Budget bill would remove funding from towns with Native American logos and images

HARTFORD — Towns and cities that continue to have school mascots, images, nicknames and logos with Native American references could lose state funding under budget-triggering legislation that was heading to a vote Tuesday night in the state Senate’s special session. Under the proposed legislation, even intramural teams would have to drop Native American references. Municipalities could start to lose their share of Native American casino money starting July 1, 2022, unless they have a written agreement with the state’s historically recognized tribes. State Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, said that if schools can get their nearest tribal nations to agree, they can keep the nicknames and logos. “You can keep it anyways,” she said. “You just can’t keep the money if they disagree.” Derby High School, with its “Red Raiders” nickname and arrowhead logo, is one of a dozen in the state that have retained references to Native Americans. In the budget approved last week in the General Assembly, Derby was approved for $207,304 in each year of the biennium. Derby’s mayor Richard Dziekan said Wednesday that the future of its sports mascot would be determined through discussions involving community stakeholders and the Board of Education . “Ultimately, the decision lies with the Board of Education, but in 2021 and in light of all the changes being made nationwide, it will not be something the community takes lightly,” Dziekan said in an emailed statement Wednesday. Nothing will change the Derby pride for which we are known, but I know the Board of Education will represent the city well in whatever decision they make. Richard Dziekan Mayor, City of Derby Last year, the town of Killingly in eastern Connecticut voted to retain its high school’s “Redmen” nickname and images. The budget includes $94,184 for the town from the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Fund. The legislation also includes requirements that school districts begin to teach sections of Native American history in the academic year starting in September, 2023. The schools that have Native American references also include Canton High School, which will receive no gambling revenue, Conard High School in West Hartford ($27,820), Montville High ($1.44 million), Nonnewaug High in Woodbury (no gambling revenue), North Haven High ($86,789), Torrington High ($196,642), Wamogo High in Litchfield ($2,687), Wilcox Tech in Meriden ($698,609) Wilton High (no revenue) and Windsor High (no revenue). The Native American names proposal was part of a massive bill designed to put into effect provisions of the state budget adopted last week — not a separate bill, raising objections from a Republican leader. Senate Minority Leader Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford complained that the large bill was given to lawmakers with only a few hours before the day’s activities. He said the punishment for schools that retain their nicknames should have been subject to the usual legislative process of public hearings and committee votes. “I would think that would be better as a subject for a separate bill, because you want all parties at the table, all interests,” Kelly said. Another proposal from Osten to pay East Windsor $3 million annually to make up for a long-stalled $300 million casino project planned in town, however, did not make it into the budget adjustment bill due to objections from the Lamont administration. That money was first reported by Hearst Connecticut Media last week. “I told them I would bring it up again next year,” Osten said Tuesday ahead of the Senate’s vote to finalize the budget. The Sprague Democrat and co-chair of the legislative Appropriations Committee, pushed for the town, far from her eastern Connecticut district, to recoup the lost revenue it would have collected had the casino opened. Osten argued that since Gov. Ned Lamont pushed the two casino-owning tribes in her district to put the East Windsor casino project on hold for at least 10 years to reach a deal on legalizing online gaming and sports betting, a proposal she led, the state owed a debt to the town. The payments wouldn’t have started until 2024, around the same time state is expected to see added revenue from the expansion of gaming, Osten said. “I have no problem bringing it back again.” The 837-page bill to start the state budget year on July 1 would also require Bridgeport to have mandatory election monitors; raise the pay of state judges; provide for free phone calls for incarcerated people; and raise the monthly personal needs allowance for nursing home residents to $75. Most of the budget legislation is devoted to enacting previously approved legislation, such as a 4.5 percent wage increase for nursing home workers, and a $15.4 million contribution to worker fringe benefits and retirements. kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT

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