Gov. Malloy re-affirms ECS funding pledge

This is great news for municipalities such as Danbury that were concerned about the state's commitment to funding education.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy tried Wednesday to erase any doubt he may have created about sparing municipal education grants from the budget axe when he met with the mayors of Connecticut's three largest cities.

Surrounded by Pedro Segarra of Hartford, Bill Finch of Bridgeport and John DeStefano of New Haven, Malloy said the budget proposal he will deliver to the legislature next week will include a $1.9 billion Education Cost Sharing program for 2011-12 -- the same funding level provided this fiscal year.

"Let me be very clear: Next week's budget will include full funding of ECS," the governor said during a late afternoon press conference outside his Capitol office. "Nobody should be shocked by that."

UPDATE: From CTNewsJunkie, here's video of Gov. Malloy's education presser.