Update - January 5

January 5, 2024
Dear Neighbor,

Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed spending time with loved ones, family, and friends who are family as 2023 ended and 2024 began. 

We are preparing for our "short session" that starts on February 7. During a short session, which happen in even-numbered year sessions, the state constitution and the legislative rules limit the introduction of proposed bills to budgetary, revenue, and financial matters.

I'm happy to share with you that a shelter will be opening at Trinity Church as an overflow shelter, helping us protect our unhoused population in Torrington.

Other topics covered in this e-newsletter include:

  • Northwest CT Chamber of Commerce Job Fair
  • CareVan Heading to Torrington
  • CT's Tax Relief Measures in 2024
  • Third Round of Nonprofit Security Grants Coming Soon
  • CT's Digital Equality Plan
  • January is Blood Donor Month
Homeless Shelter to Open at Trinity Church
If you missed the recent news that came out in late December, Torrington's Planning and Zoning Commission approved Trinity Episcopal Church's special permit application to run a homeless shelter, which ends the search that started in Spring 2023. 

Our city's homeless need this shelter space, particularly now that winter has officially set in. If you're interested in volunteering, there is a meeting scheduled to take place on Sunday. 

To read more about the shelter in the Register-Citizen, click HERE. 
I'm so happy we finally got the overflow shelter open. I'm extremely grateful that the State Fire Marshal - with the help of the DAS commissioner, the Governor's Office, and our local Fire Marshal - expedited the approval!
Northwest CT Chamber of Commerce Job Fair
Discover a world of job opportunities and meet some of the best companies in the Northwest Corner at the Northwest CT Chamber of Commerce's upcoming job fair.

Whether you're actively seeking employment or looking to hire new workers, this event is the perfect opportunity to make meaningful connections and take your career to the next level. 
CareVan Heading to Torrington
 
Connecticut's 2024 Tax Relief Measures:
What You Need to Know
As a result of fiscal responsibility and bipartisanship in 2023, I am pleased to announce that significant relief is on the way for many Connecticut taxpayers in 2024!

Three tax relief measures went into effect on January 1, including the largest income tax cut in state history, an increase in a tax credit aimed at the lowest-income workers, and an expansion of exemptions on certain pension and annuity earnings that will benefit the senior population.

Here's a closer look at the tax cuts, who specifically benefits, and how:

One million filers to benefit from income tax cuts

The changes enacted in 2024 will see a decrease in the two lowest rates:

  • The 3% rate on the first $10,000 earned by single filers and the first $20,000 by joint filers will drop to 2%.
  • The 5% rate on the next $40,000 earned by single filers and the next $80,000 by joint filers will drop to 4.5%.

The relief targets middle-class tax filers and is capped at $150,000 for single filers and $300,000 for joint filers. This is the first time that rates have been reduced in the state since the mid-1990s and it represents the largest income tax cut enacted in state history.

For more information, single filers click here. For joint filers, click here.
Connecticut’s Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income workers becomes one of the largest in the U.S.

The EITC in Connecticut is increasing from 30.5% to 40% of the federal EITC and will provide an additional $44.6 million in state tax credits to the approximately 211,000 low-income filers who receive the credit. More than 95% of filers who receive this credit are families with children.

The Connecticut EITC is a refundable state income tax credit for the lowest income working individuals and families that mirrors the federal EITC.
Expanding certain deductions for IRA distributions and pension and annuity earnings for seniors

The state budget eliminates the retirement income tax cliff by adding a phase-out for allowable pension annuity and IRA distribution deductions against the personal income tax.

Approximately 200,000 filers benefit from the currently enacted retiree exemption limits. It is estimated that with these changes, an additional 100,000 filers could benefit from the elimination of the retirement cliff via the exemption phase-out.
I would like to thank all my colleagues for working diligently during the 2023 legislative session to help provide this tax relief for many of our hardest-working state residents. The three measures will reduce tax burdens on CT taxpayers by $460 million!
Governor Announces Third Round of Nonprofit Security Grants
Yesterday, Governor Lamont announced his administration is preparing to release up to $5 million in state grants to help nonprofit organizations in Connecticut with the costs of implementing infrastructure upgrades that improve security and safety at their facilities.
 
The grants come from the state’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program, established in 2021. The program provides financial assistance for infrastructure improvements to 501(c)(3) organizations that are at a heightened risk of being the target of a terrorist attack, hate crime, or violent act. It is administered by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection’s Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS).
 
This will become the third round of grants released under the program. Nonprofits seeking grants under this round must submit applications to DEMHS by March 1, 2024. Applications will be ranked and awarded based on the demonstrated need for security improvement.
 
Eligible nonprofits can receive a maximum of $50,000 per site. Allowable activities include security infrastructure improvements to enhance security and target hardening of eligible nonprofit buildings based on security assessments.
 
Some examples of equipment that can be purchased with the grants include:
  • Ballistic glass
  • Surveillance cameras
  • Solid core doors
  • Double door access
  • Computer-controlled electronic locks
  • Scan card systems
  • Entry door buzzer systems
  • Penetration-resistant vestibules
  • Panic alarms
  • Metal detectors
  • Real-time interoperable communications and multimedia sharing infrastructure

 For more information on the program, including application materials, click HERE. 
State Digital Equity Plan
Connecticut is expanding residents’ access to affordable, high-speed internet, devices, and training. 

The draft plan – as well as executive summaries available in English and Spanish – has been published online at ct.gov/DigitalEquity
January is Blood Donor Month
National Blood Donor Month, celebrated every January, provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of blood donation and to honor those who have already made a life-saving contribution. This month-long observation serves as a reminder of the impact each of us can make by becoming a blood donor or supporting blood donation initiatives. 

I want to encourage you to consider becoming a blood donor if you haven't already. Your generosity can help ensure that hospitals and healthcare facilities have an adequate supply of blood to meet the needs of patients in our community and beyond. You can visit the American Red Cross website to find a blood donation center or mobile blood drive near you.