What will be the unkindest cut of all?

With the unveiling of Connecticut’s state budget this week, one thing is sure: There are now plenty of unhappy recipients of fewer state dollars. It’s also pretty sure that all those at the wrong end of the budgetary knife strongly believe theirs is the one and only entity that must retain its funding. It’s everyone else who’s squandering the state’s money, not them.

The Hartford Courant said in a recent editorial that state legislators should follow the proposal of Simsbury state Rep. Linda Schofield and reduce their own numbers. That will be a hard sell at the capital, though, won’t it? Can Connecticut voters really expect their elected officials to not only cut their salaries, but also eliminate some of their own seats? There aren’t many other jobs available in Connecticut at this moment in time, especially with the kind of benefits afforded legislators, as all residents of the state know.

That would make it a bitter pill for legislators. But taking on some of the fiscal pain themselves as they inflict it on others may soften the blows, or at least diminish their status as easy targets for the anger of their constituents. And as their options dwindle in finding ways to cut, it could be that sacrificing some of their own will become less distasteful. Other states have changed their bicameral legislative models, for instance, saving money while streamlining the legislative process. It could be that would work for Connecticut. Drastic? Maybe, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

There are no easy choices for Gov. Dannel Malloy and the Legislature as they attempt to hammer out a budget in the face of a $3.6 billion deficit. All those affected by cuts will be scrambling to lobby their causes with the state, explaining why theirs should be the cuts that are reversed. It could turn ugly as lawmakers try to agree upon necessities that cannot be cut and desires that can be cut.

Self-preservation should not be the motivation for our legislators as they proceed, however. The motivating force should be their charge of serving their constituents and not only maintaining but improving the condition of Connecticut. Everything should be on the table, subject to open and fair discussion, no matter how difficult, when the success or failure of the state is at stake.

And another sure thing? Everyone will have to share in the pain.

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Classifieds - February 26, 2026

Classifieds - February 26, 2026

Help Wanted

PART-TIME CARE-GIVER NEEDED: possibly LIVE-IN. Bright private STUDIO on 10 acres. Queen Bed, En-Suite Bathroom, Kitchenette & Garage. SHARON 407-620-7777.

The Salisbury Association’s Land Trust seeks part-time Land Steward: Responsibilities include monitoring easements and preserves, filing monitoring reports, documenting and reporting violations or encroachments, and recruiting and supervising volunteer monitors. The Steward will also execute preserve and trail stewardship according to Management Plans and manage contractor activity. Up to 10 hours per week, compensation commensurate with experience. Further details and requirements are available on request. To apply: Send cover letter, resume, and references to info@salisburyassociation.org. The Salisbury Association is an equal opportunity employer.

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To save birds, plant for caterpillars

Fireweed attracts the fabulous hummingbird sphinx moth.

Photo provided by Wild Seed Project

You must figure that, as rough as the cold weather has been for us, it’s worse for wildlife. Here, by the banks of the Housatonic, flocks of dark-eyed juncos, song sparrows, tufted titmice and black-capped chickadees have taken up residence in the boxwood — presumably because of its proximity to the breakfast bar. I no longer have a bird feeder after bears destroyed two versions and simply throw chili-flavored birdseed onto the snow twice a day. The tiny creatures from the boxwood are joined by blue jays, cardinals and a solitary flicker.

These birds will soon enough be nesting, and their babies will require a nonstop diet of caterpillars. This source of soft-bodied protein makes up more than 90 percent of native bird chicks’ diets, with each clutch consuming between 6,000 and 9,000 caterpillars before they fledge. That means we need a lot of caterpillars if we want our bird population to survive.

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Stephanie Haboush Plunkett

L. Tomaino
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— Stephanie Plunkett

For more than three decades, Stephanie Haboush Plunkett has worked to elevate illustration as a serious art form. As chief curator and Rockwell Center director at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, she has helped bring national and international attention to an art form long dismissed as merely commercial.

Her commitment to illustration is deeply personal. Plunkett grew up watching her father, Joseph Haboush, an illustrator and graphic designer, work late into the night in his home studio creating art and hand-lettered logos for package designs, toys and licensed-character products for the Walt Disney Co. and other clients.

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Free film screening and talk on end-of-life care
‘Come See Me in the Good Light’ is nominated for best documentary at this year’s Academy Awards.
Provided

Craig Davis, co-founder and board chair of East Mountain House, an end-of-life care facility in Lakeville, will sponsor a March 5 screening of the documentary “Come See Me in the Good Light” at The Moviehouse in Millerton, followed by a discussion with attendees.

The film, which is nominated for best documentary at this year’s Academy Awards, follows the poet Andrea Gibson and their partner Megan Falley as they are suddenly and unimaginably forced to navigate a terminal illness. The free screening invites audiences to gather not just for a film but for reflection on mortality, healing, connection and the ways communities support one another through difficult life transitions.

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