The program was created as a part of the bipartisan jobs bill passed during last year’s jobs special session to encourage business expansion and job growth.

The Music People, Inc. of Berlin will retain 48 jobs and anticipates hiring for eight positions as the company extends its 32-year track record as a worldwide leader in the pro-audio field. The largest supplier of music stands and accessories in the United States, The Music People, Inc. has a globally recognized brand and exports its products to 39 countries.

The company is receiving a job creation matching grant, equaling its investment of $90,275, for information technology, training and marketing.

“This grant is great news for both The Music People, Inc. and Berlin,” Rep. Aresimowicz said. “There is no more important challenge facing us that job creation and retention in Connecticut. The matching grant is an important investment that recognizes the great track record of this Berlin-based company.”

In total, EXP will provide $100 million to help the state’s small businesses hire more employees and fund capital investments. The program, administered by the Department of Economic and Community Development, offers loans and matching grants to Connecticut companies with fewer than 50 employees at the time of application.

The state Bond Commission is scheduled to meet on Friday, April 27, 2012, in Room 1E, Legislative Office Building at 10:30 a.m.

The funds requested by Rep. Aresimowicz are for improvements at Sage Park which will include the construction of a new maintenance building, storage facilities for sports equipment and a meeting room for youth sports participants in soccer, football and cheerleading.

“This has been a long term project that is worthy of this funding and I want to thank Governor Malloy for placing my request on the Bond Commission’s agenda for action,” Rep. Aresimowicz said. “The improvements are badly needed and our young people will benefit from an upgrade in our recreational facilities.”

According to the Connecticut Golf Alliance (report attached), the industry contributes $1.1 billion to the state’s economy, supporting over 11,500 jobs. There are 185 operating golf courses throughout the state, most of which are public including many municipally-owned facilities.

“The economic impact of the golf industry goes way beyond the boundaries of the courses themselves,” said Berger. “There are golf equipment dealers, course maintenance, capital improvement projects and a restaurant-café sector all tied to golf.”

Aresimowicz, who coaches youth sports and school teams in Berlin, said the golf community does a great job of supporting and encouraging youth involvement. “From the First Tee youth initiative to the Connecticut State Golf Association’s (CSGA) scholarship program, golf has a proven commitment to engaging young people,” he said. “Kids benefit in many ways from participating in sports and the game of golf in particular can provide some of the best life lessons.”

Former East Hartford Mayor Larson talked about how golf courses play an integral role in the cultural fabric of a town. “Local public golf courses are often a recreation centerpiece, hosting leagues throughout the week, attracting out of town visitors and providing some revenue,” he said. “Many of these facilities have been around for decades, have an associated restaurant and are part of a town’s history that include stories of legendary players and shots.”

Joining the lawmakers were CSGA Executive Director Michael Moraghan, Travelers Championship Tournament Chairman Nathan Grube, TPC River Highlands teaching professional Suzy Whaley who runs the Girls Golf Fair and other community service projects, and David Polk, Director of First Tee Connecticut.

The event coincided with the first Golf Legislative Day at the Capitol and included a variety of golf displays throughout the Legislative Office Building.

“As part of my ongoing commitment to the people of the 30th Assembly District I am starting the e-mail blasts to inform people about issues of importance that are before the General Assembly,” Rep. Aresimowicz said.“This will also provide an opportunity for people to share with me their ideas about matters that affect their lives. Please go to my General Assembly page to sign up for these email blasts.”

The blasts will be about issues that are before the General Assembly each week. People are invited to express their support or concerns about important issues. Rep. Aresimowicz is providing hyper-links to the bill language.

Rep. Aresimowicz invites people to participate in his online survey that is on his webpage at www.housedems.ct.gov/Aresimowicz/Survey2012.asp

The survey deals with what people are most concerned with these days including public utilities, education, Sunday sales, online gambling and our voting procedures.

“Please let me know about how we can make these e-mail blasts informative and helpful to you,” Rep. Aresimowicz said, “It’s important that we continue to work together.”

The regional fire schools scheduled for upgrades are Eastern Connecticut Regional Fire School, Fairfield Regional Fire School, Valley Regional Fire School, Wolcott Regional Fire School and Burrville Regional Fire School.

The lawmakers called the action taken by Governor Malloy “an historic commitment to the fire schools than will enable our state’s firefighters to have the training facilities needed to provide them with the very best training and tools necessary to protect our citizens.”

The lawmakers were joined today by the regional fire school directors at a State Capitol news conference

The Connecticut State Firefighters Association through its Education Committee actually began work to develop a plan to upgrade Connecticut’s regional fire schools back in 1999.

“I want to thank the members of the Connecticut State Firefighters Association for their steadfast work for so many years to get the funding needed to upgrade our regional fire schools,” Rep. Aresimowicz said. “This is an important investment in the future of our regional fire schools and for all firefighters.”

“I want to thank the Governor for his commitment to firefighting training,” Rep. Boukus said. “Education and training are paramount when molding young first responders. Safety doesn’t happen by accident. It requires the hard work and training available at our regional fire schools.

Participants:

• Al Hawkins, Eastern Connecticut Regional Fire School
• Chris Tracy, Fairfield Fire School
• James Vincent, Valley Fire School
• Prevor Roach, Stamford Fire School
• Steve Venzino, Wolcott Fire School
• Rich Winn, Burrville Fire School
• Chet Haber, Hartford Fire School
• Matt Marcarelli, New Haven Fire School

The News Conference With The Regional Fire School Directors
Will Be Held On Tuesday, February 14, 2012
In Room 1C, Legislative Office Building
At 12 noon

Rep. Aresimowicz reported that the current status and future of the Connecticut Fire Academy Hartford County Fire School in Windsor Locks was discussed along with state bonding for needed projects.

Rep. Aresimowicz noted that last year the State Bond Commission approved a $3,250,496 grant for construction of a maintenance and burn building at the Academy that was welcomed by the firefighters.

Firefighters from area towns, including Berlin, train at the facility.

Rep. Aresimowicz said he planned to support additional funding during the next legislative session that convenes in February to ensure that the training facilities are capable of providing area fighters with the tools needed to improve their life saving skills.

“I thank the many firefighters who participated in our session,” Rep. Aresimowicz said, “These meetings are an opportunity for us to share our concerns and to continue to work to provide our citizens with the fire protection and safety they deserve.”

“It is possible to support positive environmental policies and to work for a strong economy that adds to our quality of life, “Rep. Aresimowicz said. “I thank the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters for this recognition and for their good work.”

“We must continue to improve the quality of our rivers, streams and inland water bodies, and to fund critical programs like open space and farmland preservation,” Rep. Aresimowicz said.

The annual environmental scorecard grades state lawmakers based on how they vote on significant environmental legislation. This year the scorecard grades legislators' votes on twelve bills that came up during the 2011 legislative session.

Formed in 1998, the bipartisan CTLCV works on laws that affect Connecticut's air, water, wildlife, open space, transportation, energy choices, and health.

In a recent ceremony at the State Capitol, Rep. Aresimowicz was praised by the Association for his support of both career and volunteer firefighters in his district and for his leadership in promoting training and education opportunities at the Regional Fire Schools.

Rep. Aresimowicz was instrumental in obtaining a $3.2 million grant earlier this year for construction of a Maintenance and Burn Building for the Connecticut Fire Academy Hartford County Fire School in Windsor Locks where are firefighters train and improve their life saving skills.

"I want to thank the Connecticut State Firefighters Association and all firefighters for this honor," Rep. Aresimowicz said. "It is very important for us to support our firefighters who protect us each and every day. We must make sure that they have the training and tools necessary to provide the service that everyone expects."

Rep. Aresimowicz pointed out that shoppers will not have to pay a sales tax on clothing and footwear purchases under $300.

“This comes at a very good time because parents who will be back to school shoppers for their children will be saving money on their purchases,” Rep. Aresimowicz said. “This week is a win-win for both shoppers and for our retailers and I hope as many people as possible participate.”

Rep. Aresimowicz noted that Tax Free Week was first enacted in 2000 and it’s important that it be continued so consumers who are facing a difficult economy are given some financial relief.

The two lawmakers announced last week that the Governor had placed their request for funds on the commission’s agenda

The funds are to provide a grant-in-aid to the Town of Southington, on behalf of Meridian Development Partners Southington LLC, to finance demolition and environmental assessment and remediation activities at the former Ideal Forging manufacturing facility.

In a joint statement, Representatives Zalaski and Aresimowicz said, “This is an important development for Southington and the town’s economic future. The funding will help pay for clean-up costs at Greenway Commons which will help revitalize downtown Southington and create construction jobs and more jobs when the project is completed. Again, we want to thank Governor Malloy for making this happen.”

When the General Assembly convened in January, Connecticut's Governor Dannel Malloy and the legislature faced an enormous challenge - a budget deficit of $3.5 billion and an economy still trying to recover from the nation's worst recession since the Great Depression.

Unlike previous administrations that failed to address the state's economic problems, our new governor proposed a tough and balanced budget that called for all of us to share in the sacrifice necessary to restore our state to fiscal soundness.

While not perfect, we were able to work with Governor Malloy to make changes in his budget that reduced taxes that the Governor had originally proposed, restored the Property Tax Credit of $300 for Southington's residents, increased the income tax on the highest income levels, eliminated the proposed gas tax increase of 3 cents per gallon, eliminated tax proposals on coupons, hair cuts, car washes and more.

These changes provide additional protection for our middle class and the budget passed by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Malloy does not include borrowing.

Alternative budget proposals were not responsible and would have been devastating to not only Connecticut, but to Southington.

The good news for Southington is that our town will receive more state aid and education funding than in previous years. Under the budget that we supported, Southington is projected to receive $372,125 more than the $22,529,009 it was allocated by the state in 2011. In 2012, Southington is expected to receive $22,901,134 and $22,983,715 in 2013, an increase of 454,706.

This increased funding for Southington should go along way towards lessening the need for any local property tax hikes for our homeowners and local businesses.

Unlike, budgets that were recently passed in New York and New Jersey, our state budget protects our cities and towns and does not pass the burden on to local property taxpayers. As we all know, the property tax is the most regressive of all taxes.

There is no question that we had to make some tough and understandably unpopular decisions. The state budget is honest and balanced. We have worked with Governor Malloy to create a budget that will move Connecticut forward, a budget that is responsible and a budget that puts us on the road to recovery.

“This is good news for area towns like Berlin because our firefighters train at this facility,” Rep. Aresimowicz said. “It is important that we maintain and expand this school so that our firefighters continue to have a facility that provides them with the training and tools to improve their life saving skills.”

The project includes the construction of an approximately 7,600 square foot Maintenanace Building and a 4,300 square foot concrete Class A Burn Building. The project also includes the construction of fire training props, utility improvements and related site work.

Rep. Aresmowicz praised Chet Haber of Berlin, Director of Training at the County Fire School, for his work in lobbying for the funding. Mr. Haber retired from the Berlin Volunteer Fire Department after serving for fifty years.

“Funding for the fire school is very important,” Mr. Haber said, “We have been waiting for this to happen for eleven years and it’s good news because the training is so critical for our area towns.”

 “This is good news for area towns like Berlin because our firefighters train at this facility,” Rep. Aresimowicz said. “It is important that we maintain and expand this school so that our firefighters continue to have a facility that provides them with the training and tools to improve their life saving skills.”

 The project includes the construction of an approximately 7,600 square foot Maintenanace Building and a 4,300 square foot concrete Class A Burn Building. The project also includes the construction of fire training props, utility improvements and related site work.

 Rep. Aresmowicz praised Chet Haber of Berlin, Director of Training at the County Fire School, for his work in lobbying for the funding. Mr. Haber retired from the Berlin Volunteer Fire Department after serving for fifty years.

 “Funding for the fire school is very important,” Mr. Haber said, “We have been waiting for this to happen for eleven years and it’s good news because the training is so critical for our area towns.”