Rebecca Martinez

A reminder that the Plainville Community Water Survey is now open.

My office wants to hear directly from residents about both water quality concerns and the financial impact on your household. The survey asks about taste, odor, discoloration, hardness, filtration systems, bottled water use, whether you avoid drinking the tap water, and other water-related expenses.

A new school year is just around the corner! As summer comes to a close, families are getting ready to settle into new routines, gather school supplies, and embrace an exciting year filled with learning, growth, and new opportunities.

Don’t forget that this year’s Connecticut Sales Tax Free Week runs through Saturday, August 22, so there’s still time to save on back-to-school shopping for your children.

During the tax-free week, certain items of clothing and footwear costing less than $300 per item are exempt from sales tax. The exemption applies to purchases made from retailers located in Connecticut as well as qualifying purchases from online retailers.

The Plainville Community Water Survey is now open, and I am asking all Plainville residents to please participate.

My legislative office wants to hear directly from you about your water quality and any financial impact on your household. The survey asks about taste, odor, discoloration, hardness, filtration systems, bottled water use, whether you avoid drinking tap water, damaged appliances, and other water-related expenses.

The 2026 Connecticut Sales Tax Free Week is Sunday, August 16th, through Saturday, August 22nd. This week provides a chance for families to save money, whether it is taking children back-to-school shopping or treating yourself or your loved ones.

During this week, sales or purchases of certain items of clothing or footwear costing less than $300 per item are exempt from sales tax.

A new one-time grocery benefit of $300 each is being distributed to low-income Connecticut residents who have been pushed out of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) due to federal changes.

The grocery benefits, through a partnership the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) arranged with Connecticut’s network of community action agencies and with support provided by the Connecticut Association for Community Action (CAFCA), will be distributed as prepaid virtual grocery cards—not loaded onto existing EBT cards.

You will soon be able to shop, compare plans, and enroll in health and dental coverage through the state’s official health insurance marketplace. Access Health CT’s open enrollment period runs from October 23 through December 23, giving residents an early start this year to explore their options and choose the coverage that best fits their needs.

In Plainville, we had two aging fire trucks that both needed to be replaced.

The Town of Plainville and our residents committed to replacing one truck through the local budget. I was proud to help secure an $800,000 state grant for a second truck, so its cost will not fall on our local property taxpayers.

By replacing both trucks at the same time, the town was able to negotiate a better price, saving even more taxpayer dollars.

Even better, instead of waiting years for a new truck to be built, Plainville secured two showroom trucks that are ready to go. The first is expected to arrive this fall.

This is what good government looks like. When the town and the state work together with one goal, to make sure the Plainville Fire Department has exactly what it needs, our firefighters, our residents, and our taxpayers all benefit.

I know many of you are still dealing with the effects of the storm last weekend, and I want to let you know that the state is here to help.

Below, you can find a list of resources, including mobile food pantries and SNAP benefits, that are available to you in this time of need. Please note that the deadline for SNAP recipients who experienced food loss due to the storm is TOMORROW, JULY 14. Don't miss out on this opportunity!