Index Terms

Series I. Constituent Correspondence 1980-1990

Documents in this Sub-series include notices of nuclear emergency exercises, a report on the impact of federal budget cuts, notices of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant awards, information about hurricane preparedness, annual reports, and correspondence between the Governor and the White House related to cuts in disaster relief programs.

Additional material may be found in the Sub-series "Office of Emergency Management."

Connecticut's Department of Environmental Protection was established one year after the creation of the federal department in 1970. Public and government interest in preserving the environment reached its zenith that year, ushering in the " Environmental Decade." Several environmental crises prompted this increased awareness. Several offshore oil spills threatened beaches and fragile ecosystems. The Cuyahoga River in Ohio burned for 8 days fed by pollution on top of the water, mercury was found in the Great Lakes, and PCBs were discovered on the floor of the Hudson River. In addition, manned space flight gave the world a new perspective on the fragile planet.

April 22, 1970 marked the first "Earth Day." More than 12 federal regulatory statutes were enacted, including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Air Act, the Soil and Water Resource Conservation Act, the Coastal Zone Management Act, and the Water Quality Improvement Act. These were followed by additional statutes setting minimum standards for contaminant levels, closing solid waste dumps, and promoting the recycling and recovery of toxic wastes.

The state's Department of Environmental Protection responded to federal regulations and it is those responses, and public reaction to them, that constitute the bulk of the records in this Sub-series. Also included in these materials are documents relating to the U.S. Department of the Interior and The Army Corps of Engineers (some of which were incorrectly filed among military records). Most of the incoming letters were forwarded to the Department for a draft reply for the Governor's signature, for the Department's direct reply, or for the agency's information. The Governor also forwarded published reports and marketing materials from companies selling their products or services.

Records are organized chronologically. Topics such as Acid Rain, Nuclear Waste and Solid Waste were often given their own folders by the Governor's staff. These follow the general Environmental Protection folders in alphabetical order and then chronologically. Many of the topics overlap, so information in the Low-level Radioactive Waste folder can also be found in Nuclear Waste folder. Researchers should check both the Landfill and Solid Waste folders for information on those topics.

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection consists of divisions and bureaus that address industrial permits, acquisition and management of state-owned land, conservation of natural resources, hunting licenses, forest services, enforcing laws and regulations relating to pollution control and resource protection, and Indian affairs. In response to federal regulations from the 1970s and 1980s, the Department developed plans for closing landfills and replacing them with resource recovery or trash burning plants. It administered state legislation creating a hazardous waste site discovery and clean-up program and published an inventory of sites in Connecticut. The Department also enforced the removal of underground oil and gas tanks, developed regional recycling projects, and formulated regulations and procedures for responding to oil spills.

Locally, the state purchased the Shakespeare Theater in Stratford in 1982 and began renovations in 1988. Also in 1982, the legislature passed the Connecticut Water Diversion Policy Act requiring any individual or institution to apply for permission to divert any of the state's water resources, including underground or surface streams, tidal water, estuaries, ponds, marshes, and drainage system.

Residents expressed their support of or opposition to the construction of the Iroquois Gas Transmission System. The company planned to construct a natural gas pipeline from the Canadian border, through New York and Connecticut, and across Long Island Sound. The company's environmental impact statement was insufficient to prove that Connecticut's need for natural gas outweighed preservation of the landscape and the environment.

In 1988, the Connecticut shoreline was closed periodically during the summer as medical waste washed up on the beaches. The Long Island Sound Study, started in 1985, monitored pollution in the Sound and made recommendations for improving water quality. Connecticut and New York collaborated on preserving the Sound and O'Neill nominated this body of water as a National Estuary.

The Office of Indian Affairs provided technical assistance and coordinated activities for the Connecticut Indian Affairs Council, an eight-member state agency without funding or staff. In 1987, the Governor appointed a Task Force on Indian Affairs. Its purpose was to review existing statutes, budgets, agencies and programs affecting Connecticut Indians. The Task Force was to study and make recommendations on all aspects of the state's responsibilities for Indian affairs. The Task Force's recommendations concerning state recognition of the indigenous tribes, namely the Schaghticoke, Paucatuck Eastern Pequot, Mashantucket Pequot, Mohegan and Golden Hill Paugussett, as self-governing entities possessing powers and duties over tribal members, and regulations relating to the preservation of Native American archaeological and sacred sites were passed by the legislature as An Act Implementing Recommendations of the Task Force on Indian Affairs (PA89-368).

Stanley J. Pac served as Commissioner of the Department from 1980-1986, when he was succeeded by Leslie Carothers, 1987-1990. Governor's staff liaisons were Chris Cooper, Marilynn Cruz-Aponte and Joseph Prevusnak.

The Commission was established by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and began operating July 2, 1965. It enforces statutes prohibiting employment discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

The single letter in the Sub-series concerns a complaint of discrimination filed against Pfizer Corp.

The Connecticut State Ethics Commission, established in 1978, is an independent seven-member citizens' panel. It enforces and administers a Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State Employees and a Code of Ethics for Lobbyists. J. D. Eaton and Alan S. Plofsky served as the Executive Director and General Counsel.

Included in this Sub-series are letters to the Governor requesting clarification of the ethics rules, reports of possible violations, status information regarding claims, and reports from the Commission.

The Federal Communications Commission, established in 1934, regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. Applications to the Commission comprise the records in this Sub-series.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency FEMA) consolidated national emergency response responsibilities into one federal agency. Created by executive order in 1979, the independent government agency's mission is to reduce the lost of life and property and protect the nation's infrastructure from natural and manmade hazards through mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery activities.

Within this Sub-series are informational bulletins about dam safety programs and flood education and insurance programs, contracts, and a draft of Connecticut's Hazard Mitigation Implementation Measures. Additional FEMA materials can be found in the Sub-series "Environmental Protection" and "Emergency Management".

Most of the items in this Sub-series relate to federal offices, agencies or national issues that could not be filed easily in other subject areas. Topics covered range from requesting commemorative stamps from the Postmaster General, to immigration and naturalization problems, federal recognition of Indian tribes, and the impact of reduced defense spending on Connecticut's economy. Some constituents wrote to the Governor about issues over which he had no control, such as Free Trade, Social Security, conflicts with Iran and Iraq, and embargoes against foreign countries. The letters were forwarded to a member of the Connecticut Congressional delegation or the writer was instructed to contact a local office of a federal agency.

This independent government oversight agency is charged with assuring the people of Connecticut access to the records and meetings of all public agencies. Established in 1975, the commission originally was within the Office of the Secretary of the State for administrative purposes only, but by 1987 was independent.

Freedom of information requests, questions about the statutes, complaints about the operation of the Commission, and advisory opinions constitute the bulk of this Sub-series.

A constituent is upset about how Governor's pension will be calculated, and the Governor responds.

Prior to the fall of 1981, state governments applied to the federal Community Services Administration (CSA) for funds to run programs for the poor. The CSA was established under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and the categorical grant funds were administered through local Community Action Agencies. In 1981, however, the Reagan administration drastically cut social service program funding through the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. Funds for social services were not only reduced, they were also awarded as "block grants" in the areas of social services, health services, preventive health services, emergency and hardship assistance, special education and education. The new grant rules were designed to eliminate duplication among federal granting agencies and give states greater discretion over how the funds were used. It also meant the states were responsible for administering grants.

The records in this Sub-series illustrate the change in federal grant management and distribution. The bulk of the records consist of applications to the Community Services Administration (1981) and to the Department of Health and Human Services for federal block grants (1983-1990). Grant applications covered such programs as Head Start, Maternal and Child Health, prevention of juvenile delinquency, and alcohol and drug abuse programs.

Other granting institutions represented in the collection are the Connecticut Humanities Council, State Aid to Municipalities, the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The records in this sub-series primarily concern the activities of the Office of Protection and Advocacy for the Handicapped and Developmentally Disabled, the Council on Developmental Disabilities, and the Commission on the Deaf and Hearing Impaired. The Governor's staff classed all disability advocacy agencies under the heading "Handicapped." Barbara Gordon served as the primary liaison from the Governor's office.

The Office of Protection and Advocacy, established in 1977, deals with a wide variety of needs and discrimination problems faced by people with disabilities. The agency provides a toll-free information number, operates a TDD line for the deaf, participates in negotations before administrative bodies and litigation in courts, and monitors accessibility issues. The Office is located within the Department of Consumer Protection for administrative purposes. In 1988 the name of the agency was changed to the Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities. Eliot Dober served as Executive Director during O'Neill's administration.

The State Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities, within the Department of Mental Retardation, promotes the independence, education, employment and community integration of people who have severe, chronic disabilities manifested before the age of 22. Members of the Counicl include people with disabilities, their families, and representatives of public and non-profit agencies. Governor Meskill appointed the first Council on December 16, 1971. The Council has been a key player in integrating disabled children into the school system and in shifting public and agency opinions in favor of community housing,

Located within the Department of Human Resources for administrative purposes, the Commission on the Deaf and Hearing Impaired advocates, strengthens and implements state policies affecting deaf and hearing impaired individuals in their relationship to the public, industry, health care, and educational opportunity. The Commission provides interpreting services, counseling, referrals, job assistance, community and adult education, a telephone relay service, and advocacy. Barbara Brasel served as Executive Director during O'Neill's tenure. Additional correspondence can be found in the Sub-series "Human Resources."

Correspondence from constituents, from the disabled, and from the state agencies described above cover such issues as accessible public transportation, enforcement of handicapped parking regulations, education and training programs, accessible housing, and employment as they relate to disabled people. A particularly divisive issue the O'Neill administration faced was the concept of mainstreaming disabled children into the regular classroom. The deaf community strongly opposed the idea while the Developmenal Disability Council proposed and defended it. The conflict is well illustrated in reports and correspondence found in these files.

During the 1980s, advocacy groups implemented programs to move disabled people into group homes within the community. This program met with both approbation and resistance, which is reflected in the correspondence.

The Department of Health Services (today the Department of Public Health) originally began as the Board of Health, established in 1878. Its responsibilities expanded and its name changed over time, but its mission remained essentially the same--to prevent and control heart disease, cancer, stroke and accidents, the leading causes of death in Connecticut. Mandated programs the department oversees include environmental control, maternal and child health, laboratory and statistical services, and the licensing of health care facilities.

The department is divided into numerous divisions and bureaus to administer the mandated services and it also has responsibility for vital records (birth, marriage and death), emergency medical services, professional and occupational licenses, long-term care of the elderly and disabled, planning, monitoring communicable diseases, and education. Not all of these activities are documented in the records found in this sub-series.

Correspondence from constituents, grant proposals, and reports and directives from state and federal agencies document, among other things, the growing use of group homes for the disabled, the increasing incidence of Lyme disease and AIDS and the state's education and prevention efforts, and the rising awareness of the dangers of asbestos in the 1980s. AIDS was first identified in 1981 and the HIV virus in 1984. The Department gathered Lyme disease statistics beginning in 1987. Other issues the department and the Governor addressed and that are documented in the collection were increasing costs of health care and health insurance, adolescent pregnancy, clean air and clean water, and most importantly, a drastic shortage of nurses, complicated by strikes at nursing homes.

Many of these issues are documented in the activities of separate offices and commissions within the department. The Commission on Hospitals and Health Care is a regulatory body charged with ensuring high quality health care at the lowest possible costs. To maintain lower costs, the Commission approves or denies additional functions or services proposed by a facility, authorizes capital expenditures above a set amount, and sets rates of home health care agencies. Until 1985 it also reviewed and authorized operating budgets for all non-governmental hospitals. Correspondence received and reports from the Commission were concerned with the proliferation of requests for MRI and other high technology equipment, the nursing shortage, and the expansion of Yale-New Haven Hospital. Commissioners during O'Neill's tenure were E. Cortright Phillips (1980-1981), F. Bernard Forand (1981-1982) and Gardner E. Wright (1982-1990).

In 1987 the Commission experimented with a system entitled DRS (Diagnosis Related Group) which classified patients according to their complaints and established a standard fee. The Governor and Commissioner received a flood of letters complaining about the billing system, which established rates significantly higher than the amount charged by the health care facility. The experiment ended in 1989.

The Commission on Long Term Care was established in 1980 to develop and implement a state policy on long-term care in relationship to nursing home residents, but in 1983 its responsibilities expanded to include the disabled. The commission was abolished July 1, 1990. The Commission issued a report on long term care, answered letters in favor of and against establishing a nursing pool, studied financing long term care, responded to people objecting to a plan to recertify Certified Nurses Assistants and monitored legislation affecting long term care and nursing home licenses.

Implementing the statewide 911 emergency phone number, certifying ambulance service providers, and developing a comprehensive emergency medical services state plan, including the Life Star helicopter service, are the responsibilities of the of Office of Emergency Medical Services. Letters in support of adding a second Life Star helicopter at Hartford Hospital and a complaint about a slow response time constitute the bulk of material related to this office.

One of the scandals that plagued the O'Neill administration involved the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The Medical Examiner investigates violent, sudden, unexpected and suspicious deaths and those related to diseases that constitute a threat to public health. In a 1986 newspaper report, it was revealed that Galvin routinely brought her dogs into the autopsy room, compromising any reports she issued. Irate families of victims whose remains were under examination wrote scathing letters to the Governor demanding her resignation. Additional materials include an investigative report of Galvin's activities, an administrative report, and constituent letters concerning delays in receiving autopsy reports and the need for adequate funding.

The Statewide Health Coordinating Council, part of the Bureau of Health Planning and Resources allocation develops and implements the State Health Plan. Records from this agency consist of agendas and minutes of meetings and copies of the State Health Plan.

Correspondence between the Governor's office and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services concern rules changes, grant applications and awards, status reports on applications, and state compliance with federal regulations.

Liaisons from the Governor's staff were Jane Ciarleglio and Marilynn Cruz-Aponte.

The Governor's staff filed correspondence with and announcements from the state's Hispanic organizations under this topic. In addition, Marilynn Cruz-Aponte, who served as the Governor's liaison with the Hispanic community, saved her invitations and correspondence in these files, also. Represented in this subseries are the Legislative Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, CAUSA, the Puerto Rican Association, and the Spanish Speaking Center.

Historic preservation issues, data on historic houses and sites, reports and resolutions from the Connecticut Historical Commission, meeting minutes of the Connecticut Historical Society Board of Trustees and of the Old State House Association, and letters concerned about the preservation of the Fort Griswold historic site have all found their way into this subject area.

The Connecticut Historical Commission, administratively under the Department of Education, was established in 1955 by statute. It is charged with identifying, protecting and interpreting the state's historic, architectural and archaeological resources. In addition, the Commission helps municipalities establish local historic districts, and administers the National Register and the State Register of Historic Places. From 1980-1985, the Director also served as the Executive Director of the Connecticut Nautilus Committee, charged with finding a permanent location for the submarine U.S.S. Nautilus. John W. Shannahan was, and still is, the director.

A complementary organization, the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, was established in 1975 by S.A. 75-93. The non-profit organization protects and preserves the state's historic architecture, streetscapes, urban neighborhoods and country landscapes through education, technical assistance, and advocacy.

The Governor served as an honorary board member of the Connecticut Historical Society and the Old State House Association, both private Hartford institutions with missions to collect, preserve and interpret Connecticut's history. As a result, he received minutes of Board meetings, which are included in this Sub-series.

The Governor received a number of letters decrying the conditions at the Revolutionary War site of Fort Griswold in New London.

Invitations to the Governor to serve as honorary chairman, honorary patron, or honorary member of boards of trustees, organizations and committees comprise this Sub-series. Some of the organizations the Governor accepted include the Connecticut Committee for Soviet Jews, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, the United Negro College Fund, and the National P.A.L. (Police Athletic League). The invitations are accompanied by the Governor's letter of acceptance.

Constituent correspondence and reports concerning the activities of the Department of Housing are organized in this sub-series. The Department, established in 1979, encourages and promotes the availability of affordable housing for all citizens through programs providing financial assistance and works to improve housing and neighborhood quality. It accomplishes its mission through various divisions and programs. The major challenge faced by the Governor and the Department in the 1980s was the lack of affordable housing and the concomitant rise in homelessness, as evidenced in the letters they received.

Among the Department's programs were the Moderate Rental Housing Program and the Housing for the Elderly Persons Program, which provided low interest loans or grants-in-aid, respectively, to local housing authorities to build or rehabilitate affordable housing. Also for the elderly population, the Congregate Housing Program provided grants and loans to develop special congregate facilities with a planned program of supportive services (assisted living). Additional funds for constructing or rehabilitating units of affordable housing were available from the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA), created in 1969. Records for CHFA are filed after the general correspondence.

Section 8 rental subsidies were administered through the Department, as were Federal Small Cities Block Grants. The Department also managed the Energy Conservation Loan Program and a pilot program of low interest security deposit loans, the result of the Governor's Task Force on the Homeless report.

The Judiciary Committee of the General Assembly studied the pros and cons of condominium conversion in order to develop and propose legislation. Co-chair of the committee was Richard Tulisano, and his 1979-1981 files on research into the question are included in this sub-series, following the regular correspondence from 1981.

The number of programs the Department provided or administered increased after 1986. In that year, the legislature created a statewide Connecticut Housing Authority, relieving the Commissioner of that duty. Funds were available to convert elderly housing projects into congregate housing as the elderly population continued to grow. Innovative Housing for the Homeless, started in 1987, provided money to develop emergency shelters and transitional housing for the homeless. The Governor declared 1987 as the Year of Housing and formed a Blue Ribbon Commission that published its findings in March 1988. That report led to the establishment of the Connecticut Housing Partnership to increase cooperation between the states and municipalities in solving the affordable housing problem. It also prompted the creation of the State Housing and Community Development Program and legislation permitting the Department to obtain surplus state property and determine whether it was suitable for permanent housing for low and middle income families or the homeless. Another effort to increase the number of affordable units was the Condominium Development Acquisition Pilot that sought to use vacant condominiums for affordable housing.

The Governor received letters complaining about landlords and/or tenants, about the conversion of apartments to higher-priced condominiums, and about the problems individuals or families encountered trying to keep a roof over their heads.

Also included in this sub-series are communiqués from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, also filed after the regular correspondence.

Two Commissioners served under Governor O'Neill, Joseph E. Canale (1980-1986) and John F. Papandrea (1987-1990).

Additional correspondence concerning housing and homeless issues can be found in the Sub-series "Human Resources."

Records in this Sub-series represent the breadth of services provided by the Department of Human Resources. Established in 1979, the department provides direct services and grant programs to help residents achieve self-support and self-reliance. Areas of action include WIN (Work Incentive Program, changed to "Job Connections" in 1985-86), a program to help AFDC recipients find employment, the enforcement of child support orders, social services for refugees, oversight of day care providers, assistance in paying heating bills, protection for the elderly, and services for the blind, disabled and elderly. The Department became a lead agency in administering Community Development Block Grants when the federal government transferred responsibility to the states.

The constituent correspondence, department reports, and directives from the federal government filed in this subject area illustrate the increasing role of states in providing social services for its residents. Media attention focused on allegations of abuse by day care workers in 1984. The Child Day Care Council, an advisory board to the Office of Day Care, responded by re-establishing a committee on the issue and charging it to address abuse prevention through regulatory and statutory changes in rules governing employee screening. The Office of Day Care licensed and monitored the increasing number of day care facilities. It also provided financial assistance to nonprofit organizations and municipalities to encourage the development of more facilities to meet the growing demand of working mothers. The Office was abolished in 1985 and its responsibilities integrated in other divisions of the Department.

Initially a division within the Field Operations unit, Child Support became a Bureau in 1985. The following year it established a toll-free information and referral hotline for families seeking support assistance. The Bureau locates absent parents, establishes paternity, and determines and enforces child support obligations. Many women wrote to the Governor describing their precarious financial position and seeking his help in making an absent father pay child support.

The Governor appointed a Task Force on the Homeless in 1984 and a Task Force on Family Violence in 1985. The Commissioner of Human Resources served on both and information about their work and recommendations can be found in this Sub-group.

The responsibilities of the Department expanded dramatically in fiscal year 1986-87. The Department started a security deposit assistance program for people in emergency housing and established the family support magistrate system to exclusively handle child support cases. In 1987 the Department presented the first Employer of the Year Award in recognition of businesses that actively hired the blind. The Department became the lead advocacy agency for victims of Traumatic Brain Injury during that fiscal year. Families of victims appealed to the Governor for financial assistance or help finding an appropriate group home or institution to care for their loved ones.

Records related to one agency placed under the Department for administrative purposes are also found in this subject area. The Commission on the Deaf and Hearing Impaired advocates, strengthens and implements state policies affecting deaf and hearing impaired individuals in their relationship to the public, industry, health care, and educational opportunity. The Commission provides interpreting services, counseling, referrals, job assistance, community and adult education, a telephone relay service, and advocacy. The Commission's major accomplishments during the O'Neill administration were the long-term loan of TDD units so the hearing impaired or deaf could use a telephone, and the funding of a TDD message relay service through a contract with Converse Communications Center. When that service was threatened, the Governor received a flood of mail recounting the importance of TDD for the deaf.

Barbara Brasel served as Executive Director during O'Neill's tenure. Additional correspondence and reports about the Commission can be found in the Sub-series "Handicapped," filed with the general correspondence and also as a subject in folders that follow alphabetically.

The Commissioners of the Department of Human Resources from 1980-1990 were Ronald E. Manning (1980-1982), James G. Harris (1982-1986) and Elliot A. Ginsberg (1987-1990).

All incoming letters were bucked or forwarded to the Department for response.

The Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities was established in 1943 as the Inter-racial Commission, the nation's first official state civil rights agency. It is responsible for the administration and enforcement of Connecticut's anti-discrimination laws with regard to employment, housing, public accommodations, and credit transactions. It also reviews Affirmative Action plans of state agencies, boards and commissions, and monitors discriminatory practices by state contractors or subcontractors.

The majority of the Commission's work focused on investigating allegations of discrimination by employers and reviewing state agency Affirmative Action plans, and this is reflected in the correspondence, reports and minutes that constitute this Sub-series. Public hearings conducted in 1985 concerning fair housing and the Commission's oversight of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission starting in 1986, are also documented in these records. A flurry of complaints to the Governor about the slowness of the Commission's investigations led to the Governor's appointment of a task force in July 1988 to review the management and operations of the Commission. The task force report culminated in PA 89-332, which imposes a time frame on the investigation process and changes how commissioners and hearing officers are appointed.

Arthur L. Green was the director of the Commission throughout O'Neill's tenure. The majority of the letters addressed to the Governor were forwarded to the Commission for response. Howard Rifkin, Governor's Legal Counsel, handled most of the correspondence.

The mission of the Governor's Human Services Cabinet was to enhance the ability of Connecticut residents to achieve productive work, maximum self-sufficiency and a quality of life that is meaningful to them and their families. The goals were to advise the Governor on emerging human services issues, ensure the development of coordinated human services policies, and ensure coordinated delivery of human service programs that are responsive to the needs of Connecticut residents. The Cabinet was active from 1987-1990.

The records in this sub-series include agenda, minutes, notices and background material for meetings of the Cabinet and meeting notices for Interagency Initiative Days.

The Department of Income Maintenance administered programs that provided financial, medical, and food assistance. Programs included Medicaid (Title XIX), Aid for Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), food stamps, and energy assistance. The department's activities expanded during O'Neill's tenure, due in part to federal budget cuts and new federal regulations that "reformed" the nation's welfare system.

In 1982 the Department created the Food Stamp Fraud Unit to investigate and refer suspected fraud to the State Police. The state had been censured several times for the high error rate in this program. During the 1982-1983 fiscal year, the Department developed the first contract with a Health Maintenance Organization to provide medical care to AFDC recipients. To reduce Medicaid costs, the Department conducted a pilot program of evaluating recipients to determine if home or community-based care would be feasible, thereby keeping the elderly from entering nursing homes. That year also saw the creation of the Medicaid Cost Containment Task Force, which issued its report in early 1984. In December of that year, the Department developed training sessions to help AFDC recipients find and keep jobs.

Two of the most common complaints among the letters the Governor received related to low reimbursement rates for health care providers, and the slow and often incorrect billing that developed when an automated system took over that function. In response to the first complaints, in November 1985 the state government made the first of several increases in the Medicaid fee schedule for physicians and dentists.

Other missives asked the Governor for financial assistance, reported alleged welfare fraud, appealed for additional Medicaid or AFDC funds, suggested ways to improve the welfare system, or relayed changes in the federal welfare system that had direct impact on the state.

Commissioners of the Department from 1980-1990 were Edward W. Maher (1980-1982), Stephen B. Heintz (1983-1988) and Lorraine M. Aronson (1989-1990). The current Department of Social Services administers the programs once the purview of Income Maintenance.

Letters in favor of and opposed to a state income tax. Those in favor of the tax see it as a way to offset President Reagan's cuts to social programs. The Governor re-asserts his position against a state income tax. Also included is a letter proposing an alternative federal income tax rate. Additional correspondence about a state income tax and a "tax revolt" in which constituents sent the Governor tea bags, are found in the Sub-series "Taxes."

The Governor proclaims July 4, 1987 as Independence Day and asks mayors and first selectmen to ring their town bells for two minutes starting at 2:00 pm on July 4 in commemoration of the event.

Governor Ella Grasso created the Governor's Information Bureau. As described in an undated brochure, "The purpose of having an Information Bureau is to eliminate the "Communications curtain" between private citizens and State government." It had four operators who connected callers to any one of 22 state agencies. The agencies would "provide answers to questions, resolve problems, handle complaints and receive comment on current issues involving State government."

The Sub-series consists of statistical reports of the number and types of calls received at the Bureau in several months of one year.

Violators of state laws were assessed a fine that could be paid by mail to the Infractions Bureau without going to court. The Bureau is part of the Judicial Branch of state government. The correspondence in these files contains complaints about receiving a ticket or citation and assertions of innocence. Additional letters can be found in the Sub-series "Motor Vehicles" and "Public Safety."

In 1983 the Governor presented to the General Assembly a ten-year plan for infrastructure renewal focusing on the repair, repaving, or replacement of the state's roads, highways and bridges. The plan was the result, in part, of the appointment of a Task Force on Government Facilities charged with developing a coordinated program to deal with the state's infrastructure. The collapse of the Mianus River Bridge on Interstate 95 on June 28, 1983, catapulted the need to fund the plan to a top priority.

Additional information about infrastructure can be found in the Sub-series "Transportation."

Complaints about insurance rates or the practices of insurance companies are handled by the Insurance Department, established in 1865. The Commissioner supervises insurance companies and their agents licensed to do business in Connecticut, and administers laws regulating insurance companies and insurance-related entities.

The bulk of letters in this Sub-series consist of complaints about the high and continually rising rates of health and automobile insurance and complaints about individual companies. The Governor's staff also filed in this subject area letters concerning benefits for retired state employees.

Joseph C. Mike (1980-1982), Peter W. Gillies (1983-1988), and Peter F. Kelly (1989-1990) served as Commissioner of the Department.

The correspondence in this Sub-series consists of correspondence with the President's Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and a state response to proposed federal rule changes.

Evaluations of or expressions of interest in serving as interns in the Governor's office or with a state agency.

The Interstate Commerce Commission was an independent government agency charged with regulating fees and services of specified carriers (railroads, trucks, buses, oil pipelines, etc.) engaged in transportation between states. The Commission was terminated in 1995.

The Governor corresponded with the Commission when a school group had trouble with the Cross Sound Ferry running between Connecticut and Long Island, and when he supported the application of a trucking company seeking authority to engage in interstate commerce.

"The Jefferson Awards and the American Institute for Public Service were founded in 1973, to honor to highest ideals and achievements in the field of public service in the United States. Through its annual Jefferson Awards, the Institute recognizes the dedication, sacrifice, and accomplishments of individuals serving the American people and strives to develop new leadership."

The materials in these files represent the Governor's activities as a member of the Board of Nominations.

The Judicial system is one of the three branches of government responsible for interpreting and upholding the laws of the state. The Supreme and Appellate Courts review Superior Court decisions. The Superior Court hears all legal controversies except those related to probate. There are four divisions within the Superior Court--civil, criminal, family and housing. The Probate Court administers estates of the deceased, oversees adoptions, appoints guardians and can commit someone who is mentally ill. The Chief Court Administrator supervises the daily operations of the courts.

The Governor's staff filed complaints about attorneys, judges and the courts, assertions of innocence, concerns about jail overcrowding, comments about jury duty, inmate complaints, and letters in opposition to the early release of criminals in this subject area. Directives from the U.S. Department of Justice and information about the Statewide Grievance Committee were also filed here.

Additional correspondence concerning the topics above can be found in "Corrections," "Infractions Bureau," and "Legal."

Suggestions for the Democratic Party platform, sent to Governor O'Neill from a Hartford attorney, along with copies of newspaper articles to support his ideas.

The Department of Labor protects and promotes the interests of Connecticut's workers. Services include unemployment compensation, assistance with job searches, job training, mediation of labor disputes, wage regulation, and workers' compensation. The materials in this Sub-series illustrate the need for and use of these services, and how those changed over time in response to the economy.

Correspondence the Governor received covered a wide range of topics. Among them were protests of pending layoffs, questions about training programs, concerns about the minimum wage rate and prevailing wage laws, and concerns about union negotiations and labor strikes. O'Neill heard from constituents angered that former Air Traffic Controllers who did not return to work after the strike in 1981 were eligible for unemployment benefits. The Governor also monitored strikes at Electric Boat (1984, 1988), Colt Industries (1986) and Southern New England Telephone (1986).

Filed alphabetically by topic after the general correspondence are files representing divisions, councils, and programs administered by the Department. The Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), replaced in 1983 by the Job Training Partnership Act, were federally funded programs designed to provide classroom and on-the-job training to economically disadvantaged and displaced residents so they could secure employment. The Governor received copies of grant applications and notices of awards, heard from constituents who approved of the programs and those who did not, received recommendations from and minutes of the Job Training Coordinating Council, and learned about implementing the Economic Dislocation and Worker Adjustment Assistance Act.

The Employment Security Division determined the eligibility for and facilitated payment of unemployment claims which the state and federal governments paid jointly. Connecticut unemployment rates increased dramatically in the early 1980s d