Newsroom - 2010

March 15, 2010
Reps. Jarmoc, Tallarita Announce Release Of State Money For Repair Of Enfield Roads

January 20, 2010
Rep. Tallarita To Co-Chair Panel On State Grants To Municipalities And Mandate Relief

January 15, 2010
Reps. Tallarita And Jarmoc Named To Commission To Identify Opportunities
For Regionalism, Municipal Cost Savings And Efficiencies

March 15, 2010

REPS. JARMOC, TALLARITA ANNOUNCE RELEASE
OF STATE MONEY FOR REPAIR OF ENFIELD ROADS

State Reps. Karen Jarmoc (D-Enfield) and Kathleen M. Tallarita (D-Enfield) announced today that the State Bond Commission is expected to release millions in state aid for road repairs, including $276,033 for Enfield.

Town Aid Road (TAR) funds are typically released in January but were held back by the governor. The funds are expected to be approved Tuesday, March 16, when the commission meets. The money would be delivered to Enfield in about four weeks.

“The Town Aid Road funds are critically important for our local cities and towns,” Rep. Tallarita said. “When the governor rejected our state budget, our local officials were left waiting for this money, so I am pleased that the governor has finally placed this funding on the State Bond Commission’s agenda for action.”

“Our municipalities have been waiting for these necessary funds for infrastructure and transportation,” Rep. Jarmoc said. “The assurance of money for town projects, such as road repair, serves to assist our municipalities and our state in experiencing a larger, more costly problem moving forward. And while our state budget is not a perfect budget, support for our municipalities at a time when they are working through budget shortfalls of their own, is important.”

Rep. Tallarita represents the 58th Assembly District, which includes Enfield, serves as Majority Caucus Chairwoman and is a member of the Aging and Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committees. She is also ranking member of the Legislative Internship Program.

Rep. Jarmoc represents the 59th Assembly District, which includes Enfield, and is Vice Chairwoman of the Select Committee on Children. She is also a member of the Education, Human Services and Public Safety and Security Committees.

January 20, 2010

REP. TALLARITA TO CO-CHAIR PANEL ON STATE GRANTS TO MUNICIPALITIES AND MANDATE RELIEF

State Representative Kathy Tallarita (D-Enfield) will co-chair a legislative panel dealing with state grants to municipalities and mandate relief to cities and towns.

The panel is part of a new commission implemented by House Democratic Leaders that will seek to identify opportunities for regional collaborations and create efficiencies to save money for municipalities.

The Blue Ribbon Commission on Municipal Opportunities and Regional Efficiencies (MORE) has already begun its work and plans to make recommendations during the 2010 legislation session that convenes in February.

“There is no more important challenge than to bring relief to our cities and towns,” Rep. Tallarita said. “I am confident that we will be able to come up with recommendations that hopefully will benefit local property taxpayers and our local elected officials who are looking to us for help.”

Rep. Tallarita noted her panel will examine the following:

• Identify possible areas for mandate reflief.
• Determine current costs of each identified mandated activity.
• Identify the purpose of the mandate, including what legal objections are involved in the activity.
• Evaluate alternatives to the activity that may be employed.
• Evaluate the cost-benefit to the mandated activity.
• Incorporate Results Based Accountability (RBA) methods to evaluate implementation, where appropriate itemize all municipal grant sources.
• Evaluate PILOT grant formulas and possible restructuring.
• Itemize current lump sum grants for towns and education to more closely reflect actual functions and establish areas where cuts could be applied through regional efficiencies.
• Consider dedicated revenue streams to towns as possible incentive grants.

Rep. Tallarita is Majority Caucus Chair and serves on the Finance, Revenue and Bonding, Aging and Legislative Internship Committees.

January 15, 2010

REPS. TALLARITA AND JARMOC NAMED TO COMMISSION TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES
FOR REGIONALISM, MUNICIPAL COST SAVINGS AND EFFICIENCIES

State Rep. Kathleen M. Tallarita (D-Enfield) and State Rep. Karen Jarmoc (D-Enfield) have been named by House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden) and House Majority Leader Denise Merrill (D-Mansfield) to a new a commission that will seek to identify opportunities for more regional collaborations designed to create efficiencies and save money for municipalities. The Blue Ribbon Commission on Municipal Opportunities and Regional Efficiencies (MORE) will begin its work next Tuesday, January 19th with the goal of recommending legislation during the 2010 session.

“We can be doing more with less,” Speaker Donovan said. “Rep. Tallarita, Rep. Jarmoc and MORE will help us find these new ways to help our cities and towns. I am confident we can bring about real property tax reform by regionalizing certain activities that can both save money and improve the economic competitiveness of our state.”

“We’ve talked for a long time about restructuring government at all levels across the state,” said Rep. Merrill. “Now we’re going to take action. I’m excited about the chance to bring some relief to our cities and towns and to bring about the kind of structural change that can deliver benefits for years to come.”

The MORE Commission will be comprised of 45 Democratic members of the House of Representatives and representatives of municipalities, regional organizations, education, business, unions and non-profits.

The Commission will look at a wide spectrum of issues and opportunities facing municipalities: multi-town collaboratives, Board of Education functions, regionally-based organizations, collective bargaining, mandates, revenue sources, health care, and state grants. In each of these areas, commission subcommittees will investigate costs, benefits, resources, legal obstacles and opportunities, potential savings, consolidation, and results-based accountability (RBA) methods for tracking performance. Rep. Tallarita and Rep. Jarmoc will serve on different subcommittees.

Rep. Tallarita represents the 58th Assembly District, which includes Enfield, serves as Majority Caucus Chairwoman and is a member of the Aging and Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committees. She is also ranking member of the Legislative Internship Program.

Rep. Jarmoc represents the 59th Assembly District, which includes Enfield, and is Vice Chairwoman of the Select Committee on Children. She is also a member of the Education, Human Services and Public Safety and Security Committees.