Y CT Matters Yankee Institute

In this debut edition of Connecticut Conversations, Yankee Institute DistinguishedFellow and former Minority Leader Themis Klarides hosts a conversation with Prof. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld of Yale University on Connecticut’s public pension funds and its investment track record. The state’s underperformance has cost the state billions — so much so that simply an average performance could have reduced the state income tax in half! Read the full report here. 

In this special two-part interview, Larry Janesky, owner and founder of Connecticut Basement Systems, shares his philosophy of building a successful business and his backstory: from a self-employed carpenter at 17 years old to overseeing thousands of employees. He is the recipient of Yankee Institute’s “Connecticut’s Future” Award at the 2024 Champions of Freedom Gala. Learn more about his business here.

Connecticut’s people suffer from some of the highest electricity rates in the nation. Why is that? The issue stems from the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) rules.

Passed by the legislature in 1998, the RPS severely restricts the ability of utilities to find the cleanest and most efficient means of providing electricity to Connecticut’s residents and businesses, creating higher electric bills as a consequence. Paul Bachman, Adjunct Scholar at the Beacon Hill Institute (BHI) and co-author of Yankee Institute’s latest study, Re-Energize Connecticut: Toward Affordable Electricity for All, explains how to make energy more affordable. Read the full study here.

It’s our 100th episode! To mark the significant milestone, Carol talked with Seth Dillon, CEO of The Babylon Bee, a satirical news site. Known for their conservative wit and “prophecies” (when jokes become reality), the Bee was famously locked out of its Twitter account over a joke. This action prompted Elon Musk to buy the social media giant. Dillon discusses why the Bee was founded, comedy in today’s climate, censorship and free speech, and interactions with Musk. Find the Babylon Bee’s work here.
Also, hear more from Dillon at YI’s “Champions of Freedom Gala” on April 27 at the Woodway Country Club in Darien. Purchase your tickets before April 17 while there are still seats! Buy them here: https://yankeeinstitutegala2024.splashthat.com/

For 98 episodes, YI President Carol Platt Liebau has discussed Connecticut policy, politics and human-interest stories as part of the organization’s efforts to be your eyes, ears and voice. But now the interviewer becomes the interviewee. Andy Fowler, director of internal affairs, guest hosts, asking Carol about her background, her love for Ronald Reagan, her time at Ivy League Schools, the evolution of Yankee Institute during her tenure, her hope for Connecticut and even her favorite musicals. Carol’s full bio can be found here.

How do scholarships benefit students? And how would a tax credit, if passed by the General Assembly, boost providing more educational access to low-income children? Tricia Tucker, head teacher/principal at Fairfield County SDA School, shares students’ journeys from public to private schools and the impact scholarships have had on her school. Learn more about the school here.