East Haven Saves 35 Youths Jobs That The State Cut Funding For: Maturo

By Jack Kramer, Correspondent

EAST HAVEN, CT – Thirty-five young people will not lose their jobs this summer after all, as the town will fork up $26,000 to fund the program that the state won’t pay for.

Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. said Thursday he has told the town’s finance director to re-appropriate town monies to ensure that all of the Town's eligible youths have the opportunity to participate in the Town's "2017 Workforce Alliance" program.

The town is going to pay for each participant, which range in age from 14 to 21, to work 10 hours a week, which is a reduction from the 15 hours per week the participants have worked in the past.

Maturo said, "The Town's 'Workforce Alliance' program is a critical resource to our community's youth insofar as it builds work ethic and gives low-income youths the opportunity to build their resumes with safe, constructive jobs.

“For most participants, this program provides a 'first job,' which helps set them apart from others as they seek other employment as they grow older,” Maturo said.

Maturo added, "The State is currently facing a multi-billion dollar deficit and is carrying $22.5 billion dollars in long term debt, up from $16.2 million just nine years ago. Robbing $26,000 dollars in funding from our children and creating additional obstacles to finding first-time employment is not the way to solve the State's budget issues."

About 5,000 youths are employed in the summer youth program statewide. The state, in the past, has spent $5 million to fund the program. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy had cut funding to $3.5 million in his proposed budget in February, but as the state budget crisis worsened and no budget deal could be reached, he eliminated all funding entirely.

Maturo said, "Our plan, for this summer, is to employ all income-eligible children and participants at a minimum of approximately 10-hours per week. Although this represents a slight reduction from the 15 hours that grant-funded participants would receive under normal funding circumstances, this will ensure we can accommodate every income-eligible East Haven youth who wishes to participate this summer."