Methoprene is a pesticide used to control mosquitoes by preventing them from maturing and reproducing. Bioaccumulation studies on lobsters have shown concentrations of the substance in some tissues and organs following exposure.

“For more than ten years, Long Island Sound has been experiencing a decrease in lobster population. Introduction of methoprene into coastal waters from storm drains and watershed runoff has been implicated as a factor contributing to the overall decline,” Wright said.

The new legislation strikes a balance with mosquito control to protect the public health. It would reduce the use and application of the chemical in close proximity to Long Island Sound unless recommended to prevent mosquito-borne disease under the Mosquito Management Program.

The bill also establishes a framework for improved monitoring of methoprene use and a pilot program to evaluate retail sale and use of the product to ensure consistency with labeling instructions.

Rep. Wright co-sponsored the legislation in response to concerns raised by commercial lobstermen in Noank and other coastal communities.

“This bill will help sustain commercial lobster fishing as an important aspect of our community character, our shared heritage, and our current and future economy,” Wright added.

She noted as particularly gratifying the strong support for the bill from Representative Terry Backer (D-Stratford) and Representative Craig Miner (R-Goshen).

The bill now awaits action in the Senate.

Rep. Wright was an early advocate of legislation to improve data collection and analysis pertaining to racial profiling.

“This bill addresses serious public policy concerns that have emerged in the press including allegations of racial bias in traffic stops and vehicle searches following traffic stops,” Rep Wright said. “Strengthening the development, reliability, and analysis of racial profiling data under the Penn Act of 1999 will help detect, monitor, and avoid racial profiling in the day-to-day enforcement of motor vehicle laws and ensure that a traffic stop is not the product of selective enforcement in violation of the equal protection guarantee."

The bill modifies the 1999 law, which currently requires police departments to forward data on traffic stops to the Commission on African-American Affairs to assess for evidence of racial profiling.

The new law sets standards for reporting the information and shifts responsibility for its analysis from the Commission on African-American Affairs to the Office of Policy and Management, which has staff and resources unavailable to the commission.

The new legislation also allows OPM to withhold public safety-related state funds from communities that don't comply.

According to 2010 data, only 27 of the state’s police departments complied with the reporting aspect of the law and the data that has been reported hasn’t been assessed by the state.

The bill awaits Governor Dannel P. Malloy’s signature.

Acquisition of the land is expected to enhance the military value of the base by preventing encroachment along its boundaries. The effort is the latest in a series of moves by state and federal officials to avoid possible closure of the base during a future military Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process.

“Allocation of these bond funds to enable the towns of Groton and Ledyard to purchase companion parcels of land adjacent to the Submarine Base is another significant step the state has taken to support the needs of the base and bolster its military value,” Rep. Wright said.

“These acquisitions will prevent future encroachments near the perimeter of the Sub Base; improve traffic flow at the intersection near the main entrance to the base and the Nautilus Museum; and address security concerns. They complement much larger federal investments in the facility and illustrate an unprecedented partnership between the state and a U.S. Navy installation,” she added.

Submarine Base New London, despite its name, straddles the border of Groton and Ledyard.

On Friday, the State Bond Commission is expected to grant $455,000 to the Town of Groton to finance acquisition of property at the intersection of Crystal Lake Road and Military Highway. This will allow for upgrades to Crystal Lake Road and prevent encroachment along the southern boundary of the base.

The Bond Commission will also provide $225,000 to the Town of Ledyard to finance acquisition of 20 acres of property alongside the base on Colonel Ledyard Highway.

The bill was passed in the House on Tuesday by 146-0.

“As life spans lengthen, an increase in Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other incapacitating diseases interfere with the ability to live independently,” Rep. Wright said. “In an aging and mobile society, conservatorship cases involving simultaneous and conflicting jurisdiction among states increasingly arise.”

HB 5150, An Act Concerning the Connecticut Uniform Adult Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act, establishes a set of rules for determining which state has jurisdiction, and a legal framework to promote communication and cooperation between courts. Other parts of the bill deal with issues of transfer, recognition, and enforcement when an incapacitated person conserved out-of-state moves to Connecticut or a person conserved in Connecticut moves to another state, so that orders entered in one state can be enforced in another state without unnecessary duplication, cost, and delay.

“The new legislation provides a tool kit for probate courts to resolve many of these issues while retaining the strong laws we have in Connecticut to protect the rights of adults being conserved,” Rep. Wright said.

“This bill will facilitate the geographic mobility of those individuals whom conservatorship orders were designed to protect and help those who are struggling to care for an ailing loved one, allowing them to make important decisions as quickly and efficiently as possible,” Rep. Wright added.

Organizations supporting the measure include the Elder Law and Estates and Probate Sections of the Connecticut Bar Association; the Office of the Probate Court Administrator; Connecticut Legal Services; the Alzheimer’s Association, Connecticut Chapter; and AARP.

The measure now heads to the Senate.

“Long Island Sound has supported the maritime based economic activity of our area for centuries from shipping to fishing to boat construction to tourism and continues to do so to this day,” Rep. Wright said. “Unfortunately, a number of man-made problems, including inadequate sewage treatment and runoff from multiple watersheds that drain into the estuary, pose a threat to the Sound’s biodiversity and natural resources.”

In addition to Rep. Wright the other legislators forming the LIS caucus steering committee are:

• State Representatives Lonnie Reed (D) (co-chair)
• State Representative Vincent Candelora (R) (co-chair)
• State Representative Patricia Widlitz (D)
• State Representative Clark Chapin (R)
• State Representative Marilyn Giuliano (R)
• State Senator Andrew Maynard (D) ( co-chair)
• State Senator Edward Meyer (D)
• State Senator Len Fasano (R) (co-chair)
• State Senator Scott Frantz (R)
• State Senator John McKinney (R)
• State Senator Eileen Daily (D)

“I look forward to working with legislators, experts, state, local and federal officials to address the vulnerabilities of this unique and valuable coastal estuary and as we expand on successful initiatives and develop new strategies to help protect and restore the Sound,” Rep. Wright said.

Goals of the caucus include:

• Promoting the economic development and job-growth potential of commercial and recreational fishing, boating, shell fishing, and tourism activities within a healthy and vibrant Long Island Sound.
• Restoring impaired waters of the low-oxygen dead zone at the western end of the Sound to viability as a fishery resource.
• Advocating for capital investments that improve water quality; develop the potential of our deep water ports; and maintain environmentally-sustainable dredging management to ensure access to harbors and marinas.
• Acquiring key coastal areas for public access and to protect coastal marshes and other critical habitat.
• Reducing nonpoint-source pollutant runoff from urban, residential, and agricultural sources.
• Developing strategies to evaluate and remove other eco-toxic pollutants, including phosphorus, mercury, pharmaceuticals, herbicides and insecticides, plasticizers, and other emerging substances of concern from our water resources.
• Working cooperatively with the State of New York to review and consider major environmental, ecological, and energy issues involving Long Island Sound and its tributaries.
• Lobbying Congress for increased federal support for Clean Water funding, Long Island Sound Research and Restoration Fund, NOAA Sea Grant and Long Island Sound Coastal Observatory programs.
• Increasing understanding of the seafloor environment by supporting the Long Island Sound Study Seafloor Mapping project.
• Working with communities to better prepare for sea level rise.

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

The funds are for interior renovations and mechanical system improvements at the school.

The project includes upgrades to duct work, sprinklers, plumbing and lighting, in addition to ceiling improvements to the lower lobby, main level and administrative areas. The repairs will extend to the kitchen, cafeteria and classroom sections of the school.

“This is good news for Grasso Tech” Rep. Wright said. “It is important that we continue to invest in needed upgrades and renovations to our regional vocational technical high schools. Their mission has never been more critical as we seek to put Connecticut on a more competitive footing within a fiercely contested global economy and prepare our students for real-world employment and a successful future.”

The project is expected to create or retain approximately 88 construction related jobs.

“Long Island Sound has supported the maritime based economic activity of our area for centuries from shipping to fishing to boat construction to tourism and continues to do so to this day,” Rep. Wright said. “Unfortunately, a number of man-made problems, including inadequate sewage treatment and runoff from multiple watersheds that drain into the estuary, pose a threat to the Sound’s biodiversity and natural resources.”

In addition to Rep. Wright the other legislators forming the LIS caucus steering committee are:

• State Representatives Lonnie Reed (D) (co-chair)
• State Representative Vincent Candelora (R) (co-chair)
• State Representative Patricia Widlitz (D)
• State Representative Clark Chapin (R)
• State Representative Marilyn Giuliano (R)
• State Senator Andrew Maynard (D) ( co-chair)
• State Senator Edward Meyer (D)
• State Senator Len Fasano (R) (co-chair)
• State Senator Scott Frantz (R)
• State Senator John McKinney (R)
• State Senator Eileen Daily (D)

“I look forward to working with legislators, experts, state, local and federal officials to address the vulnerabilities of this unique and valuable coastal estuary and as we expand on successful initiatives and develop new strategies to help protect and restore the Sound,” Rep. Wright said.

Goals of the caucus include:

• Promoting the economic development and job-growth potential of commercial and recreational fishing, boating, shell fishing, and tourism activities within a healthy and vibrant Long Island Sound.
• Restoring impaired waters of the low-oxygen dead zone at the western end of the Sound to viability as a fishery resource.
• Advocating for capital investments that improve water quality; develop the potential of our deep water ports; and maintain environmentally-sustainable dredging management to ensure access to harbors and marinas.
• Acquiring key coastal areas for public access and to protect coastal marshes and other critical habitat.
• Reducing nonpoint-source pollutant runoff from urban, residential, and agricultural sources.
• Developing strategies to evaluate and remove other eco-toxic pollutants, including phosphorus, mercury, pharmaceuticals, herbicides and insecticides, plasticizers, and other emerging substances of concern from our water resources.
• Working cooperatively with the State of New York to review and consider major environmental, ecological, and energy issues involving Long Island Sound and its tributaries.
• Lobbying Congress for increased federal support for Clean Water funding, Long Island Sound Research and Restoration Fund, NOAA Sea Grant and Long Island Sound Coastal Observatory programs.
• Increasing understanding of the seafloor environment by supporting the Long Island Sound Study Seafloor Mapping project.
• Working with communities to better prepare for sea level rise.

“I am pleased to be appointed to this task force,” Rep. Wright said. “Last August’s damaging Storm Irene suggests that our coastline may be more vulnerable that we had thought.”

The task force will look at a variety of policy instruments to reduce the vulnerability of shoreline towns to increased flooding and other conditions in the face of rising seas and extreme storm events.

“The goal is to minimize property loss and business interruptions and to achieve long-term sustainability in response to climate change effects,” Rep. Wright added. “The challenge is how to get here to there.”

The task force is charged with making recommendations to the General Assembly for legislation that will:

• Assist those still rebuilding and recovering from Irene.

• Develop new policies that specifically address the unique needs of shoreline and waterfront residents and businesses with respect to shoreline erosion, rising sea levels, and future storm planning.

• Make sure new policies complement legislation that may be developed regarding emergency communications between towns and the state; utility company preparedness, response and accountability; and insurance issues.

The task force will hold its first meeting on Monday, February 27th in Room 2A, Legislative Office Building, at 3:00 pm.

The budget change is a $260,677 increase from what was originally allocated.

The expanded service would provide five round trips between Old Saybrook and New London beginning April 1, 2013.

In written testimony submitted to the Appropriations Committee, Rep. Wright said “Additional weekend service between New Haven and New London will greatly enhance affordable commuter rail options to riders in the corridor extending from New York to New London.”

In supporting the Governor’s budget adjustment, Rep. Wright pointed out that the extended weekend service comes at a time when the market for environmentally-friendly transit alternatives for leisure time and seasonal excursions to Southeastern Connecticut is expanding.

“This is clearly welcomed news for Groton’s schools and its students,” Rep. Wright said. “The proposed increase should help our local officials who annually face the challenge of putting together the town’s education budget.”

Under the Governor’s proposed estimates for 2012-2013 Education Cost Sharing funding, Groton will receive $25,625,179, an increase of $250,190. This also represents an increase of $48 per student.

“It is important that we continue to invest wisely in our students, teachers and schools,” Rep. Wright said. “I will continue to support policies that ensure Groton will receive additional funding and that all children have the preparation they need to succeed in college and the workplace.”

“Good environmental policies go hand in hand with a strong economy and add to our quality of life, “Rep. Wright said. “I thank the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters for this recognition.”

“This year we created a new Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. And despite the economic contraction, we were able to commit a record $186.6 million in clean water bonding over two years to improve the quality of Long Island Sound, our rivers, streams and inland water bodies, and to maintain and in some cases increase funding for critical programs like open space and farmland preservation,” she added.

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.

“Lingering effects of the recession have hit us hard,” Rep. Wright said. “This job-growth toolkit will help existing businesses expand, attract firms from other locations, foster startups, and strengthen worker training to meet current and future job opportunities in a highly dynamic workplace.”

Assisting Small Business

A key initiative of the legislation is the Small Business Express Package, making $50 million a year available to support small business grow through incentives, grants, and revolving loans.

“Small business continues to be the engine that drives our economy,” Rep Wright said. “Our support will help small firms reach their optimal potential and is essential for robust economic growth.”

Manufacturing assistance, streamlined permitting, expansion of job creation tax credits, and a reduction in the $250 business entity tax also will help small businesses grow.

A crucial component of job growth in Connecticut-better alignment of job training programs with employment opportuntites in high demand fields-is another focus of the bill.

The legislation also:

• Makes remediation and redevelopment of contaminated “brownfields” a centerpiece of efforts to create jobs and maintain the quality of life.
• Invests in innovation hubs to encourage entrepreneurial effort and innovation, and increases incentives for “angel” investments in high-tech startups.
• Expands the First Five and Manufacturing Reinvestment Account programs to more companies.
• Harnesses the economic development potential of the state’s airports.
• Replenishes Manufacturing Assistance Act funding.
• Invests in roads, bridges, and downtown Main Streets.
• Evaluates all tax incentive programs for effectiveness in meeting state policy goals.

Jackson Labs

In a far-sighted stroke, the legislature gave the green light to a bioscience consortium between Connecticut’s leading universities and Jackson Laboratory, a world leader in genetic research.

Positioning the state as a preeminent center of bioscience, Jackson Laboratory plans to build a $1.1 billion research facility at the UConn Health Center campus in Farmington. The State of Connecticut will provide $291 million in grants and forgivable construction loans, and Jackson Laboratory will raise the balance of $860 million for the project.

“Investing in bioscience today propels Connecticut to the forefront of emerging fields and will contribute to the state’s prosperity for decades to come,” Rep. Wright said.

According to the state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), the project is expected to create more than 660 direct positions at Jackson Laboratory in Farmington within 20 years. DECD estimates that more than 4,600 new bioscience jobs would be generated directly and through spin-off companies. Another 2,000 new indirect jobs would be added to local service and area retail stores. The project would yield more than 840 short-term construction jobs as well.

“A major effort was made locally to reduce the cost for the much needed reconstruction of Thames Street, which convinced local voters to approve this project and helped us make the case for this significant state investment in the critical and historic infrastructure that is Thames Street,” Rep. Moukawsher stated. “I thank the Governor and the Speaker of the House for their support.”

“The approval of this funding is welcome news. It will help rebuild one of the oldest roads in Groton, improve safety, and spur investment in other improvements in the historic Groton Bank district,” State Representative Elissa Wright (D-Groton) said. “A major gateway to the city and industrial heart of the town, Thames Street brings commuters to Pfizer, Electric Boat, and the University of Connecticut at Avery Point. I want to thank House Speaker Chris Donovan and the Bond Commission for finalizing this grant.”

HB 5300, “An Act Concerning The Speed Limits Of Boats On the Mystic River,” took effect upon signing on July 8th.

“I am very pleased Governor Malloy has signed the bill,” Rep. Wright said. “This is a public safety issue that had bi-partisan support passing the General Assembly unanimously.”

Rep. Wright noted that increased boating use and the size and power of modern day vessels made it necessary to address the wake problem so that everyone can enjoy use of the Mystic River.

The law says vessels operating within the zones cannot not produce more than a minimum wake and cannot exceed 6 mph unless necessary to maintain steerage.

The slow-no-wake zones will generally apply to two areas: between the entrance to Mystic Harbor and Red Navigation Marker number 22 (excluding Beebe Cove) and from Red Navigation Buoy 26 northward to Green Navigation Buoy 53.

The law updates an antiquated statue from 1949 which had not been modified since 1961.

Hartford - A bill that extends the slow-no-wake zones on the Mystic River and allows the zones to be delineated with new buoys this summer passed the state Senate late Tuesday night and will likely become law.

Vessels operating within the zones could not exceed 6 mph, with some exceptions for bad weather. The legislation cleared the Senate as part of a bulk consent calendar vote; it was shepherded through the House last month by state Rep. Elissa Wright, D-Groton.

The bill updates boating regulations last updated in the 1960s. The slow-no-wake zones will generally apply to two areas: between the entrance to Mystic Harbor and Red Navigation Marker number 22 (excluding Beebe Cove) and from Red Navigation buoy 26 northward to Green Navigation Buoy 53.

Violators would be fined.

Hartford - A bill that would extend the slow-no-wake zones on the Mystic River and simplify their enforcement passed the state House Wednesday on a unanimous, bipartisan vote.

Vessels operating within the zones could not exceed 6 mph, with some exceptions for bad weather. The zones would be delineated with new buoys.

Co-sponsor Elissa Wright, D-Groton, said the bill updates boating regulations that were last updated in the 1960s.

"There has been a significant increase in the volume and intensity of summer boat traffic and the size and power of modern day motor yachts," Wright told House colleagues. "This is a common sense measure that addresses an important public safety issue for all people who enjoy a variety of types of boating use and other activities on the Mystic River."

The bill now goes to the Senate.

Eleanor Mariani, director of the boating division of the state Department of Environmental Protection, said harbor management in Mystic and Stonington requested more slow-no-wake zones in response to complaints about speeding boats.

The measure that passed differs from an earlier proposal that called for making the entire Mystic River a slow-no-wake zone. Parts of the river would now remain open to faster boat traffic.

State Rep. Elissa Wright, D-Groton, a vice chairwoman of the Finance Committee, voted in favor of the sales tax measure. She noted that the 1992 U.S. Supreme Court case that restricts states' ability to collect sales tax predates the era of Internet retailing.

"We need to modernize our sales tax systems to reflect the enormous growth of e-commerce," Wright said in an interview. "Common sense would dictate that if someone buys a product online, the same sales tax should be collected as if the sale had occurred in a store, in person."

The Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee has oversight over all matters relating to finance and taxation. The committee also has jurisdiction over employer contributions for unemployment compensation, the Department of Revenue Services and the revenue aspects of the Division of Special Revenue.  The committee is comprised of 56 members; 12 Senate and 44 House.

“I want to thank Speaker Donovan for this honor and opportunity to serve as Vice Chair of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee,” Rep. Wright said. “This is going to be a particularly challenging year for members of the committee as we work to craft a budget that is fair to all our citizens and boosts economic growth. I am confident that by working together we can attain that goal.”

Speaker Donovan said, “Rep. Wright is a skilled and hard working legislator. I am pleased to appoint her as Vice Chair of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee where I know she will make a major contribution on one of the most important committees in the General Assembly.”

Rep. Wright will also serve on the Judiciary and Environment Committees and as an Assistant Majority Leader.

Rep. Wright joined Governor M. Jodi Rell and state Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Amey W. Marrella at the Statewide Ecosystem Management, Habitat Restoration and Long Island Sound Fund grant ceremony today at the Latham Chester Sore in Noank where area grants awards were announced.

The $82,000 grant from the Long Island Sound Fund is actually the second grant awarded to the Groton Open Space Association for the Sheep Farm.

In October, $534,300 was awarded for acquisition of the Sheep Farm by the Connecticut Open space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program administered by the state Department of Environmental Protection. Noted for its significant natural, geological, archaeological, and other historic features, the 63-acre property has been in continuous use as a farm since the early 18th century.

“The awarding of this second grant is certainly good news for the Groton Open Space Association and the Town of Groton,” Rep. Wright said. “Preserving and securing the Sheep Farm is important for our town and region and critical to improving our natural resources in Connecticut.”

The grants are included in the $10.4 million Connecticut Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program administered by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced by Governor Rell.

The grants awarded are :

• $534, 300 to the Groton Open Space Association for the Sheep Farm at 245 and 255 Hazelnut Hill Road, Groton. The 63 acre property has been in continuous use as a farm since the early 18th century with a grist mill dam, historic foundations, a second mill site and a water control channel through a rock gorge. The area has also been deemed “a birding hot spot.”
• $650,000 to the Town of Groton for Spicer-Pulaski Park, Groton. The 30 acre acquisition will preserve 4,000 linear feet along both sides of Birch Plain Creek and its tidal estuary at the head of Baker Cove. The land is close to other protected areas and will expand upon recreational opportunities, buffer sensitive natural resources and protect wildlife habitats and coastal estuary environments for osprey and egrets.

“I am very pleased that the Groton Open Space Association and the Town of Groton have been awarded these open space grants and I support the good work of everyone involved in helping to secure the grants” Rep. Wright said. “It is very important that we preserve and secure open space property in our town and region and take advantage of the opportunity to do that when we can.”

Rep. Wright earned the top rating of the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) which recently issued their 2010 environmental scorecard rating all legislators in the General Assembly.

CTLCV is a bi-partisan, statewide, non-profit organization dedicated to protecting Connecticut’s natural resources. The organization seeks to support pro-environment lawmakers, hold legislators accountable and engage the public in state policy.

“I am very pleased to have been recognized by CTLCV for my support of environmental legislation in the state legislature,” Rep. Wright said. “There are very few issues that are more critical to our quality of life than preserving and protecting our environment not only for ourselves, but for those who will follow us.”

The CTLCV noted that while belt-tightening produced extensive debate and large swings in the fates of important bills, the General Assembly adjourned without seriously damaging environmental protections and extended them in some cases. This was a good outcome under the circumstances, CTLCV said.

Rep. Wright said, “While we will continue to face serious budget challenges in the future, we must collectively continue to speak up for and protect our air, land and water for every citizen of Connecticut. It will not be easy, but there is no other alternative.”

 The "Slow-No-Wake" proposal was aired at a recent public hearing held by the DEP at its Marine Headquarters in Old Lyme where the agency was hearing testimony on rulemaking proceedings that included adding one new regulation, revising certain other boating regulations, and repealing other obsolete regulations.

 Rep. Wright attended the DEP's public hearing where she testified in support of a proposed amendment to the state's boating regulations to establish a "Slow-No-Wake" zone in the entire Mystic River.

 Rep. Wright pointed out that the measure is actually an outgrowth of legislation she worked on with local advocates and co-introduced in the 2009 session of the General Assembly to provide better enforcement of vessel speed, ensure the safety of marine operation, and protect the general welfare of all users in the Mystic River.

 "The Department of Environmental Protection's "Slow-No-Wake" proposal addresses an important public safety issue for boaters and all who use the Mystic River for recreational activities," Rep. Wright said. "As a common sense measure, it considers a variety of types of boating use and other activities people enjoy on a river that has seen a dramatic increase in public use in recent years."

 Rep. Wright noted that if the proposed new regulation is adopted, an antiquated statute governing vessel speed in the Mystic River would need to be addressed legislatively, and she will be prepared to work with the DEP and the Department of Transportation on the legislation during the next session of the General Assembly.

The legislation, which included proposals introduced by Rep. Wright during the regular session earlier this year, was approved Monday during a special session called to finalize legislative business for the year.

The bill requires the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, in consultation with the Commissioner of Revenue Services, to review and measure the effectiveness of each existing tax credit and abatement offered to recruit or retain businesses, and make recommendations every three years on whether they should be continued, modified or repealed. The first report is due January 1, 2011.

"Tax incentives to encourage economic activity are not necessarily good or bad," Rep. Wright said. "But, they should be scrutinized on a regular basis to ensure that we are getting a return for our investment."

Direct expenditures are scrutinized annually during the budget process and must be appropriated for each budget period, but tax expenditures typically do not require re-enactment. Unless there is a sunset date, they continue in effect indefinitely until repealed or amended, and their fiscal impact generally is not reviewed after they become law.

The General Assembly's nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis estimates the revenue loss from tax credits against corporate income tax at $187.1 million for the 2009 fiscal year. The value of all corporate tax expenditures, including credits, exemptions, and deductions, is estimated at $348.4 million for the same period.

"This good government measure provides a foundation of information for informed legislative performance evaluation and review of the economic justification for continuation of many of these tax expenditures, and gives us an important tool in the fight for increased accountability and transparency in Connecticut's tax structure," Rep. Wright explained.

A member of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, Rep. Wright has advocated greater oversight of all state tax expenditures, which total nearly $5.4 billion overall. If all tax expenditures were treated as spending for purposes of the budget, they would comprise the single largest component of state spending, Rep. Wright explained.

A provision in Public Act No.10-85, signed into law this week by Governor Rell, ensures that the public intent expressed in a vote to acquire land for specified open space, conservation and preservation purposes will be honored and that those lands will be protected into the indefinite future.

"To forestall future inconsistent uses, the property interest conveyed to a town should be able to be traced back to the referendum question endorsed by voters," Wright said. "Responsible government, the sanctity of the vote, and clarity in property rights and land titles require no less."

The bill, which Representative Wright championed, requires a statement to be recorded with the deed setting out the purposes for which the property was acquired and the uses to which it is limited, as well as the circumstances surrounding the acquisition, including the date of the authorizing referendum or other local legislative act, Wright said.

Formal notice to alert future generations of use restrictions on town-owned land is especially important when municipal funds are the sole funding source, Wright said. Land acquired with the aid of a state open space grant enjoys protected status in perpetuity through the requirement of a permanent conservation easement as a condition of receiving the state grant, she explained. 

"This legislation fills a gap in the statutes and protects the people's open space, when they approve and fund the purchase of municipal open space using only local dollars," Wright said. The bill also requires a similar statement on the land records when a town dedicates property that it already owns for open space or parkland purposes.

The issue was brought to Wright's attention about six years ago when, as a member of the Groton Town Council, she learned that the deeds to several parcels of land acquired by the town with bond proceeds authorized and issued in accordance with an open space bond referendum approved by the voters in 1988 contained no reference to the open space, conservation and recreational purposes set forth in the referendum question. Town officials have since added notations on the land records indicating that the properties are use restricted.

The new law specifies that absence of the required notice is not evidence of the lack of a conservation or preservation restriction or open space land protection. The Attorney General can enforce the public interest if a municipality fails to comply with an open space dedication or a conservation or preservation restriction.

Wright noted as particularly gratifying the strong bi-partisan support for the bill, which had passed unanimously in the Environment Committee and in the House and the Senate.

Entitled An Act Concerning Conservation and Preservation Restrictions Held by the State, the public act also enhances the oversight and long term protection of conservation and preservation easements held by the state by strengthening the ability of state agencies that hold conservation restrictions to enforce easement terms and requirements against land use activity that violates the restrictions.

AP/File
Connecticut House Speaker Christopher Donovan, above,
established the Blue Ribbon Commission on Municipal
Opportunities and Regional Efficiencies earlier this year.
The commission's goal is to place the state on a more
competitive economic footing within a fiercely contested
global economy.

Implications of grim state revenue and budget projections and the potential for cuts in state aid to cities and towns has focused the attention of lawmakers on the need for property tax relief, reducing government costs through regional collaborative ventures and improving economic competitiveness.

Although there are welcome signs of recovery on the horizon, state revenue streams, drastically reduced from the unanticipated collapse of financial markets and global economic disaster, typically lag the general economy. They will likely remain weak through fiscal year 2014 at least. Aggravating matters will be the absence of the federal stimulus dollars and other short-term infusions used to close state budget gaps in the 2009, 2010 and 2011 fiscal years.

Unless Connecticut reduces the cost of government overall, the gap between state revenues and expenditures will continue to grow, even when the state emerges from the recession.

Likely reductions in state aid to local governments - combined with pressure on municipalities and, in particular, school districts, to maintain the level and quality of public services - raise the question of how towns and cities will respond without increasing property taxes.

In a major effort to find new ways to meet public needs more imaginatively and productively, reduce property tax burdens, and put the state on a sounder fiscal footing for the long term, House Speaker Christopher Donovan established the Blue Ribbon Commission on Municipal Opportunities and Regional Efficiencies (MORE) earlier this year.

Commission recommendations for legislative action this past session were a forward step in the development of pragmatic solutions to promote overall government efficiency. These include multi-town collaborations to perform some public functions across municipal jurisdictions at lowered cost.

The overriding goal is to place the state on a more competitive economic footing within a fiercely contested global economy.

Proactive proposals to generate results

MORE Commission initiatives for the just-completed session included a set of proposals that focus on actual results, working through existing governmental institutions that respect home rule and local needs. The General Assembly passed measures to:

• Allow towns and their school boards to buy prescription drugs through the state employee plan and to pool their employee health insurance plans with other towns, reducing costs through economices of scale.
• Encourage towns to collaborate on school bus contracts. As an incentive, the state will distribute one half of the money it saves on lowered reimbursements to towns that achieve cost savings through shared transportation agreements.
• Relieve municipalities from the mandate of online posting of public agency meeting minutes and from the recovery and storage requirement of evicted tenants' possessions.
• Enhance the tax base of towns and cities by adding new wireless telecommunications as tangible personal property to municipal grand lists and establishing a floor on depreciation for assessment purposes to reflect the economic value of telecoms' property that has been fully depreciated, but which remains in use.

Idea gets House backing

Another bill to increase the state hotel occupancy tax by 3 percent and pass through the new revenues to towns and regions passed in the House, but failed to win Senate support. One-third of the increase would go to the towns in which the hotels are located, for a smaller reliance on property taxes. Two-thirds would be distributed to regions on a per capita basis for property tax relief and to promote regional cost-saving initiatives, including economic development and education cooperative programs.

In the coming months, we will continue to develop additional recommendations for the General Assembly's 2011 legislative session to further promote money-saving, tax-reducing efficiencies for Connecticut's towns and cities through cooperative and collaborative efforts.

The House Speaker's Blue Ribbon Commission on Municipal Opportunities and Regional Efficiencies (MORE) is comprised of Democratic legislators and municipal, regional, education, business, union and nonprofit representatives.

"Rising health care costs, including prescription drug coverage, are crushing municipalities and school districts-and by extension-local taxpayers," Rep. Wright said. "By taking advantage of the increased bargaining power, lowered administration costs and substantial discounts negotiated by the large state employee pool, cities and towns could see substantial savings in their health care costs."

The bill, HB 5295: An Act Concerning Municipalities and Prescription Drug Plans, may be taken up in the House of Representatives soon according to an announcement by House Speaker Christopher Donovan (D-Meriden).

"Many of our cities and towns are paying for very high health insurance premiums with no relief in sight," Rep. Wright said. "Passing this legislation will provide an opportunity for our communities to participate in the state's employee health care pool to cut costs and achieve savings for local taxpayers."

Sensitive to home rule and wide variations in the needs of towns throughout the state, the proposal makes participation in the plan entirely voluntary. "Each city and town can decide whether it's in their interest to participate, so this is not a mandate," Rep. Wright explained.

Rep. Wright said the bill has the potential to help towns save hundreds of thousands of dollars by buying prescription drugs for their employees through the state plan.

The proposal was endorsed by the Commission on Municipal Opportunities and Regional Efficiencies (MORE) because it permits municipalities and the state to realize substantial discounts on some of their most expensive health care costs at a time when they are struggling with budgets and declining revenue.

Last year, the legislature passed a bill commissioning the development of a plan enabling Connecticut to join an existing multistate Medicaid pharmaceutical purchasing pool and to consolidate drug purchasing across the state. Bulk purchasing of prescription drugs holds the potential of saving significant state dollars and the measure passed with bipartisan support.

"Town Aid Road funds are very important for cities and towns to help pay for local road repair and paving projects," Rep. Wright said. "Many of us have been calling for the Governor to place this funding on the State Bond Commission's agenda because our local officials have been waiting for this money, so I am pleased the funding has finally been approved. This funding also provides relief for local property taxpayers and for those local officials responsible for town paving and road repair projects.

The funds are expected to be delivered to towns within 30 days.

The TAR funds for Groton are as follows:

• Town of Groton-$203,490.41
• City of Groton-$57,606.05

"State revenues are down this year and are projected to be down for the next several years.  The stark reality is that there will be less money available to distribute to towns. Already the current over-reliance on property taxes is strangling the economy and impeding our economic competitiveness," Rep. Wright said.

"With economic effects of the downturn reverberating throughout the state, it is imperative that we reexamine the fiscal relationships between state and local governments. We need to develop a new set of more enlightened tax and public finance strategies to strengthen our towns, expand economic opportunities and improve the state's competitive position," Rep. Wright continued.

The MORE Commission is tasked with developing policies and recommending action designed to make governments more efficient and less expensive through better allocation of fiscal resources.

The Revenue Streams and Economic Development subcommittee will address risks of structural problems and imbalances in our state and local systems of public finance, and examine such topics as pass-through of dedicated state revenues to towns; special revenue districts; regional asset, tax base and revenue sharing programs; local source revenue options; and availability of federal grant programs.

"I look forward to working with other legislators, local officials, civic and business leaders to address and tackle head on the enormous fiscal challenges the state and our towns currently face," Wright said.  "Although there are some welcome signs of economic recovery on the horizon, the outlook at present remains somber."

From the discussion and information gathered, the subcommittee will report back to the whole MORE Commission with their findings and recommendations for legislation.

The MORE Commission will build on the work done by the Smart Growth Working Group last year that resulted in the passage of several bills that lay the foundation for increasing the state's economic competitiveness through regionalism.

"I look forward to participating in this new commission and ongoing efforts to advance the case for fundamental reform to promote more efficient government and develop durable solutions to the fiscal challenges that we face," Rep. Wright, co-chair of the Smart Growth Working Group's Tax Policy subcommittee, stated.  "We need to dive in to find ways to help local governments economize, businesses and regions prosper and increase the overall quality of life and desirability of our state and its communities."

"We can be doing more with less," Speaker Donovan said. "Rep. Wright 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.