Kate Farrar

Happy Holi! I was honored to join the vibrant celebration at Vallabhdham Temple in Newington’s 20th District, where community members came together to celebrate Hindu culture and welcome the arrival of spring. Holi is a beautiful reminder of renewal, joy, and the triumph of light over darkness, and it was wonderful to share in the traditions, colors, and spirit of unity that make this festival so special.

This week the Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee met to vote out many bills and its version of the budget. As you may recall, the Governor shared his version of the budget updates in February. 

In addition to proposals that would increase municipal funding and help ease pressure on local property taxes, several other measures are designed to address the broader affordability challenges families face every day and fix our state's upside down tax code. A few examples include: 

• Senate Bill 1: An Act Concerning Affordability includes several proposals aimed at lowering everyday costs, including eliminating the sales tax on clothing and shoes under $100, school supplies such as backpacks, and certain grab-and-go grocery items like sandwiches and coffee purchased from supermarkets. It also creates a caregiver tax credit for eligible expenses incurred while caring for a homebound family member. And for many seniors, its full exemption of Social Security benefits from state tax is one of the most significant proposals this session.
   
• House Bill 5114: An Act Establishing a Refundable Credit Against the Personal Income Tax for a Portion of Annual Rent Payments Made by a Taxpayer for a Primary Residence in the State would provide renters with a property tax credit recognizing that renters also feel the strain of Connecticut’s high cost of living and deserve meaningful relief.
• House Bill 5444: An Act Concerning the Indexing of Certain Personal Income Tax Thresholds and Exemption Amounts would provide needed, targeted financial support and improve the fairness of the state’s regressive tax system by preventing an automatic annual tax increase that especially harms low- and middle-income households and has little to no effect on very high-income households. 
• Senate Bill 510: An Act Concerning a Study of State Revenue Policies would promote greater fairness in our tax code beginning with the 2027 tax year. The proposal imposes a 1.75% surcharge on capital gains for taxpayers whose Connecticut adjusted gross income exceeds: (1) $1 million for single filers and married individuals filing separately; (2) $1.6 million for heads of household; and (3) $2 million for joint filers.

Now, the negotiations between the legislative and executive branches go into effect, and hopefully, we will be finished, with pencils completely down, by Sine Die on May 6th.

This week I attended the Menopause Equity Roundtable hosted by Rep. Kai Belton, YWCA Hartford and UConn Health Disparities Institute. 

Connecticut is considering legislation in 2026, addressing the lack of attention to menopause and women's health by establishing provider toolkits for better diagnosis/treatment of menopause and creating workplace accommodations for related symptoms. 

• House Bill 5389: An Act Concerning a Provider Toolkit for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Menopause, Perimenopause, and Postmenopause requires the Department of Public Health (DPH) to develop a menopause toolkit by 2026 with evidence-based guidance for healthcare providers on screening, diagnosing, and treating perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopausal symptoms, including hormone and testosterone therapy.
• Senate Bill 353: An Act Concerning Reasonable Accommodations in the Workplace for Conditions Related to Menopause introduces requirements for employers to provide reasonable accommodations for menopause-related symptoms—similar to pregnancy accommodations—such as flexible scheduling, modified environments, and additional breaks.

You can watch the full program here.

And as Women’s History Month comes to a close, I want to give a special shout-out to Ashley Flagg, chef and owner of The Laurel in Elmwood, which she runs alongside her wife, Rebekah. It was a pleasure to stop by and present Ashley with a legislative citation in recognition of her 2025 Chef of the Year Award from the Connecticut Restaurant & Hospitality Association.

On Thursday, April 9, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., I hope you will join me and the Newington delegation for Newington Advocacy Day at the State Capitol (210 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, Room 105).

This is a great opportunity to engage directly in the legislative process, connect with state leaders, and advocate for the issues that matter most to our community. Your voice plays an important role in shaping the future of Newington, and we welcome your participation. 

Click here to RSVP.

The Passport to Connecticut Libraries program is back will take place from April 1–30.

Starting April 1, visit your local library to pick up your official program passport along with a list of participating libraries across the state. Then the adventure begins, explore as many libraries as you can throughout April!

Visit at least five different participating libraries and collect stamps from those locations (only official participating libraries count, be sure to check your list). Then, once you’re done, be sure to return your completed passport by May 11 to be entered into a prize drawing.

With nearly 200 public libraries in Connecticut—plus school, college, museum, and even church libraries—there’s an incredible variety to discover. Each library offers something unique, and this program is a fun way to experience all the amazing things libraries across the state have to offer.

So grab your passport and start exploring, your next favorite library might be just around the corner!

Click here for a list of participating libraries.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is announcing that infrastructure improvements will be performed on the CTfastrak in New Britain, Newington, West Hartford, and Hartford. This project began on April 1 and is set to be completed on Sunday, November 1. 

Lane Closure/Detour Info:

Paving of the CTfastrak busway will be completed in five segments: New Britain Station to East Street Station, East Street Station to Newington Junction Station, Newington Junction Station to Oakwood Ave, Oakwood Ave to Sigourney Station, and Sigourney Station to Asylum Ave.

Each segment will be closed in both directions and reponed when completed before closing the next segment. Only one segment shall be closed at a time.

Closures and bus detours will be coordinated through CTtransit. Closures to the CTfastrak busway can be expected through November 1. Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the duration of the project.

Motorists should be aware that modifications or extensions to this schedule may become necessary due to weather delays or other unforeseen conditions. Motorists are advised to maintain a safe speed when driving in this area.

Congratulations to the UConn Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams on reaching the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament!
 

For those observing Holy Week, I hope you have a meaningful and peaceful time of reflection, renewal, and spiritual connection. May these days be filled with moments of quiet contemplation, gratitude, and hope as you journey through this sacred season. Wishing you strength, grace, and a deep sense of purpose as you commemorate its significance.