Maria Horn

This is my State Capitol update for the week of January 13. If you would rather watch than read, check out the link at the bottom of the page.

The start of the next session is right around the corner. As February 5 inches closer, the conversations I’ve been having in the district are focusing on issues that the legislature may pick up in this short session, which will go by fast.

Among them, I’ve had several discussions in the past week with Board of Education members regarding the costs of special education, particularly the variability of those costs when families and children move into different school systems during the school year. This cost volatility poses major challenges to the budgeting process, and the conversations focused on whether the state can help create policies or mechanisms which can help level this out.

Environmental Summit

This week I attended a summit meeting of the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters, covering a host of environmental topics, including forests and carbon sequestration, toxins and pollutants, greenhouse gases, transportation, and limiting the use of plastics in the state. DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes shared the priorities of her agency and of the governor’s administration.

I wanted to mention two topics from the summit of particular relevance for us: one challenge and one set of opportunities. In the challenge department, we have a looming crisis in the management of our solid waste. The burn facility which many of our towns in the NW corner use to dispose of solid waste (operated by the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority, or “MIRA”) is at the end of its useful life and in need of major renovation. This could increase town tipping fees to such a degree that they will have to look for alternative solutions. As other private facilities in the state are already full, one alternative is to haul it to landfills out of state. Avoiding landfills was one of the reasons MIRA was created, so we’re going to have to find a way to turn this crisis into an opportunity to develop other solutions, such as investing in anaerobic digesters, or considering a “pay as you throw” plan that would encourage all of us to cut down on our waste.

The opportunities were put on the table thanks to Amy Blaymore Paterson of the Connecticut Land Conservation Council, who emphasized that the state’s natural areas are among our strongest defenses against climate change. She encouraged all of us to lead by example, and plant more trees, create a pollinator garden, support and purchase locally grown food, or to join a local land trust and help conserve more green spaces.

Prime Time House

On Thursday I was invited to attend a weekly house meeting at Prime Time House in Torrington, which provides opportunities for adults living with mental illness to lead productive, independent, and fulfilling lives throughout Litchfield County. They shared stories with me, and raised a lot of important issues, such as the critical need for public transportation and affordable housing. We also discussed Clean Slate legislation, which aims to give formerly incarcerated people, who have paid their debt and are trying to rebuild their lives, a chance for a fresh start by providing access to employment and housing. There was, and will be, much debate about which types of offenses are suitable, but enacting some policy in this area would benefit public safety, be fiscally responsible, and economically productive.

Upcoming Events

This weekend is the fourth anniversary of the Women’s March, so if you’re interested in joining forces there are two local opportunities to do that on Saturday, January 18:

• In Salisbury, at 10:00 am there will be an informal gathering on the White Hart green;
• Kent will host a march at 12:00 pm starting at Golden Falcon Field.

The non-partisan Office of Legislative Research recently published the 2020 Major Issues report, which summarizes key issues the legislature could take up during the upcoming session.

OLR identifies issues based on research requests, studies, and public conversations with legislators and executive branch agencies.

To read or download the 2020 Major Issues Report, click here or the image below.

I wish you all a happy long weekend, and celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday. I was recently in Atlanta for a conference and visited the King Center, which prepares global citizens to create a more just, humane and peaceful world using nonviolent philosophy and methodology. I bought one of my now favorite T-shirts there.

It is my honor to represent our district. I look forward to hearing from you about the issues raised in this newsletter, or any other topics you think I should know about. You can email me at maria.horn@cga.ct.gov or call me at (860)-240-8585. Thanks for reading, and I wish you a safe weekend.