(Hartford, Connecticut) — This afternoon Connecticut Democratic Party Executive Director Jonathan Harris issued the following statement in response to Mr. Boughton’s bogus attack involving school security:

“Mark Boughton is wrong, as often happens when a candidate puts his political priorities ahead of substance.  The Governor’s already allocated more than $15 million, and has been very clear that he’d like to allocate even more in the next legislative session.  In addition, legislation was passed at the Governor’s behest earlier this year that will allow municipalities to use other streams of state funding for improvements to emergency communications systems and building security systems, including for schools.  Like his former friend and running mate turned opponent, Tom Foley, Mark Boughton seems more interested in shooting from the hip than doing his homework.”

Background:

Malloy Signed Legislation Authorizing $15 Million In Bonding For School Safety After Sandy Hook Shooting. In April 2013, Malloy signed legislation that authorized $15 million in state bonding for school safety improvements after the Sandy Hook shooting. [Public Act 13-3, Signed 4/5/13]

Malloy Signed Legislation Allowing LoCIP Funds To Improve School Security. In December 2012, Malloy signed legislation that allowed LoCIP funds to be used to “improvements to emergency communications systems and building security systems, including for schools.” [December Special Session, Public Act 12-1, Signed 12/21/12]

September 2013: Malloy Called For Greater State Spending On School Security. According to the CT Mirror, “The $15 million that state lawmakers authorized to enhance security at schools across the state after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings was not enough, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said Wednesday as he announced the first round of school-security grants. More than 600 public schools applied for money to install items and additions like security cameras, bullet-proof glass, panic buttons and safe rooms, requests that totaled $21 million. ‘Because we didn’t have as much money as the original requests were for, we prioritized… I asked them to prioritize based on the conditions present on the ground in the school systems,’ Malloy said. ‘It is our intention to fund all of the applicants that we had.'” [CT Mirror, 9/18/13]

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