Governor Rell rejects UConn, Hartford Hospital proposal

Gov. M. Jodi Rell has dealt a critical blow to the University of Connecticut's plan for a new $475 million hospital and partnership with Hartford Hospital, calling the proposal promising but unaffordable. "As interesting as the proposal is I cannot give it my support," Rell wrote in a letter to the leaders of the legislature's higher education committee. Without Rell's support, the project has little chance of moving forward. She controls the agenda for the State Bond Commission, which would need to approve bonding for the proposed hospital, and would need to sign off on any legislative approval for the proposal.