Lakeville Journal Editorial

On Feb. 17, the Columbia University Center on Poverty and Social Policy released a report on the effects of the expiration of the Child Tax Credit, which President Biden had expanded upon entering office. The conclusion is that 3.7 million more children were in poverty in January 2022 as were in December 2021.

Anyone who has lived in the region serviced by Sharon Hospital in northern Litchfield County, Conn., and eastern Dutchess County, N.Y., for any length of time knows how critical it is in times of need.

Connecticut is a state that values New England virtues of hardy independence and individualism. For those of us who reside in the Northwest Corner of Litchfield County, it can seem that those values are especially strong in this rather remote, lightly populated, rural region.

As COVID restrictions are now beginning to become past, not present, and hopefully not future, it is good for all of us that some events are happening that bring us out of the shells in which we’ve been encased, off and on, for the past two years. If we are looking for reasons to be hopeful, such activity can be held up as inspiration.

This is the year of the short legislative session in Hartford, when our representatives will delve into budgets and all manner of finances for the state. And what is more important in our governing? It affects every level of our communities.

One of the thorniest of problems in the Northwest Corner is the scarcity of public transportation.

There are those who regularly ask this newspaper, “When will you go fully digital? Surely it would save you money, and that’s how most people get their news now.” The answer is more complicated than, “Sure, you’re right, we would love to save money and reach a wide audience of people who don’t look at print media any more. ASAP!”

This editorial space has been filled so many times with reasons why affordable housing is so very necessary for our region that it would almost seem superfluous to even mention it again. On Sept.