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In this week's eblast, you can read about an update to Sales Tax Free Week, energy efficiency rebates and incentives, and more. You can click the links below to navigate between sections.
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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.
Sales tax also does not apply to eligible non-electronic school supplies, making it more affordable for families to stock up on essential back-to-school items.
Click here for a list of items that ARE EXEMPT from sales tax and a list of items that are STILL TAXABLE. |
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This week, we celebrated the groundbreaking at the Plainville Middle School where they will complete a long-overdue renovation and modernization project.
This project was one of my top priorities when I became your state representative, and it is something I've worked on since my first day at the Capitol.
I'm so proud to see the groundbreaking begin, and I can't wait to see the final product for our kids!
You can watch highlights from the event here.
You can watch my full speech at the event here. |
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Great news for Plainville and Southington!
Plainville and Southington were two of the 41 communities selected to receive funding through Connecticut’s new High Quality Special Education Incentive Grant Program.
This first round provides $10.6 million statewide to help districts strengthen in district special education programming, expand supports, and build more capacity to serve students closer to home.
For families, that can mean more students receiving the services they need while staying connected to their schools, classmates, and communities. For towns, it can also help reduce some of the growing financial pressure associated with costly out of district placements.
I am very glad to see Plainville and Southington included in this first round of funding, and I look forward to seeing how both districts use these resources to support students and families. |
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A reminder that 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.
Complete the survey online here:
Plainville Community Water Survey
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/g/zkchZ2DFbp?origin=lprLink
Paper copies and drop boxes are also available at the Plainville Senior Center, Plainville Public Library, and Plainville Municipal Center.
The survey will remain open through September 15. We will use the results to work with the Town, our water utility, state agencies, and other appropriate partners to better understand what residents are experiencing and identify possible solutions.
Please respond even if you have no concerns. The more residents who participate, the more complete and accurate our understanding of Plainville’s water needs will be.
Please complete the survey and share it with your Plainville friends and neighbors.
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Energize Connecticut is an initiative that empowers smart energy choices, now and in the future.
Energize Connecticut provides state consumers, businesses, and communities with the resources and information they need to make it easy to save energy and build a clean energy future for all.
If you're looking to replace your older oil or gas furnace and switch to a heat pump system, there are rebates and incentives available by clicking here. |
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The Connecticut Department of Agriculture has opened the CT Grown for CT Kids (CTG4CTK) Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2027. This statewide grant program supports the development and expansion of farm-to-school initiatives across Connecticut by connecting children with local food while strengthening local agriculture and nutrition education.
Microgrant applications are due by September 9, and full grant applications are due by November 9. A total of $950,000 is available to support farm-to-school efforts, full grant awards will be funded up to $50,000, while microgrants will receive up to $5,000 each.
Eligible applicants include local and regional boards of education, regional education service centers, private schools and institutions, colleges and universities including student‑led groups, cooperative arrangements under section 10‑158a, childcare centers, group childcare homes, family childcare homes under section 19a‑77, and organizations or entities, including Connecticut farmers, that administer or support farm‑to‑school programs.
This is the sixth round of funding for CTG4CTK, which was originally established as a two-year pilot program in 2021. In June 2025, the legislature allocated up to $1 million annually in the FY26 and FY27 budgets.
Click here to register for an informational webinar that will be held on Tuesday, August 25, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Click here for more information and to access the CT Grown for CT Kids Grant webpage.
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Nomination requests for applicants seeking an appointment to a military service academy are processed through the Congressional offices of the applicants’ home state. If you would like to apply for a nomination from Senator Blumenthal, the online application window is now available and will remain open until 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 30.
Click here to apply through Sen. Blumenthal's office.
Nomination interviews will take place on November 7 and 8. Due to the number of candidates that will interview, scheduling requests will not be accommodated. Please plan accordingly to be available on those dates.
Should you have any questions, please email the Service Academy Coordinator at Service_Academy@blumenthal.senate.gov
If you would like to apply for a nomination from Congressman Jim Himes, the online application window is now available and will remain open until 5:00 p.m., Friday, October 16.
Click here to apply through Congressman Himes' office. |
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More travelers are experiencing what makes Connecticut such a great place! The annual Tourism and Economics report for 2025 shows that tourism growth in Connecticut more than doubled the national rate.
The state welcomed 72.2 million visitors in 2025. Additionally, visits to Connecticut increased 3.1% over the previous year, compared with national growth of 1.5%.
Key findings include:
- Connecticut tourism in 2025 generated $20.1 billion in total economic impact
- The industry supported 125,000 jobs and generated $1.6 billion in state and local tax revenue
- Through June 2026, statewide hotel occupancy increased 4.3% compared to a slight decline across New England
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Please see below for the "Roadwork Corner" section of the eblast, which will include information on current and upcoming roadwork to stay aware of. Please make sure to check in weekly for the latest updates!
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There will be lane shifts on Route 72 in Plainville/New Britain. The project 0171-0501 consists of rehabilitation measures for four (4) bridges that includes, but are not limited to deck rehabilitation, superstructure rehabilitation or replacement and substructure rehabilitation.
Other major project elements include paving, roadway drainage, guiderail replacement, highway design and construction, traffic engineering and work zone traffic control, illumination and Incident Management Systems (IMS) replacement or preservation, and utility coordination, as well as related design and construction requirements detailed throughout the Technical and General Provisions including Appendices and referenced authoritative sources.
Manafort Brothers Incorporated will implement traffic shifts on various Route 72 structures in Plainville/New Britain beginning on or around June 15 and continuing through early December 2026. Traffic will remain open during construction. Motorists should expect shifted travel lanes, reduced shoulder widths, temporary pavement markings, construction signage, and changing traffic patterns throughout the work zone.
Traffic control devices and signing will be installed to help guide drivers safely through the temporary roadway configuration. Motorists are advised to use caution, reduce speeds, and remain alert for construction vehicles, roadway workers, and temporary lane changes in the area.
Please note that the schedule may be modified or extended due to weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances. Additional traffic shifts will occur as needed in the project area into December 2026.
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The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is announcing that a Joint and Crack Sealing project will be performed on various state routes within the Greater Hartford region (CTDOT District 1). This project is scheduled to occur on Monday, June 1, 2026, and be completed on Friday, November 6, 2026. Project DOT01703229CN consists of pavement joint and crack sealing.
LANE CLOSURE/DETOUR INFO
There will be various lane closures on various state routes (see list below) from Monday, June 1, 2026, to Friday November 6, 2026, from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Traffic control personnel and signing patterns will guide motorists through the work zone.
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. The following routes are included in this project:
Andover:
Route 316 between Route 6 and Hebron town line
Berlin:
Route 71 between Route 372 (Farmington Avenue) and SR 571
Bristol:
Route 72 East of Blakeslee Street to Main Street No. 1
East Windsor:
SR 510 between Route 5 by Wagner Lane and Route 5 by King Street
Route 140 between Route191 to Route 286
Manchester:
Route 83 between US 6 & 44 (Center Street) to Route 30
Mansfield:
Route 32 between Route 275 and Route 44
Route 44 between the Coventry town line and Route 195
Route 320 between Route 195 and Route 320
Plainville:
SR 536 between Route 372 (East Main Street) to White Oak Avenue
Wolcott:
Route 322 between Woodtick Road and SR 844
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You can use the following links for access to town meeting schedules for the three towns in our district:
Plainville Town Meeting Schedule
Farmington Town Meeting Schedule
Southington Town Meeting Schedule
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Sincerely,
Rebecca Martinez
State Representative |
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