The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, known for its lobbying at the state Capitol, has just completed a new report on the dire needs of the state's four poorest cities - Hartford, Bridgeport, New Haven and Waterbury.
Entitled "A Tale of Disproportionate Burden: The special needs of Connecticut's poorer cities,'' the report details the problems of the big four cities that account for 14 percent of the state's overall population.
Based on the Horton vs. Meskill school funding case and the efforts of state lawmakers, the state pours hundreds of millions of dollars each year in to the cities. Hartford receives more than $240 million annually, while New Haven gets nearly $200 million in state funding. Bridgeport receives more than $185 million per year, and Waterbury receives more than $130 million annually. By contrast, Stamford, one of the largest cities in the state, receives about $15 million, and Avon receives about $4 million.