Connecticut

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State of Connecticut

Flag of Connecticut [[Seal of {{{Name}}}]] Nickname(s): The Constitution State, The Nutmeg State[1] Motto(s): Qui transtulit sustinet[1]
Official language(s)	English
Capital	Hartford
Largest city	Bridgeport
Largest metro area	Hartford
Area	Ranked 48th
- Total	5,549 sq mi (14,371 km²)
- Width	70 miles (113 km)
- Length	110 miles (177 km)
- % water	12.6
- Latitude	40°58'N to 42°3'N
- Longitude	71°47'W to 73°44'W
Population	Ranked 29th
- Total (2000)	3,405,565[2]
- Density	702.9/sq mi  271.40/km² (4th)
- Median income	$55,970 (4th)
Elevation
- Highest point	South slope of Mount Frissel[3] Note: The peak of Mount Frissel is in Massachusetts 2,380 ft  (726 m)
- Mean	500 ft  (152 m)
- Lowest point	Long Island Sound[3] 0 ft  (0 m)
Admission to Union	January 9, 1788 (5th)
Governor	M. Jodi Rell (R)
U.S. Senators	Chris Dodd (D) Joseph Lieberman (ID)
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Abbreviations	CT Conn. US-CT
Web site	www.ct.gov

Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the United States, located in the northeastern part of the country. Southwestern Connecticut is part of the Tri-State Region or New York metropolitan area, which also includes northern New Jersey and southern New York.

Connecticut is the 29th most populous state and 48th state for largest area, making it the 4th most densely populated state.^[2]

Contents 1 Geography 1.1 Climate 2 History 3 Names and symbols 4 Demographics 4.1 Race, ancestry, and language 4.2 Religion 5 Economy 5.1 Taxation 5.2 Real estate 5.3 Industries 6 Transportation 6.1 Roads 6.2 Public transportation 6.2.1 Rail 6.2.2 Bus 6.2.3 Air 7 Law and government 7.1 Executive 7.2 Legislative 7.3 Judicial 7.4 Local government 8 Politics 8.1 Political corruption 9 Education 10 Sports 11 Famous residents 12 See also 13 References 14 External links

[edit] Geography

Further information: Geology of Connecticut

Connecticut is bordered on the south by Long Island Sound, on the west by New York State, on the north by Massachusetts, and on the east by Rhode Island. The state capital is Hartford, and other major cities include New Haven, New London, New Britain, Norwich, Milford, Norwalk, Stamford, Waterbury, Danbury and Bridgeport. There are 169 incorporated towns in Connecticut. There is an ongoing civic pride and economic competition between Hartford and New Haven,^{[citation needed]} which stems back to the days when the two cities shared the state's capital, and even back to the rivalry between New Haven Colony and Connecticut Colony.

The highest peak in Connecticut is Bear Mountain in Salisbury in the northwest corner of the state. The highest point is just east of where Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York meet (42° 3' N; 73° 29' W), on the southern slope of Mount Frissell, whose peak lies nearby in Massachusetts.^[4]

The Connecticut River cuts through the center of the state, flowing into Long Island Sound, Connecticut's outlet to the Atlantic Ocean.

Further information: List of Connecticut rivers

Despite its size, the state has regional variations in its landscape and culture from the wealthy estates of Fairfield County's "Gold Coast" to the rolling mountains and horse-farms of the Litchfield Hills of northwestern Connecticut. Connecticut's rural areas and small towns in the northeast and northwest corners of the state contrast sharply with its industrial cities, located along the coastal highways from the New York border to New Haven, then northwards to Hartford, as well as further up the coast near New London. Many towns center around a small park, known as a "green," (such as the New Haven Green). Near the green may stand a small white church, a town meeting hall, a tavern and several colonial houses. Forests, rivers, lakes, waterfalls and a sandy shore add to the state's beauty.

Further information: List of Connecticut state forests

The northern boundary of the state with Massachusetts is marked by the distinctive Southwick Jog/Granby Notch, an approximately 2.5 mile (4.0 km) square detour into Connecticut slightly west of the center of the border. Somewhat surprisingly, the actual origin of this anomaly is not absolutely certain, with stories ranging from surveyors who were drunk, attempting to avoid hostile Native Americans, or taking a shortcut up the Connecticut River; Massachusetts residents attempting to avoid Massachusetts' high taxes for the low taxes of Connecticut; Massachusetts' interest in the resources represented by the Congamond Lakes which lie on the border of the jog; and the need to compensate Massachusetts for an amount of land given to Connecticut due to inaccurate survey work.^[5][6] The dispute over the border retarded development in the region, since neither state would invest in public services for the area until the dispute had been settled.^{[citation needed]}

The southwestern border of Connecticut, where it abuts New York State, is marked by a panhandle in Fairfield County, containing the towns of Greenwich, Stamford, New Canaan and Darien. This irregularity in the boundary is the result of territorial disputes in the late 1600s, culminating with New York giving up its claim to this area, whose residents considered themselves part of Connecticut, in exchange for an equivalent area extending northwards from Ridgefield, Connecticut to the Massachusetts border as well as undisputed claim to Rye, New York.^[7]

Further information: Connecticut Panhandle

Areas maintained by the National Park Service include: Appalachian National Scenic Trail; Quinebaug & Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor; and Weir Farm National Historic Site

[edit] Climate

Connecticut has a Humid Continental Climate, with seasonal extremes tempered by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. Winters are cold, with average temperatures ranging from 31°F (-1° C) in the southeast to 23°F (-5°C) in the northwest in January. The average yearly snowfall is about 25–100" (64–254 cm) across the state, with higher totals in the northwest. Spring has variable temperatures with frequent rainfall. Summer is hot and humid throughout the state, with average highs in New London of 81°F (27°C) and 87°F (31°C) in Windsor Locks. Fall months are mild, and bring foliage across the state in October and November. During hurricane season, tropical cyclones occasionally affect the region. Thunderstorms are most frequent during the summer, occurring on average 30 times annually. These storms can be severe, though tornadoes are rare.^[8]

[edit] History

Main article: History of Connecticut

The name "Connecticut" originates from the Mohican word for the Connecticut River, quinnitukqut, meaning "long tidal river."^[9] The first European explorer in Connecticut was the Dutch explorer Adriaen Block. After he explored this region in 1614, Dutch fur traders sailed up the Connecticut River (Named Versche Rivier by the Dutch) and built a fort near present-day Hartford, which they called "House of Hope" (Dutch: Huys de Hoop). The first English settlers came in 1633. They were Puritans from Massachusetts, led by the Puritan reverend Thomas Hooker. They founded the Connecticut Colony in 1636. Colonies were also established at Old Saybrook and New Haven, which later became part of Connecticut. Historically important colonial settlements included:

Windsor (1633),

Wethersfield (1634),

Saybrook (1635),

Hartford (1636),

New Haven (1638),

and New London (1646).

Because the Dutch were outnumbered by the English settlers, they left their fort in 1654. Its first constitution, the "Fundamental Orders," was adopted on January 14, 1639, while its current constitution, the third for Connecticut, was adopted in 1965. Connecticut is the fifth of the original thirteen states.

The western boundaries of Connecticut have been subject to change over time. According to a 1650 agreement with the Dutch, the western boundary of Connecticut ran north from the west side of Greenwich Bay "provided the said line come not within 10 miles [16 km] of Hudson River." On the other hand, Connecticut's original Charter in 1662 granted it all the land to the "South Sea," i.e. the Pacific Ocean. This probably added confusion to the early forefathers because the Pacific Ocean is located on the west coast of the United States. Agreements with New York, the "Pennamite Wars" with Pennsylvania over Westmoreland County, followed by Congressional intervention, and the relinquishment and sale of the Western Reserve lands brought the state to its present boundaries.

[edit] Names and symbols

Connecticut's official nickname, adopted in 1959, is "The Constitution State," based on its colonial constitution of 1638–39.^[1] Unofficially (but popularly) Connecticut is also known as "The Nutmeg State".^[1] The nutmeg connection to Connecticut may come from its sailors returning from voyages with nutmeg (which in the 18th and 19th centuries was a very valuable spice in New England). It is also said to come from Yankee peddlers from Connecticut who would sell small carved nobs of wood shaped to look like nutmeg to unsuspecting customers.^[10] George Washington gave Connecticut the title of "The Provisions State"^[1] because of the material aid the state rendered to the Revolutionary War effort. Connecticut is also known as "The Land of Steady Habits".^[1]

According to Webster's New International Dictionary, 1993, a person who is a native or resident of Connecticut is a "Connecticuter". There are numerous other terms coined in print, but not in use, such as: "Connecticotian" - Cotton Mather in 1702. "Connecticutensian" - Samuel Peters in 1781. "Nutmegger" is sometimes used, as is "Yankee."^[11] The traditional abbreviation of the state's name is "Conn."; the official postal abbreviation is CT.

Commemorative stamps issued by the United States Postal Service with Connecticut themes include Nathan Hale, Eugene O'Neill, the whaling ship the Charles W. Morgan which is docked in Mystic Seaport, and a decoy of a broadbill duck.

Connecticut state insignia and historical figures^{[1], except where noted}

State tree	White Oak; or more specifically, the Charter Oak
State bird	American Robin
State flower	Mountain Laurel
State insect	European Mantis
State animal	Sperm Whale
State mineral	Garnet
State shellfish	Eastern Oyster
State fish	American Shad
State fossil	Eubrontes giganteus
State ship	USS Nautilus (SSN-571)
State flagship and tall ship ambassador	Freedom Schooner Amistad
State aircraft	F4U Corsair
State tartan	visible here
State song	Yankee Doodle
State folk dance	Square dance
State cantata	The Nutmeg
State hero	Nathan Hale
State heroine	Prudence Crandall
State composer	Charles Edward Ives
State statues in Statuary Hall	Roger Sherman and Jonathan Trumbull[12]
State poet laureate	John Hollander
Connecticut State Troubadour	Pierce Campbell[13]
State composer laureate	Jacob Druckman

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1790	237,946		–
1800	251,002		5.5%
1810	261,942		4.4%
1820	275,248		5.1%
1830	297,675		8.1%
1840	309,978		4.1%
1850	370,792		19.6%
1860	460,147		24.1%
1870	537,454		16.8%
1880	622,700		15.9%
1890	746,258		19.8%
1900	908,420		21.7%
1910	1,114,756		22.7%
1920	1,380,631		23.9%
1930	1,606,903		16.4%
1940	1,709,242		6.4%
1950	2,007,280		17.4%
1960	2,535,234		26.3%
1970	3,031,709		19.6%
1980	3,107,576		2.5%
1990	3,287,116		5.8%
2000	3,405,565		3.6%
Sources:[14][15]

As of 2005, Connecticut has an estimated population of 3,510,297,^[16] which is an increase of 11,331, or 0.3%, from the prior year and an increase of 104,695, or 3.1%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 67,427 people (that is 222,222 births minus 154,795 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 41,718 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 75,991 people, and migration within the country produced a net loss of 34,273 people. Based on the 2005 estimates, Connecticut moves from the 29th most populous state to 30th.^[16]

6.6% of its population was reported as being under 5 years old, 24.7% under 18 years old, and 13.8% were 65 years of age or older. Females made up approximately 51.6% of the population, with 48.4% male.

In 1790, 97% of the population in Connecticut were classified as "rural". The first census in which less than half the population was classified as rural was 1890. In the 2000 census, it was only 12.3%.

The center of population of Connecticut is located in the town of Cheshire.^[17]

[edit] Race, ancestry, and language

Demographics of Connecticut (csv)
By race	White	Black	AIAN	Asian	NHPI
AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native   -   NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
2000 (total population)	87.09%	10.46%	0.73%	2.83%	0.13%
2000 (Hispanic only)	8.31%	1.04%	0.14%	0.07%	0.04%
2005 (total population)	86.09%	10.88%	0.76%	3.56%	0.15%
2005 (Hispanic only)	9.74%	1.09%	0.16%	0.07%	0.05%
Growth 2000-2005 (total population)	1.89%	7.19%	6.59%	29.77%	15.41%
Growth 2000-2005 (non-Hispanic only)	-0.11%	7.16%	3.74%	30.12%	16.21%
Growth 2000-2005 (Hispanic only)	20.87%	7.40%	18.36%	14.98%	13.68%

As of 2004, 11.4% of the population (400,000) was foreign-born, and 10% of the foreign-born in the state were illegal aliens (about 1.1% of the population). In 1870, native-born Americans had accounted for 75% of the state's population, but that had dropped to 35% by 1918.

As of 2000, 81.69% of Connecticut residents age 5 and older spoke English at home and 8.42% spoke Spanish, followed by Italian at 1.59%, French at 1.31% and Polish at 1.20%.^[18]

The five largest reported ancestries in the state are: Italian (18.6%), Irish (16.6%), English (10.3%), German (9.9%), and French/French Canadian (9.9%).

Connecticut has a large Italian-American population, although residents of British, Irish, German, and other ancestries are also present, with old-stock Americans being the largest percentage of the population in the eastern part of the state. Italian is the largest ancestry group in five of the state's counties, while the Irish are the largest group in Tolland county, French-Canadians the largest group in Windham county, and old stock New England Yankees are present throughout. Connecticut is the most Italian-American state percentage-wise, just above Rhode Island. Blacks and Hispanics (mostly Puerto Ricans) are numerous in the urban areas of the state. Connecticut also has a sizable Polish American population, with New Britain containing the largest Polish-American population in the state.

More recent immigrant populations include those from Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil, Guatemala and Panama.

[edit] Religion

A 2001 survey of Connecticut residents' religious self-identification showed the following distribution of affiliations:^[19]

• Roman Catholic – 32%
• Baptist – 10%
• Episcopal – 6%
• Methodist – 4%
• Lutheran – 4%
• Congregational/United Church of Christ – 2%
• Presbyterian – 1%
• Pentecostal – 1%
• Other Protestant or general Protestant – 4%
• Latter-Day Saint – 2%
• Church of Christ – 2%
• Assembly of God – 1%
• Non-denominational – 1%
• Other Christian – 7%
• Jewish – 1%
• Muslim – 1%
• Other Religions – 4%
• Non-Religious – 12%
• No answer – 6%

There is a significant Jewish population in the state, concentrated in the towns near Long Island Sound between Greenwich and New Haven, in Greater New Haven and in Greater Hartford, especially the suburb of West Hartford.

Recent immigration has brought other non-Christian religions to the state, but the numbers of adherents of other religions are still low.

[edit] Economy

The total gross state product for 2004 was $187 billion. The per capita income for 2005 was $47,819, ranking first among the states.^[20] There is, however, a great disparity in incomes through the state; although New Canaan has one of the highest per capita incomes in America, Hartford is one of the ten cities with the lowest per capita incomes in America (although, to be fair, the low number is due completely to the fact that the city, like other cities in the area, has an extremely small footprint relative to a typical American city and therefore does not have more middle-income areas included in its total to "balance out", statistically, inner areas with older housing stock and a poorer population—in reality, Hartford and its immediate surrounding suburbs is arguably the wealthiest city in the United States when personal incomes are compared with cost of living).^{[citation needed]} Fairfield County has become a bedroom community for higher-paid New York City workers seeking a less urban lifestyle. This in turn has attracted businesses wishing to remain near New York City to southwestern Connecticut, most notably to Stamford.^{[citation needed]}

New Canaan is the wealthiest town in Connecticut, with a per capita income of $85,459. Darien, Greenwich, Stamford, Weston, Woodbridge, Westport and Wilton also have per capita incomes over $65,000. Hartford is the poorest city in Connecticut, with a per capita income of $13,428 (although, as with other cities in New England, that number is artificially low because of the municipality's very small land "footprint"; see above).^{[citation needed]} There are other lower-income and blue-collar towns, mostly parts of towns, in the eastern part of the State. Poor and medium wealth households are particularly affected by a very high cost of living, due to a combination of expensive real estate, expensive heating for the winters, and other factors.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Taxation

Prior to 1991, Connecticut had a highly populist income tax system. Income from employment was untaxed, but income from investments was taxed at the highest rate in the United States: 13%. And this burden was further increased by the method of calculation: no deductions were allowed for the cost (for example, interest on borrowing) of producing the investment income. Under Governor Lowell P. Weicker, Jr., an Independent, this was reformed to the present system.

This system prior to 1991 made it an attractive haven for high-salaried earners fleeing the heavy taxes of New York State, but highly unattractive for members of Wall Street partnerships. It put an enormous burden on Connecticut property tax payers, particularly in the cities with their more extensive municipal services. As a result, the middle class largely fled the urban areas for the suburbs, taking stores and other tax-paying businesses with them, leaving mostly the urban poor in the older, central areas of Connecticut cities.^{[citation needed]}

With Weicker's 1991 tax reform, the tax on employment and investment income was equalized at a then-maximum of 4%. Since then, Greenwich, Connecticut, has become the headquarters of choice for a large number of America's largest hedge funds, and Connecticut income from that industry has soared. Today the income tax rate on Connecticut individuals is divided into two tax brackets of 3% and 5%.^[21] All wages of a Connecticut resident are subject to the state's income tax, even when the resident works outside of the state. However, in those cases, Connecticut income tax must be withheld only to the extent the Connecticut tax exceeds the amount withheld by the other jurisdiction. Since New York state has higher tax rates than Connecticut, this effectively means that Connecticut residents that work in New York state pay no income tax to Connecticut.

Connecticut levies a 6% state sales tax on the retail sale, lease, or rental of most goods. Some items and services in general are not subject to sales and use taxes unless specifically enumerated as taxable by statute. There are no additional sales taxes imposed by local jurisdictions.

All real and personal property located within the state of Connecticut is taxable unless specifically exempted by statute. All assessments are at 70% of fair market value. The maximum property tax credit is $500 per return and any excess may not be refunded or carried forward.^[21] Connecticut does not levy an intangible personal property tax.

[edit] Real estate

Homes in southwestern Connecticut on the fringes of the New York City metropolitan area are quite expensive. Many towns have median home prices over $500,000, with some more desirable homes exceeding $1 million. Connecticut has the most million-dollar homes in the northeast, and the second most in the nation after California, with 3.3% of homes in Connecticut priced over one million dollars in 2003.^[22]

[edit] Industries

The agricultural output for the state is nursery stock, eggs, dairy products, cattle, and tobacco. Its industrial outputs are transportation equipment (especially helicopters, aircraft parts, and nuclear submarines), heavy industrial machinery and electrical equipment, fabricated metal products, chemical and pharmaceutical products, and scientific instruments.

Due to the prominence of the aircraft industry in the state, Connecticut has an official state aircraft, the F4U Corsair, and an official Connecticut Aviation Pioneer, Igor Sikorsky. The state officially recognizes aircraft designer Gustav Whitehead as "Father of Connecticut Aviation" for his research into powered flight in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1901, two years before the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.^[23] Governor John Dempsey also declared August 15 to be "Gustave Whitehead Day."^[24]

A report issued by the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism on December 7, 2006 demonstrated that the economic impact of the arts, film, history and tourism generated more than $14 billion in economic activity and 170,000 jobs annually. This provides $9 billion in personal income for Connecticut residents and $1.7 billion in state and local revenue.^[25]

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Roads

Glaciers carved valleys in Connecticut running north to south; as a result, many more roadways in the state run north to south than do east to west, mimicking the previous use of the many north-south rivers as transportation.^{[citation needed]} The Interstate highways in the state are I-95 (the Connecticut Turnpike) running southwest to northeast along the coast, I-84 running southwest to northeast in the center of the state, I-91 running north to south in the center of the state, and I-395 running north to south near the eastern border of the state. The other major highways in Connecticut are the Merritt Parkway and Wilbur Cross Parkway, which together form State Route 15, running from the Hutchinson River Parkway in New York State parallel to I-95 before turning north of New Haven and running parallel to I-91, finally becoming a surface road in Berlin, Connecticut. Route 15 and I-95 were originally toll roads; they relied on a system of toll plazas at which all traffic stopped and payed fixed tolls. A series of terrible crashes at these plazas eventually contributed to the decision to remove the tolls in 1988.^[26] Other major arteries in the state include U.S. Route 7, State Route 8, and State Route 9. See List of State Routes in Connecticut for an overview of the state's highway system.

Between New Haven and the New York City, I-95 is one of the most congested highways in the United States. Many people now drive longer distances to work in the New York City area. This strains the three lanes of traffic capacity, resulting in lengthy rush hour delays. Frequently, the congestion spills over to clog the parallel Merritt Parkway. The state has encouraged traffic reduction schemes, including rail use and ride-sharing.^[27]

[edit] Public transportation

[edit] Rail

There is an extensive commuter railway network connecting New York City to New Haven on Metro North Railroad with spurs servicing Waterbury, Danbury, and New Canaan. Further commuter service to is provided to New London via Shore Line East. These commuter services are heavily utilized during weekday rush hours. Regional rail service is provided by Amtrak, which makes regular stops in Stamford, Bridgeport, New Haven, and Hartford. There are plans to operate commuter trains from New Haven to Springfield on Amtrak's New Haven-Springfield Line.^[28]

[edit] Bus

Statewide bus service is supplied by Connecticut Transit, owned by the Connecticut Department of Transportation, with smaller municipal authorities providing local service. Bus networks are an important part of the transportation system in Connecticut, especially in urban areas like Hartford, Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport and New Haven. Construction is about to begin on a busway from New Britain to Hartford.^[29]

[edit] Air

Bradley International Airport is located in Windsor Locks, 15 miles (24 km) north of Hartford. Regional air service is provided at Tweed-New Haven Airport. Larger civil airports include Danbury Municipal Airport and Waterbury-Oxford Airport in western Connecticut. The Westchester County Airport in Harrison, New York serves part of southwestern Connecticut. The airport is on the New York - Connecticut state line, and part of its runway extends into Connecticut.

[edit] Law and government

See also: Administrative divisions of Connecticut

Hartford has been the sole capital of Connecticut since 1875. Before then, New Haven and Hartford alternated as capitals.^[30]

[edit] Executive

The governor heads the executive branch. The current Governor of Connecticut is M. Jodi Rell (Republican). There is also a Lieutenant Governor. From 1639 until the adoption of the 1818 constitution, the governor presided over the General Assembly. Connecticut was the first state in the United States to elect a woman as governor without electing her husband first, Ella Grasso in 1974.

There are several executive departments: Administrative Services, Agriculture, Banking, Children and Families, Consumer Protection, Correction, Economic and Community Development, Education, Environmental Protection, Higher Education, Information Technology, Insurance, Labor, Mental Health and Addiction Services, Mental Retardation, Military, Motor Vehicles, Public Health, Public Safety, Public Utility Control, Public Works, Revenue Services, Social Services, Transportation, Veterans Affairs. In addition to these departments, there are other independent bureaus, offices and commissions.^[31]

In addition to the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, there are four other executive officers named in the state constitution that are elected directly by voters: Secretary of State, Treasurer, Comptroller and Attorney General. All executive officers are elected to four year terms.^[30]

[edit] Legislative

The legislature is the General Assembly. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of an upper body, the State Senate (36 senators); and a lower body, the House of Representatives (151 representatives).^[30] Bills must pass each house in order to become law. The governor can veto the bill, but this veto can be overridden by a two-thirds majority in each house. Senators and representatives, all of whom must be at least eighteen years of age, are elected to two-year terms in November on even-numbered years. The Lieutenant Governor presides over the senate, except when absent from the chamber, when the President Pro Tempore presides. The Speaker of the House presides over the House; James A. Amann is the current Speaker of the House of Connecticut. The Democrats currently hold the majority in both houses of the General Assembly.

Connecticut's U.S. senators are Christopher J. Dodd (Democrat) and Joseph I. Lieberman (Independent - CT For Lieberman). Connecticut currently has five representatives in the U.S. House.

[edit] Judicial

The highest court of Connecticut's judicial branch is the Supreme Court, headed by the Chief Justice of Connecticut. The Supreme Court is responsible for deciding on the constitutionality of the law or cases as they relate to the law. Its proceedings are similar to those of the United States Supreme Court, with no testimony given by witnesses, and the lawyers of the two sides each present oral arguments no longer than thirty minutes. Following a court proceeding, the court may take several months to arrive at a judgment. The current Chief Justice is William J. Sullivan.

Before 1818 the highest court in Connecticut was the General Assembly, and later, the Upper House, with the Governor having the title "Chief Judge".^{[citation needed]} In 1818, the court became a separate entity, independent of the legislative and executive branches.^[32] The Appellate Court and the Superior Courts are lower courts.

[edit] Local government

See also: Administrative divisions of Connecticut and several lists: List of municipalities of Connecticut by population, List of towns in Connecticut, List of cities in Connecticut, Borough (Connecticut), List of counties in Connecticut

Connecticut has 169 towns, which serve as the fundamental local political subdivision of the state; the entire state is divided into towns.^[30] Connecticut shares a local form of government with the rest of New England called the New England town. There are also 21 cities,^[30] most of which are coterminous with their namesake towns and have a merged city-town government. There are two exceptions: City of Groton, which is a subsection of the Town of Groton and the City of Winsted in the Town of Winchester. There are also nine incorporated boroughs which may provide additional services to a section of town.^[30][33] One, Naugatuck, is a consolidated town and borough.

Unlike most other states, Connecticut does not have county government. Connecticut counties were mostly eliminated in 1960, with the exception of the sheriff system.^[34] In 2000, the county sheriff was abolished and replaced with the state marshal system, which has districts that follow the old county territories. The judicial system is divided, at the trial court level, into judicial districts.^[35] The eight counties are still widely used for purely geographical purposes, such as weather reports.

[edit] Politics

Presidential elections results^[36]

Year	Republican	Democratic
2004	43.95% 693,826	54.31% 857,488
2000	38.44% 561,094	55.91% 816,015
1996	34.69% 483,109	52.83% 735,740
1992	35.78% 578,313	42.21% 682,318
1988	51.98% 750,241	46.87% 676,584
1984	60.73% 890,877	38.83% 569,597
1980	48.16% 677,210	38.52% 541,732
1976	52.06% 719,261	46.90% 647,895
1972	58.57% 810,763	40.13% 555,498
1968	44.32% 556,721	49.48% 621,561
1964	32.09% 390,996	67.81% 826,269
1960	46.27% 565,813	53.73% 657,055

Connecticut is a generally left-leaning state, allotting its electoral votes to Democratic candidates in the past four presidential elections but to Republican presidential candidates five times in the 1970s and 1980s. Connecticut has a high number of voters who are not registered with a major party. As of 2004, 33.7% of registered voters were registered Democratic, 22.0% were registered Republican, and 44.0% were unaffiliated with any party, with 0.2% registered with a minor party.^[37] Voters in the state are more supportive of fiscal conservatives and may be considered to be generally socially liberal.

Many Connecticut towns show a marked preference for moderate candidates of either party. Democrats hold a registration edge especially in the cities of Hartford; New Haven; and Bridgeport. The state's Republican-leaning areas are the rural Litchfield County and adjoining towns in the west of Hartford County, the Naugatuck River Valley, and some of the affluent Fairfield County towns near the New York border. The suburban towns of New Canaan and Darien in Fairfield County are considered the most Republican areas in the state, the former being the hometown of conservative activist Ann Coulter. Westport, a wealthy town a few miles to the east, is often considered one of the most loyally-Democratic, liberal towns in Fairfield County. Waterbury is tends to favor conservative candidates. Norwalk and Stamford, two larger, affluent communities in Fairfield County, have in many elections favored moderate Republicans including former Governor John G. Rowland and Congressman Chris Shays, however they tend to favor Democratic mayorial candidates as well as US presidential candidates. In Danbury unaffiliated voters outnumber voters registered with either major party. Other smaller cities including Meriden, New Britain, and Middletown favor Democratic candidates.

Democrats hold veto-proof majorities in both houses of the state legislature. In 2006, Republicans were reduced from three out of five to one out of five congressional seats. The remaining Republican, Chris Shays, is the only Republican from New England in the current Congress. Christopher Dodd and Joseph Lieberman are Connecticut's U.S. senators. The senior Dodd is a Democrat while the junior Lieberman serves as an Independent Democrat caucusing with Senate Democrats after his victory on the Connecticut for Lieberman ballot line in the 2006 general election. Lieberman's predecessor, Lowell P. Weicker, Jr., was the last Connecticut Republican to serve as Senator. Weicker was known as a liberal Republican. He broke with President Richard Nixon during Watergate and successfully ran for governor in 1990 as an independent, creating A Connecticut Party as his election vehicle. Before Weicker, the last Republican to represent Connecticut in the Senate was Prescott Bush, the father of former President George H.W. Bush and the grandfather of President George W. Bush. He served from 1953–1963.

Further information: U.S. presidential election, 2004, in Connecticut

[edit] Political corruption

In recent years, Connecticut politics has been plagued by widespread corruption. Several mayors, state legislators, and government employees have been convicted and imprisoned for crimes ranging from bribery to racketeering. In 2004, Governor John G. Rowland, a Republican, was forced to resign when it was discovered he helped steer state contracts to firms that offered him gifts and free vacations.^[38] Following his resignation, he plead guilty to corruption charges and served ten months in federal prison. On the more extreme end, former Waterbury Mayor Philip Giordano (R) was stripped of power in 2001 after a corruption investigation had to be cut short when phone taps unexpectedly revealed alleged sexual acts with 8- and 10-year-old minor girls and other possible pedophilia charges.^[39] In 2003, he was convicted and sentenced to 37 years in federal prison.^[40] Democrats have been convicted of corruption as well, most notably former Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim. The current Mayor of Bridgeport, John Fabrizi admitted to using cocaine while in office, but has stayed on.^[41][42]

Following Rowland's resignation, the state legislature passed a campaign finance reform bill that bans contributions from lobbyists and state contractors in future campaigns.^[43]

[edit] Education

Connecticut is well-known as the home of Yale University, which maintains a consistent ranking as one of the world's greatest and richest universities, and has the most selective undergraduate program of any university in the United States (an 8.6% acceptance rate in 2006).^[44][45] Yale is one of the largest employers in the state, and its research activity has recently spun off dozens of growing biotechnology companies, which have brought in billions of dollars to the economy of New Haven and the State in general.

The University of Connecticut is the state's land-grant university serving over 27,000 students on its six campuses, including the main campus in Storrs. Many other colleges and universities are located in the state, see list of colleges and universities in Connecticut for a comprehensive listing.

Connecticut's many primary and secondary educational institutions include many noted boarding schools, such as Miss Porter's School, Choate Rosemary Hall, Hotchkiss, Pomfret School, Avon Old Farms, Loomis Chaffee, Salisbury School and The Taft School which draw students from all over the world, plus the Hopkins School, a private day school based in New Haven and Fairfield College Preparatory School, an all-male Jesuit prep school in Fairfield.

[edit] Sports

• Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association
• From 1979 to 1997, the National Hockey League had a franchise in Hartford, the Hartford Whalers. Their departure to Raleigh, North Carolina caused great controversy and resentment. The former Hartford Whalers are now known as the Carolina Hurricanes.

Minor League Hockey Teams:

• Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League
• Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League
• New England Stars of the North Eastern Hockey League

Minor League Baseball Teams:

• Connecticut Defenders Double-A Affiliate of the San Francisco Giants
• New Britain Rock Cats Double-A Affiliate of the Minnesota Twins

Both of the Eastern League

Independent League Baseball Teams:

• Bridgeport Bluefish of the Atlantic League
• Manchester Silkworms of the New England Collegiate Baseball League
• New Haven County Cutters of the Canadian-American League
• Stamford Robins of the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League
• Torrington Twisters of the New England Collegiate Baseball League

Professional Cycling Teams:

• Team Nerac.com presented by OutdoorLights.com

The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) is the state's sanctioning body for high school sports. Xavier High School (Middletown, CT) claimed the 2005 Class LL football championship. Other state champions in football include Staples (in Westport), Greenwich High School (Greenwich, CT), Branford, Daniel Hand (in Madison), Woodland Regional (in Beacon Falls), East Lyme High School (in East Lyme), Hyde Leadership (in Hamden), Southington High School (in Southington).

[edit] Famous residents

Main article: List of famous residents of Connecticut

Notable figures from the state span American political and cultural history, including Eli Whitney, Benedict Arnold, Nathan Hale, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Mark Twain, John Brown, Charles Ives, Katharine Hepburn, and many others. George Walker Bush, the current President of the United States, was born in Connecticut.

[edit] See also

• Connecticut State Troubadour
• List of television shows set in Connecticut
• Scouting in Connecticut
• Connecticut State Police

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Find more information on Connecticut by searching Wikipedia's sister projects
	Dictionary definitions from Wiktionary
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	Images and media from Commons
	News stories from Wikinews
	Learning resources from Wikiversity

• State of Connecticut - Official state website
• Connecticut State Register & Manual - updated annually
• CTVisit.com - Official state tourism website
• Connecticut travel guide from Wikitravel
• www.ctgenealogy.com Connecticut Society of Genealogists (Est. 1968)
• Connecticut Historical Society
• USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Connecticut
• U.S. Census Bureau
• Connecticut Junior Chamber (Jaycees)
• Connecticut Newspapers
• Connecticut Maps and Demographics
• Connecticut Business & Industry Association
• Connecticut State Facts
• Directory of Web sites of Connecticut towns and cities
• The Stone Wall Initiative
• The Connecticut Business Hall Of Fame
• A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787-1825

Preceded by Georgia

List of U.S. states by date of statehood Ratified Constitution on January 9, 1788 (5th)

Succeeded by Massachusetts

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Coordinates: 41.6° N 72.7° W