt of Glastonbury is Chief of the Bureau of Natural Resources in the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.  This first appeared in the Connecticut Angler's Guide.  The Bureau can be reached at (860) 424-3010. The DEEP Bureau of Natural Resources celebrated 150 Years of Natural Resource Conservation in Connecticut in 2016.

PERSPECTIVE: Marketing Connecticut to College Grads

by Kevin McLaughlin As a rising senior at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, I find that there is one thing at the forefront of my mind, and the minds of all my fellow classmates who are entering their final year of college: post-graduation plans.

The mere mention of those three words causes stress and anxiety levels to skyrocket amongst many college seniors. The significance that those in college place on post-grad plans can be discerned through the fact that, according to a major annual survey of incoming students conducted by UCLA, the number one reason that people attend college is to “get a better job,” which has superseded the former number one reason, which, before 2006, was to “learn about things that interest me.”

Disregarding the question of whether this shift is a positive or negative one, the fact remains that college students today are overwhelmingly preoccupied with securing their futures. Despite this, college students are struggling to find the good jobs that they desire. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, nearly half of new college graduates are underemployed, which means that they are working in jobs that do not require a Bachelor’s degree.

If college students care more than ever about getting a job after graduation, then why are they struggling to find good jobs in a relatively strong economy? The disjunction here is apparent. Many potential factors can explain this disconnect, but one that I find prevalent on my campus is that all rising seniors seem to want to work in the same select few cities.

When you ask the average college student at Holy Cross where he or she would like to work post-graduation, the answer is almost always one of two locations: Boston or New York City. Sometimes you will hear answers that are as exotic as Washington D.C., San Francisco, or Chicago, but places more obscure than these are rarely, if ever, considered by the vast majority of Holy Cross students, and it seems as if this is a familiar refrain expressed across colleges throughout the northeast.

This reality is disconcerting for Connecticut because one key way to develop the Connecticut economy is to inject it with the region’s best available young talent. This will fail to happen if college students never consider Connecticut, along with its cities and towns, as a worthwhile destination for post-graduate employment.

If there is a large supply of new college graduates wishing to find good jobs, and there is demand from the Connecticut economy for these new college graduates, the question becomes how Connecticut can attract these students by marketing itself as the great job source and place to live that it is. It is about shifting the image of Connecticut from “that state in between Boston and New York City,” to a place where recent college grads will be able to thrive—in and outside of work.

With the goal of conveying some of the qualities that make Connecticut a great place to live and work for young college grads, the following are my top 5 qualities of Connecticut that should attract young workers:

1. Cities – Connecticut cities such as Hartford and New Haven offer cultural attractions that young college graduates crave, but are not as large as Boston and New York City—a smaller size that allows young people to feel a more integral part of the community. Cultural attractions in Connecticut’s cities include concerts, festivals, and ballgames which, along with vibrant bars and clubs create a great nightlife.
2. Nature – Immediately outside of its cities, Connecticut offers premiere natural attractions, with serene lakes and miles of hiking and walking trails, that give young people an escape into nature only minutes outside the city. Furthermore, Connecticut also has many miles of breathtaking shoreline which are a quick drive from most Connecticut towns and cities. Weekend or even day-trip getaways to lakes, mountains, or to the beach are easily accomplished in Connecticut, which creates a balance between city and country living that is unrivaled by any location proximate to downtown Boston or New York City.
3. Convenient Location – In addition to being situated between Boston and New York City, with easy access to both, Connecticut provides its residents with proximity to a hassle free international airport and easy access to busses and trains. This convenience means that if you want to leave the state for any reason, there are painless ways to get anywhere across the country, and the globe.
4. Affordable Rents – Connecticut offers housing that is far more affordable than that found in either New York City or Boston. This is evidenced by the statistic that, according to the apartment listing website Rent Jungle, the average one-bedroom apartment in Boston rents for $2703 a month, while the average one-bedroom apartment in Hartford rents for only $1291 a month. This significantly lower rent gives recent college graduates more available capital to spend on cultural attractions, and to pay back student loans!
5. Opportunities to Give Back – Connecticut offers its recent grads great opportunities to volunteer and improve the lives of people around the state. Since Connecticut is home to many small cities and towns, young volunteers can have a real, tangible impact in those communities. This is a significant social impact that they cannot as easily access in big cities such as Boston and New York.

If Connecticut can successfully market itself as an ideal place for recent college graduates, a more significant portion of those graduates will move to Connecticut towns and cities, which will in turn promote economic growth, leading to more opportunities. It is a path dependent process, meaning that once a more significant portion of young people settles in Connecticut, the culture will shift, and more young people will follow. Now, it is imperative to get the ball rolling.

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Kevin McLaughlin of Farmington will be a senior at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA this fall.  This piece first ran as a blog post on the website of the Connecticut Economic Resource Center (CERC), where he is interning this summer.  It is reprinted with permission.

PERSPECTIVE – America’s Infrastructure: Is Our Country on the Road to Ruin?

by Roger L. Kemp, PhD The term “infrastructure” refers to the basic facilities and installations necessary for society to operate.

These include public transportation and communication systems (highways, airports, bridges, telephone lines, cellular telephone towers, post offices); educational and health facilities; water, gas, and electrical systems (dams, power lines, power plants, aqueducts); and such miscellaneous facilities as prisons, national park structures, and other improvements to real property owned by higher levels of government.

In the United States, the infrastructure components are divided into the private and public sectors. Public facilities are owned by the municipal, county, state, and federal governments. There are also special district authorities, such as the Port Authority of New York and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, among many others.

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) — the only professional membership organization in the nation that grades our nation’s public infrastructure — recognizes and evaluates the major categories of our government’s infrastructure: aviation, bridges, dams, drinking water, energy, hazardous waste, inland waterways, levees, ports, parks and recreation, rail, roads, schools, solid waste, transit, and wastewater.

Managing and Financing America’s Infrastructure

All levels of government are facing a new era of capital financing and infrastructure management. Revenues that once were available for capital construction, restoration, and maintenance, have either diminished or evaporated entirely in recent years. Portions of our national public infrastructure that were once adequate are now experiencing signs of distress, even decay, with no end in sight to the ongoing deterioration of our nation’s public infrastructure.

Congested highways, overflowing sewers, and corroding bridges, are constant reminders of the looming infrastructure crisis that jeopardizes our nation’s economic prosperity as well as the quality-of-life for our citizens. With new grades just published in 2017, the condition of our nation’s infrastructure has shown little to no improvement since receiving a collective grade of a C- in 1988 and with some areas even sliding toward failing grades.

ASCE’s 2017 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure assesses the same categories as it did in their previous survey. The grade comparisons of the various categories of America’s infrastructure between ASCE’s original 1988 survey, and its most recent survey in 2017, are highlighted below in alphabetical order:

• Aviation – Received a grade of B- in 1988, and a grade of D in 2017.
• Bridges – Received a grade of C+ in 1988, and a grade of C+ in 2017.
• Dams – While not graded in 1988, they received a grade of D in 2017.
• Drinking Water – Received a grade of B- in 1988, and a grade of D in 2017.
• Energy – While not graded in 1988, this category received a grade of D+ in 2017.
• Hazardous Waste – This category receive a grade of D in 1988 and D+ in 2017.
• Inland Waterways – While not graded in 1988, they received a grade of D in 2017.
• Levees – While not graded in 1988, they received a grade of D in 2017.
• Parks and Recreation – While not graded in 1988, they received a grade of D+ in 2017.
• Ports – While not graded in 1988, they received a grade of C+ in 2017.
• Rail – While not graded in 1988, this category received a grade of B in 2017.
• Roads – Received a grade of C+ in 1988, and a grade of D in 2017.
• Schools – While not graded in 1988, this category received a grade of D+ in 2017.
• Solid Waste – Received a grade of C- in 1988, and a grade of C+ in 2017. This is the only infrastructure category to increase its grade since the original “graded” evaluation was done nearly 30 years ago.
• Transit – Received a grade of C- in 1988, and a grade of D- in 2017.
• Wastewater – Received a grade of C in 1988, and a grade of D+ in 2017. The average public infrastructure grade for our nation was a C- in 1988 and a D+ in 2017.

The most recent Infrastructure Report Card reveals that we made some incremental progress towards restoring our nation’s public infrastructure. But it has not been enough! As of 2017, America’s cumulative GPA is once again a D+, the same as it was four years ago after the last evaluation of our nation’s infrastructure.

The 2017 grades range from a B for Rail to a D- for Transit, illustrating the clear impact of our public investment — or lack thereof — in our nation’s infrastructure categories.

National Leadership Is Needed

The prevailing philosophy of our national government has been to let the lower levels of government (states, counties, and cities) solve their own infrastructure problems, regardless of the nature of their complexity or the magnitude of the funds needed. If a solution is to be forthcoming, the political posture of our government needs to become more positive and proactive.

Assertive federal government leadership, like the President and the Congress, must make the difficult policy decisions, as well as approve the funding required, to solve our country’s infrastructure problem.

Fundamental changes are needed to redirect national priorities about how public infrastructure investments are made. Officials at all levels of government must recognize that they can no longer build public facilities without adequately maintaining them in future years.

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Dr. Roger L. Kemp, PhD., has been a career city manager in Connecticut, California and New Jersey. He has been an author, editor, and contributing author to nearly 50 books focusing on America’s cities, including their public infrastructure. He is a Practitioner in Residence, Department of Public Management, University of New Haven, and can be reached via his website or at rlkbsr@snet.net.  This article first appeared in the Spring 2018 issue of CT Planning and appears here with permission of the author and CT Planning, a publication of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Planning Association.

PERSPECTIVE - Surprise! Connecticut is a Great Place for Small Business

by Caroline Goldstein When you think of Connecticut, you might think of fall foliage, Gilmore Girls, big casinos, Mark Twain, Mystic Pizza, Yale University, country clubs, and commuters (and, if you’re Senator Chris Murphy, pizza to rival New York’s City’s). You might not think of Connecticut as a great state to start a small business—but you absolutely should.

Local business is incredibly important in Connecticut: Small businesses make up 97% of Connecticut’s total businesses, and employ almost half of the state’s private workforce. And Connecticut takes small-business promotion seriously, offering a range of state-specific small business financing programs and Connecticut tax incentives that encourage business investment.

What does all that boil down to? Connecticut is a promising state in which to start a small business.  Out of 169 towns and cities in the state, we determined the five best cities in Connecticut to start a small business - cities that are ideal for entrepreneurs looking to start a new venture: Stamford, Norwalk, West Hartford, Danbury, and Fairfield.

Our methodology consisted of data culled almost exclusively from the U.S. Census and the Connecticut Department of Labor. We used additional data from AreaVibes, Sperling’s Best Places, Data USA, and reports from town resource centers.

Then, we weighed 10 metrics, which indicate the overall economic health of each town, their business climates, and their relative affordability. Next, we came up with a score for each town—a city’s highest possible score was 5. We also considered qualitative data like access to small business resources, overall quality of life, and economic and commercial development initiatives in each town to come up with a more holistic definition of the “best.”

The breakdown: Median gross rent (5% of score); Percentage of people with a bachelor’s degree or higher (5%); Total number of firms (5%); Unemployment rate (10%); Median household income (10%); Recent job growth (10%); Overall cost of living, compared to the state average (10%); Growth in median household income (15%); Total retail sales and total retail sales per capita (15%) and Projected job growth, compared to the national average (15%).

The top five communities are:

Stamford (3.45) - Stamford has long been home to some of the world’s biggest corporations, including nine Fortune 1000 companies. In particular, though, over the past year-plus Stamford has seen a “string of economic coups,” especially in the corporate market. Henkel are opening their North American headquarters in Stamford, ITV America just signed a lease for a TV production studio, Greenwich-based hedge fund Tudor Investment plans to relocate to Stamford this year, and WWE, Conair, and RBS have headquarters here, too.

Despite its reputation as a nerve center for Connecticut’s big business, the City of Stamford’s resources for small business owners are robust. That includes a comprehensive guide to starting your business in Stamford, help with finding locations for your small business, information on registering your business, and a guide to financial advantages including available grants and funding options. Business owners can also benefit from Stamford’s tax incentive programs, which includes a program for businesses that develop and reuse rehabilitated industrial areas.

Norwalk (3.45) - A few years back, Norwalk initiated a comprehensive economic development action plan. Included are efforts to “provide resources for start-ups, entrepreneurs and small businesses in Norwalk,” like free counseling programs, permit guidance and advocacy, information on funding, job-training programs, and quality-of-life initiatives to support local businesses and residents. Norwalk is small-business friendly, but its economy is boosted by big business, too. Major corporate headquarters in Norwalk include Pepperidge Farm, MetLife, Xerox, and GE Capital.

West Hartford (2.95) - In a recent presentation, West Hartford’s economic development officials showed that the community’s commercial districts are growing. Dozens of new small businesses—including restaurants (a total of 1,400 outdoor restaurant seats), cafes, retail, a new luxury boutique hotel, and other small firms—are opening this year, or are planning to open soon. Small businesses at 485 New Park, for example—one of West Hartford’s independent retail enclaves—include a comic book store, a vintage shop, a bakery, a photography studio, a boutique fitness studio, a kitchen and bath designer, an IT solutions company, and a brewery, among others. Similar growth patterns abound across the town, with small businesses dominating many of its commercial areas.

Danbury (2.75) - Danbury is dedicated to revitalizing its commercial centers, drawing new business opportunities, and supporting both new and established businesses. Recently, the town invested over $100 million in their Main Street shopping area. Other small business resources in Danbury include an Office of Business Advocacy, which helps small business owners establish and expand their businesses and oversees economic development programs. CityCenter is an organization of property owners, sponsors, businesses, and more that contribute to projects to revitalize the downtown commercial area and support new and existing ventures.

Fairfield (2.6) - Fairfield is home to Fortune 500 companies GE and Bigelow Tea, but it’s also a college town, with Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University in the vicinity. These stalwarts feed Fairfield’s economy and boost its spending population. But the town offers support and incentives to small business owners, too. Fairfield’s Micro-Enterprise Assistance Program, for instance, offers entrepreneurs and small business owners with “training, technical assistance, and start-up capital needed to create and sustain viable and productive small businesses in Fairfield.

***

Forbes ranked Connecticut #5 for quality of life in the country—which makes this small state attractive to city workers to raise their families, buy country homes, or move to entirely (and bring their spending power with them).  And, despite that extreme wealth and massive income gap, the overall cost of living and doing business in Connecticut is much lower than its’ neighboring New York City.

So, consider starting your small business in one of these high-growth, resource-rich towns—and, who knows, you might eventually join the state’s 16 resident billionaires. (Can’t hurt to dream.)

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Caroline Goldstein is a small business and finance writer at Fundera, where a longer version of this column first appeared. Before joining Fundera, she received an MFA in Fiction from New York University. She loves finding creative ways to help entrepreneurs grow, and is a Connecticut native. Fundera is a funding marketplace and resource site for small businesses.

PERSPECTIVE: Eliminating Transcripts Draws the Shades on Government a Little More

by Michele Jacklin and Jeffrey Daniels Continuing their effort to draw the shade over the window of government accountability and transparency, General Assembly leaders have abandoned the longstanding practice of routinely transcribing the testimony presented at hundreds of public hearings held during legislative sessions.

The decision, made without the benefit of public input, marks the latest setback for Connecticut’s 43-year-old Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which was once the strongest in the nation and a model emulated by other states and countries.

To the surprise of many, transcripts of the vast majority of public hearings held during the recently adjourned 2018 legislative session don’t exist. Officials from the Office of Legislative Management and the House and Senate say transcription services have fallen victim to budget cuts.

The Connecticut Council on Freedom of Information, the state’s preeminent guardian of the FOIA, and other open-government advocates, strongly condemn this action, and believe it marks the continued erosion of the public’s right to know about goings-on at the State Capitol and in state government.

Most bills, including spending and tax proposals, are subject to public hearings at which state officials, special interests, lawmakers and, most importantly, Joe and Jane Q. Public are able to voice their opinions.

Although written testimony still will be available on the legislature’s website, the give-and-take between those testifying and committee members will be known only to the people in the hearing room. That’s unfortunate because the commentary provided by lawmakers is often used to ascertain legislative intent. Moreover, not everyone who testifies submits written copies.

Colleen Murphy, executive director of the state Freedom of Information Commission, says transcripts are important because public hearings provide the first cut of history and the first glimpse of the impetus for proposed bills. Testimony also offers insight into what the tensions and concerns are, as well as the initial impressions of the legislators who will later vote on the measures.

“As such, public hearing transcripts, which preserve the dialog and lines of inquiry, are a valuable component of legislative history and serve an important historical and archival function,” said Murphy.

Murphy was a member of a task force that met in 2010 and was charged with making recommendations regarding the conversion of legislative records from paper to electronic form. According to the group’s final report, “the task force was presented with an overwhelming amount of testimony opposing elimination of public hearing transcriptions.”

Among those testifying were members of the legislative, judicial and executive branches, including the offices of the attorney general, chief court administrator, chief public defender and the Division of Criminal Justice. Others included the Connecticut Bar Association and the Southern New England Law Librarians Association. Ultimately, the vote to oppose elimination of the transcripts was unanimous.

Opposition has not abated and open-government advocates, including CCFOI, view the decision by legislative leaders as yet another step in limiting accountability and curtailing transparency.

“The people of Connecticut deserve open and accountable government and this is leadership in the wrong direction,” said Cheri Quickmire, executive director of Common Cause Connecticut. “It has the practical effect of further isolating citizens from those in Hartford who are supposed to be acting on our behalf. We need more information — not less — about issues being debated in the General Assembly. It is unacceptable for decisions related to access to information be made in the dark, without public input.

Quickmire, Murphy and CCFOI President Zachary Janowski are among those who are urging legislative leaders to reverse their decision.

“Legislative leaders need to restore public access to their public hearings,” said Janowski. “Why invite citizens to testify if that part of the process isn’t going to be available to them or to citizens who, in the future, are trying to understand why certain decisions were made? Making open government an option instead of a requirement will ensure that Connecticut residents won’t get transparency when it’s needed most: when lawmakers have something to hide.”

The elimination of most transcripts comes in the wake of the legislature’s move to restrict the public’s ability to observe their state government in action via CT-N, the cable channel owned by the legislature. For 18 years, cameras operated by the Connecticut Public Affairs Network (CPAN) were focused on all three branches of government, giving TV viewers unfiltered access to state government operations.

However, legislative leaders failed to renew the contract in late 2017 and wrested control of the operation from CPAN, halting the airing of activities by the executive and judicial branches and training the cameras exclusively on themselves. The move was seen as a public relations ploy designed to give lawmakers more exposure. The seizing of editorial control by legislative leaders also halted coverage of press conferences, state nominating conventions, the program “Capitol Reports,” which summarized the weekly activities of the legislature, and Election Night results.

Of this latest action, Murphy said: “Eliminating transcriptions from the public sphere is essentially like eliminating the corner piece of a puzzle. Lawyers, judges and members of the public often search for that piece to completely understand the topic they are researching — the puzzle’s picture. If the legislative hearing piece no longer resides in the puzzle box, legislative history and legislative intent, like the puzzle, will forever be incomplete.”

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 Michele Jacklin and Jeffrey Daniels are the legislative co-chairs of the Connecticut Council on Freedom of Information.  This article first appeared on CT Mirror's Viewpoints. 

PERSPECTIVE: Building a Foundation to Reduce Reliance on Social Welfare

by Martha Guidry According to Forbes, an individual on social welfare in Connecticut collects on average $25/day, which equals over $9,000 a year.  A 2013 Hartford Courant article stated that a mother with two children participating in seven major welfare programs (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Medicaid, food stamps, WIC housing assistance, utility assistance and free commodities) could receive a package of benefits worth $38,761 (untaxed $106/day), the fourth highest in the nation behind Washington, DC, Hawaii, and Massachusetts.

Social welfare is not taxed, while wages are. Using the Connecticut state tax calculator for 2017-18, a mother with two children in Connecticut would have to earn $48,500 ($23.32 per hour) for her family to be better off than they would be on welfare. That's more than double the current minimum wage of $10.10 and more than 14 percent higher the $42,494 starting wage of a teacher in Connecticut.  Even scarier, that mother would have to hold 2.3 full-time jobs at minimum wage to reach this salary. Bear in mind, this does not include the cost of daycare, wardrobe, transportation or other expenditures required to hold a job 40 hours per week. 

Sadly, in Connecticut, welfare makes more sense financially in the short term than having a job.  Unfortunately, this will likely hurt an individual in the long term as having a job is one of the many important steps to ultimately breaking the cycle of poverty.

How can we help stop this cycle of social welfare reliance?  Two potential solutions exist:  1) policy changes and 2) provide children with the opportunity to learn how to work to improve their chances regardless of whether they get a degree above high school. According to National Clearinghouse Data, in Hartford, only 2 out of every 10 graduates earn a degree above high school after 6 years.

According to Michael Tanner in his Hartford Courant article (August 2013), “if reducing welfare dependence and rewarding work is the goal, Connecticut legislators should consider ways to shrink the gap between the value of welfare and work by reducing current benefit levels and tightening eligibility requirements.”  He continues on to say that Congress should remove exemptions and narrow the definition of work to enhance welfare work requirements.

While policy changes would be ideal, at the Capital City Education Alliance, a Hartford-based nonprofit, we attack option two.  In our signature program, Let’s Paint!, we engage students thru hands on learning on color theory, design and early intervention workforce readiness skills as they learn commercial painting skills.

Since our start in May 2016, we’ve had 106 students work with the Let’s Paint! staff using over 376 gallons of paint and working over 7,390 total student hours. These students have transformed a variety of spaces including a 24-bay graffiti-covered garage by Route 84; the Southwest Boys & Girls Club career center and building exterior; hallways, the auditorium, and the office at Burns Latino (South End) and the lobby and several hallways at West Middle School (Asylum Hill).

Research has shown that the second most important factor for success (after high school GPA/Standardized tests) in school or at a job is that students must exhibit behaviors and develop personal characteristics that contribute to persistence - namely motivation, commitment, engagement and self-regulation. Let's Paint! is designed to specifically focus in these areas of need that are not directly addressed in school curriculum.

CCEA believes that patterning behaviors right and providing positive/opportunistic feedback at the start helps teach the life and job success skills. To this end, students must complete an application and interview with our staff to be part of the “paint crew”. Each program day, students must formally greet a staff member with a "confident" handshake to practice this important skill. Students are also evaluated on their work skills such as teamwork, having a positive attitude, and being properly dressed for work. With regular, positive attendance, students also receive a small stipend to take their “job” seriously. And, just like in the real world, they are docked pay for being late!

Adult volunteers also contribute to workforce readiness.  On scheduled days, volunteers informally mentor the kids while painting side-by-side, thus providing an opportunity for the students to practice workforce soft skills - eye contact, greetings, shaking hands, and engaging in conversation – while the adults have lots of fun.

In Summer 2018, CCEA will launch its adjunct program “Broken 2 Beautiful” (B2B) where graduates of “Let’s Paint!” will have the opportunity to rejoin the staff for ongoing work experience, financial literacy and career engagement learning.  Painting will also play a role in B2B.  Students will refinish furniture and record crates with bold colors as well as do “pop up” exterior painting projects through the greater Hartford area.

• The former will be part of a social enterprise to sell the goods allowing youth to learn about all the different careers that may be open to them in Hartford – sales, marketing, operations, etc. – to broader their views of jobs.
• The latter will continue their involvement in community service to make their city a more beautiful place and feel the success of making a difference. In addition, students will learn about financial literacy and budgeting. One of the best ways to work oneself out of poverty is to actually understand that one can’t spend more than one earns!

We can’t change policy, but we can help change the skill sets of our students.  Consider volunteering, donating and attending our events to help us achieve success and, just possibly, reduce some of Connecticut’s 80+ social welfare programs.

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Martha Guidry is Executive Director of the Capital City Education Alliance, which lays the foundation for workforce readiness by inspiring and empowering pre-teen and teens in Greater Hartford through project and partnership that build character, skills and pathways to success. Individuals 18 years of age or older may sign up on the CCEA website to volunteer, as well as teenagers with an accompanying adult.  Corporate teams are also welcome to participate on Tuesday afternoons; contact Colleen@CCEAHartford.org for more details, and learn more at www.CCEAHartford.org  

PERSPECTIVE: Life Lessons Grown in Connecticut Continue to Resonate

by Keith Hovan I never imagined delivering a commencement speech. In fact I don’t remember any of the speeches from any of the commencements that I have ever attended. So I’m not expecting any of you to remember this one either.  Given that this speech is unlikely to be memorable I will attempt to make it mercifully brief.

In early 1962, shortly after I was born, someone, my birth mother I suspect, took a look at me ... and decided that she didn’t want me .... I was discarded, as I later learned.  Found in a dumpster.

It’s true.  That really happened.

I always say it’s because I was an ugly baby. I was born with a birth defect that twisted my feet out of shape — club foot. I have scoliosis, which still makes my left leg shorter than my right — although nowadays I can hide it pretty well. And I have a condition that formed my chest a little differently than most people’s.

Despite all that, someone found me .... Someone rescued me.

Soon I landed in the home of Andrew and Eleanor Hovan, the second-generation Russian immigrants who adopted me. Two wonderful, loving people who thought I was worthy of being called ... son. They gave me the start in life that I was nearly denied.

From that simple, loving act flowed opportunities that I never could have imagined — including right here, right now — speaking to you, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Class of 2018.

I am humbled to be on this podium because I know the sacrifices you made to achieve the advanced degree that you will receive today. Very likely, your parents, your spouse or partner and your children made sacrifices, too. The late nights you spent alone, studying after work. The weekend fun you forfeited. The fellowship, family time and sleep you denied yourself. The children’s plays, art shows and games you might have missed.

I know because my family and I made the same sacrifices. And ... because I am ahead of you on the journey you are about to start, I’ll share some lessons that you might consider taking with you.

Lesson No. 1: As my story so far might illustrate to you — it doesn’t matter where you start in life. It matters what you do with your life.

I grew up in a blue collar home in Connecticut, where my father — a veteran of the terrible Pacific island battle on Okinawa in World War II — worked long hours at Schick Safety Razor. He usually walked around with holes in his shoes and made $17,000 in his best year. But we always had food on the table and my parents showed my brother and I what it meant to work hard for everything they ever got.

To make money as a teenager, I took a job at a garden store. One of the managers there, a man named Richard, got to know me and thought I could go in one of two ways — very good ... or very bad. So he decided to give me a nudge in the right direction by exposing me to some career options.

He arranged for me to shadow a lawyer in court. I didn’t see myself practicing law. I spent time with a trader on Wall Street, actually down on the floor. Again, it wasn’t for me. This process was repeated several times. But I never made a real connection. (I think Richard began getting worried).

Then he had me spend time with a nurse anesthetist from Yale New Haven Hospital. It was then that I could see my future. Suddenly, my expectations to spend my working life as a landscaper were replaced by something much more powerful — they were replaced by a dream. I wanted to be like those nurses who were helping people in a way that was real, direct and hands on.

Lesson No. 2: Look for mentors in unexpected places, and then allow yourself to be mentored.

Others may see potential that you don’t recognize in yourself, as Richard, that garden shop manager, saw in me.

I enrolled in college to study nursing. My parents had saved enough money to pay for my first semester, but the rest of my education was on me. So I worked nights as an emergency room tech and studied during the day.  By the time I graduated — the first in my family to earn a college degree — I had a young son, Nicholas.

I decided that I could make more and have more significant impact with an advanced degree. Maybe you yourselves made a similar calculation. I studied for a master’s in nursing with an emphasis in management, with the goal of becoming a chief nursing officer at a hospital.  I also completed work towards an MBA, and while I studied, I always worked full time to support my son.

Lesson No. 3: This one is from my mom — my mother said to me over and over again — what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

I started my healthcare management career in the busy emergency department at Bridgeport Hospital in Connecticut. Three years after I arrived as an RN, nearly the entire nursing leadership team in the emergency department resigned or retired. Much to my surprise, I was chosen to lead the department. Even though I was only 24 years old. I had responsibility for the management of the state’s fourth busiest emergency department and trauma center.

This was the 1980s, when hospitals were suffering a severe nursing shortage.

That made it easy to work clinical shifts at other hospitals at night. The money came in handy, of course. But as important, the extra work provided me with an incredible learning opportunity. I chose to work at medical centers where I could get ideas to bring back to my department and make it a better place for patients, families and my staff.

Lesson No. 4: Your education does not end with this degree. Opportunities to learn will present themselves throughout your career. They are a gift. Learn to recognize them and take advantage of them.

And yet, as I progressed through my career, I noticed that no matter how much I learned, I alone would never know enough. Healthcare is humbling in that way. The pace of progress is often dizzying. Diseases that were once incurable, can now be cured. Ailments that once had no treatments can now be treated.

I will never forget being in the Cath lab to observe a first in Connecticut. It was the middle of the night and I watched a cardiologist, Dr. Joseph Babb, thread a wire through a clot in the coronary artery of a dying patient.  That was followed by a drug called Streptokinase, which was infused directly into the heart. Miraculously, blood started flowing again and a dying patient was snatched from death.

And that was just the start of a career witnessing firsts. Procedures that once lasted many hours, requiring long incisions and long recoveries, can today be completed in a fraction of the time, with far smaller incisions and faster and healthier recoveries.  Even now, 30-plus years into my career, I am awed by what medicine can do. (...)

So that leads to Lesson No. 5, perhaps one of the most important that I will share today. You cannot do this alone. Surround yourself with good people.

People who are smarter than you in their areas of expertise. Individuals who share your values and the values of your organization. Individuals who share your compassion and passion for the work you do.  Success in your career will demand constant learning. And many people around you will have something to teach — not just those who run conferences, teach formal classes or who have the highest academic degrees or professional standing.

The success of the organization I work for — Southcoast Health — depends not just on the amazing doctors who bring us the latest that medicine has to offer. It depends on all 7,500 of our employees.  You know... I work with some incredibly smart people. Physician scientists, information technology experts, enterprise risk managers, executives of all types. But some of the best advice I receive is from our staff who are on the front lines.

There is a security guard at Southcoast Health named Frank. Frank — like many of our staff — has my personal cellphone number ... and he’s not shy about using it. From time to time Frank will call, though he will usually text, and say ... brother Hovan ... we need to talk. We’ll meet for breakfast at the Village Cafe in Dartmouth (Great spicy hash) and we will talk as two people — equals. He will let me know what he thinks about a decision or an issue — it will either reinforce a plan that we might have been formulating and accelerate it ... or might cause me to completely rethink a strategy.  Then again... it might just be two guys having breakfast trading stories about our families.

Lesson No. 6: Practice humility.

Everyone — everyone — is deserving of your respect.  Whether you are a department head, a unit leader or a CEO, you will always have a lot to learn. And lessons come from unexpected places.

After you receive your diploma today and — I hope — do a little celebrating, you may be moving on to a new job or promotion. Maybe you will seek work in a new field. And I’ll bet that one or two of you will go right from this ceremony to work at a job.

Whatever your plans, your education will afford you a chance at a privileged life — one with satisfying work, financial rewards, and stability and progress for your family.

But it also will bring you new ways to apply your skills and expertise. You may already have discovered that your professional responsibilities don’t end at the office door. Your learning and your work experience will lend you new insights that you are obligated to share with your communities and your larger professional network.

In my career, it became clear to me that healthcare doesn’t happen within the confines of a hospital or a clinic. Good health is linked to economic opportunity. To decent housing. To strong schools. To well-stocked grocery stores close to home. And to governments and societies that recognize problems like the scourge of opioid addiction and find ways to address them.  For that reason, I commit time to local, statewide and national organizations that are devoted to strengthening communities — as well as healthcare.

Lesson No. 7: Now this may be a hard one to hear but here it goes — today is not just about you and your career.

It is easy to turn a blind eye to the issues that challenge our communities. But I urge you to think about the concept of community and what it means to really care.

Think about how you will contribute.

We live in a challenging time. The political divide is as wide as it has ever been in our country, with strident and angry public discourse. The very technologies that join us and make our lives easier, also bring us false information that confuses us. Children feel unsafe in their schools. People’s differences — race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation — make them targets for discrimination and mistreatment, rather than valued for the richness they provide.

Terrorist attacks, war and warlike posturing. There is a lot going on in our world that is broken.

Fixing what is broken starts in our communities — the communities that you will enter with your new education. I urge you, I beg you, to use what you have learned to help solve problems and to contribute to the social good.  The decisions you made in the past brought you to this day. Your decisions going forward will write the narrative of your personal future. They also will contribute to the narrative of our collective future.

You are our hope.

Oh...And one final lesson — say thanks.

Say thanks to your friends and loved ones who stuck with you and helped make this day possible. Thanks to your professors and fellow students at UMass Dartmouth. And thanks to the university itself. An institution devoted to pursuing and sharing knowledge is a vital good for a community and our nation, and UMass Dartmouth brings countless benefits to our region.

As a man who started life in a trash can, who as a teenager had friends who nicknamed him “Garbage Can Hovan” — perhaps a bonus lesson is, be careful what stories you share. .... I have lots to be thankful for — especially my loving wife Erin and my children including my daughter Reya who is here today.

We all have reasons to be thankful.

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Keith Hovan, President and CEO of Southcoast Health, grew up in Connecticut, attended Sacred Heart University and began his career at Bridgeport Hospital.  He was appointed President and CEO of Southcoast Hospitals Group, Inc. in 2008 and in 2011 as President and CEO of Southcoast Health System, Inc.  Previously, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Danbury Health System. He delivered the commencement address this month at University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth.   Southcoast Health is a not-for-profit, community-based health system with multiple access points, offering an integrated continuum of health services throughout southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.