David Michel

Below, you will find information about Utility Assistance, a pension update and a message about Telemundo's Project Innovation grant challenge.

Retirees in Connecticut are now able to claim a larger deduction on pension and annuity income. Thanks to a six-year plan that began with the 2019 tax year, seniors are seeing an increase in the percentage of pension and annuity income they can deductfrom their annual tax returns. The deduction for 2019 was 14% and increases to 28% for 2020. By 2025, seniors will be able to deduct 100% of their pension and annuity income!

The deduction applies to pension and annuity income for individuals earning less than $75,000 annually or married couples earning under $100,000 per year.
 
I am proud to help our seniors on fixed incomes reduce their tax burden in appreciation for their years of service to the community.

Qualifying Connecticut families can receive energy assistance to help reduce unpaid utility bill balances through the Operation Fuel Online Portal.

Although customers with hardships are protected from utility shutoffs through May 1, 2021, unpaid bills continue to stack up. Operation Fuel’s Home Energy Assistance Program, a 24/7 web-based portal,offers assistance to help you chip away at those high balances that must still be paid.

Apply Here

To apply you must:

• Be a household whose income does not exceed 75% of the State Median Income Guidelines, including working families or individuals facing a financial crisis.
  • Financial crisis is defined as the inability of a household to pay for a deliverable fuel or a thirty-day outstanding utility bill.
• Bring proof of the last four weeks of income for all household members, the name of your fuel vendor (for deliverable fuel customers, only), or your utility bill and payment history (for electric and gas utility customers only).
• See detailed guidelines in both English and Spanish.

Please note: An Operation Fuel energy grant is not an entitlement to all Connecticut residents who fall within income guidelines. Grants to households are approved at the discretion of Operation Fuel staff.

Before COVID-19’s devastating financial impact the United Way found:

• More than 400,000 low- and moderate-income Connecticut families were at risk of not being able to pay their utility bills.

During COVID-19’s devastating financial impact Operation Fuel has seen:

• Residents who have never needed emergency energy assistance desperately seeking help. 
• A 20% increase in requests for help with electric, gas, oil, water, and other energy costs.
• Since July, residents have been able to apply for help through the portal.
• For additional information, visit their website.

Operation Fuel is the state’s only year-round emergency energy assistance program, offering help with electricity, water, natural gas, oil, and other energy bills. Anyone interested in donating please hereand or text OPFUEL to 44321.

Telemundo 47/WNJU and the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation's Project Innovation grant challenge kicked off today with more than $300k in funding available for New York, New Jersey and Connecticut not-for-profit organizations. Applications will be accepted until February 12.    Organizations are invited to apply who: Have successfully leveraged the power of innovation to make a difference. Share WNBC and WNJU’s commitment to diversity, opportunity, empowerment, civic engagement and community service. NBC 4 New York/WNBC, Telemundo 47/WNJU and the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation kicked off their Project Innovation grant challenge for the fourth consecutive year.  Local nonprofits that are helping to move communities forward by encouraging a culture of equity and inclusion, creating pathways for individuals to participate and volunteer in community engagement efforts, fostering the next generation of storytellers and providing youth with the tools they need to succeed across multiple disciplines including entrepreneurship, can submit a Project Innovation grant application at nbcuprojectinnovation.com or in Spanish at nbcuproyectoinnovacion.com through February 12, 2021. Eligibility requirements, an extensive Q&A and the formal application can be accessed here.

As always, don't hesitate to contact me at the Capitol at 860-240-8585 or email me at David.Michel@cga.ct.gov.  Don't forget to like my Official Facebook Page for news and legislative updates!