“Once again, Connecticut has shown an inability to effectively compete against other states for available federal dollars.  In a state with a fundamentally broken transportation infrastructure and a construction industry facing 30 percent unemployment, the impact of this loss will be severe.

“In the comings weeks we’ll hopefully gain a better understanding of why Connecticut lost out, and why as a state we seem to continually come up empty-handed when it comes to federal money.  Whether it’s transportation funding or federal Medicaid dollars to support HUSKY, this is only the most recent example of other states eating our collective lunch.

“With this most recent failure occurring less than two months before critical Race to the Top funding is announced – and with Phase Two of that funding beginning in June – Connecticut should be working overtime to do everything possible to secure those critical education funds.  Let’s hope that in this case, past performance won’t be indicative of future success.

“It doesn’t have to be this way.  As the former Mayor of a large city I know what’s involved in fighting for every penny that’s available. My administration formalized a rigorous process for going after federal money, and was able to obtain critical transportation funding for the Stamford Urban Transitway, as well as vital support in building affordable housing for our city residents.

“Those kind of results are possible for the state, but achieving them will take nothing short of a fundamental change in the way we do business in Hartford.”