Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We all have the same goal: keeping CT a great place to live, work and raise a family. This is our mission as we move forward, keeping our young people living and working here and making everyone feel welcome.
The majority of legislation passed this year was done so on a bipartisan basis, including the budget. The compromise budget had many aspects that I could not support, which is why I voted against it. I look forward to working with Democrats and Republicans to negotiate a budget next year that I can support.
Waterbury Budget Summary*
| FY 18 | FY 19 | |
|---|---|---|
| Education Cost Sharing | $133,606,066 | $136,150,430 |
| PILOT State Owned Property | $3,021,121 | $3,021,121 |
| PILOT Colleges & Hospitals | $3,706,103 | $3,706,103 |
| Mashantucket & Mohegan Fund | $2,887,434 | $2,637,435 |
| Town Aid Road Grant | $1,072,045 | $1,072,045 |
| Local Capital Improvement | $2,387,262 | $1,519,166 |
| Adult Education | $1,894,809 | $1,894,809 |
| Grants For Municipal Projects | $2,516,158 | $2,516,158 |
| Muni Rev. Sharing Account (MRSA) | - | - |
| MRSA Supplemental PILOT | $3,141,669 | $3,284,145 |
| Municipal Stabilization Grant | $4,117,158 | $2,298,414 |
| Waterbury Municipal Aid Total | $158,349,826 | $158,099,826 |
* These numbers are subject to adjustment by the Governor.
Supporting Working Families
All of Connecticut’s families - irrespective of family income - deserve access to safe, healthy child care options. Funded with federal and state dollars, Care 4 Kids helps low-income, working families afford safe, quality child care. It is an important tool as we work to help lift families out of poverty. In 2016, new federal requirements increased the cost of the program but the federal government did not increase funding. To remain fiscally sound, the program was closed to most new families. Families seeking this support were instead registered for the wait list so they would be able to apply once the program reopened. Good news! Families who registered on the wait list will now begin to receive requests to apply in phases. For more information, please go to ctcare4kids.com or call 1-888-214-KIDS.
Expanding Affordable Housing
As Housing Committee chair, I was proud to attend the ribbon cutting of Davis Gardens. This has been the best transformation of housing in Waterbury in 50 years. Davis Gardens has been reconstructed from World War II barrack type housing into beautiful townhouses with manicured open space. The $33 million project on Warner Street created 64 affordable and energy efficient units and is now accepting applications for renters. These Phase II units, in addition to the 58 units from Phase I bring the total to 122 units of quality, affordable housing.
Fighting for Energy Efficiency Programs
During budget discussions, I heard from many of you with concerns about the impact of repurposing funds intended for energy efficiency programs and the Green Bank. I was against this when it was originally proposed by the Republicans, and it is one of the reasons I voted against the final agreement. However, I do want to let folks know that in response to your concerns, and my advocacy, legislative leaders met with the Green Bank’s leadership and worked together to arrive at a funding amount that would sustain energy efficiency programs. This number was included in the final budget that was signed by the governor. Moving forward, I hope that we can renew our state’s commitment to funding these programs as they are not only good for the environment, but they are also good for our state’s economy.
Supporting our Seniors
The budget helps our seniors in two ways - first, it preserved the $200 property tax credit for seniors and residents with dependents. Second, it begins a phase in to end state income taxes on social security and pension benefits starting in 2019.
A new law, PA 17-120, establishes requirements for financial planners who are not otherwise regulated by state or federal advertising laws. It prohibits them from expressing or implying special training, education, or experience serving seniors unless they meet certain educational requirements. It also requires them to disclose to consumers, upon request, whether they have a fiduciary duty with regard to each recommendation they make.