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Puerto Rican Community to CT: “Please don’t forget about us”

HARTFORD — As families continue arriving from hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, advocates are calling for more help meeting the needs of thousands of displaced peo...

HARTFORD — As families continue arriving from hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, advocates are calling for more help meeting the needs of thousands of displaced people who have found shelter in Connecticut's biggest cities.

Schools in many of the state's most financially distressed urban areas have opened their doors to newcomers since Hurricane Maria devastated the U.S. Caribbean territory in September.

Hartford schools have enrolled nearly 400 new students from Puerto Rico. Superintendent Leslie Torres Rodriguez said at a news conference Wednesday she anticipates the unplanned expenses related to accommodating them will reach $1 million this year.

Hartford City Councilwoman Wildaliz Bermudez says it's not fair for the cities alone to shoulder the burden.

Democratic Hartford state Rep. Matt Ritter says it will be a legislative priority to provide additional funding for affected districts.

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