Newsletter

May 25, 2022

Our hearts are heavy. They are heavy because we know this pain. We lived it when we experienced the tragedy at Newtown/Sandy Hook. They are heavy because we have communities in Connecticut that experience gun violence nearly every day.

Today, there will be silence in Texas. I know that because I can remember that palpable silence in the grocery store, at restaurants, everywhere we went in the days following the deaths of 20 children and six educators. It's a silence that blankets every conversation, that wraps itself around us and crawls inside of us and that renders us dumb when we try to understand the horror of what we have seen.

And, yes, it's the silence we hear from national leaders who tell us, each time this happens, now is not the time to talk about this, now is the time to grieve. We can hold both thoughts. We can pray and grieve and hold families in our thoughts and we can acknowledge that until we pass universal background checks and red flag laws (which have wide support from both political parties), this is our reality.

It's not just mental health. Other countries have mental health rates similar to ours in the United States. We have a gun problem. Military style weapons that make carnage of human beings and military grade body armor worn by mass murderers are part of the problem. We owe our children and ourselves better because otherwise, as Senator Murphy said yesterday, "What are we doing?"

I'll be at the vigil this evening in Simsbury at Town Hall at 7:30 p.m. because at a time like this, we all need support.
 
TEXAS: WE'RE WITH YOU

Texas, our hearts are with you.

It’s times like these that we need to gather to mourn and support one another. I hope you can join me at Simsbury Town Hall at 7:30 p.m. tonight for an event entitled "Farmington Valley Vigil for Victims of the Texas Shooting" Please click on the image below if you are interested in attending.
In Avon, there will be a candlelight vigil to remember the lives lost at Robb Elementary School at West Avon Congregational Church, 280 Country Club Road, on Thursday, May 26th at 7:30 p.m.  
 
FREE COVID-19 VACCINE CLINIC AT AVON FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY SATURDAY FROM 11 A.M. TO 4 P.M

The Connecticut Department of Public Health will be hosting a free vaccination clinic for everyone age 12+ and 11-5 on Saturday, at the Avon Free Public Library, 281 Country Club Road, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Boosters will be available, too.

Walk-ins are welcome. Please bring your health insurance card and photo ID if you have them but it isn't necessary. No one will be turned away for a lack of insurance or ID.

For more information please click on the image below.
 
MEMORIAL DAY PARADES IN CANTON, AVON ON MONDAY

Canton's Memorial Day Parade, to honor all who served, will be held on Monday, May 30th beginning at 10 a.m., heading south on Dyer Ave. A memorial service will be held at the Village Cemetery at the conclusion of the parade.

The Canton Community Center will be open to veterans for coffee and donuts beginning at 8:45 a.m. If you're interested in joining, groups should be at Canton Intermediate School at 9:30 a.m.

If you plan to participate and need a ride or would liked to be picked up before the event please contact Melissa Denton, at 860-693-7841.

The Avon VFW is inviting you to attend its 77th annual Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 30th at 11 a.m. All veterans are encouraged to join. Cars will also be available for veterans needing a ride.The parade will begin at the Board of Education

Amex located at 34 Simsbury Road. There will be a ceremony at the Veterans' Memorial on the Town Green after the parade. In the case of rain, a small event will be held inside the Avon Senior Center. 
 
CHILD TAX PAYMENT APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE JUNE 1ST

Here is some great new for families!

Applications for the Child Tax Payments that was included as part of a historic $600 million in tax cuts in our 2022 state budget will open June 1, 2022.

Any Connecticut resident who claimed at least one dependent child under the age of 18 on their 2021 federal income tax return may be eligible to receive a maximum payment of $250 per child (for up to three children) with the following income guidelines (higher incomes may be eligible for a reduced rebate):

Anyone who is interested in seeking a payment must apply to the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services with applications closing on July 31, 2022 - recipients will receive funds beginning in late August.

For more information on the 2022 CT Child Tax Payments click on the image below.
The Department of Revenue Services is in the process of reaching out to eligible households and I encourage you to share this information with any parents that may qualify.
 
CONNECTICUT RECEIVES CREDIT RATING UPGRADE FROM S&P
I have some great economic news to share! Due to our historic payments toward our unfunded liabilities, a record rainy day fund, and smart investments in the future of our state, the credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) raised Connecticut’s general obligation bond outlook from stable to positive.

This historic budget adjustment package we passed in the 2022 Legislative Session promotes financial responsibility and makes meaningful investments in our communities. Connecticut currently has a $4.8 billion budget surplus and a $3.1 billion rainy day fund.

According to the latest budget estimate from Governor Lamont's administration, our state is poised to pay down an additional $3.6 billion toward the long-standing unfunded pension liabilities. This pension payment is in addition to the $2.9 billion scheduled payment. Utilizing our budget surplus to pay down pensions puts us on a solid fiscal footing for the future and helps to save taxpayers' money. While we still have a long way to go on our legacy pension debts, these supplemental payments are expected to drive down the minimum required contributions the state must make by as much as $400 million a year, freeing up those resources for other priorities.
 
INVESTING IN A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT

Prior to the start of the 2022 legislative session, House Democrats pledged to support policies and bills that would help cut our carbon footprint, increase our reliance on clean energy sources, and protect the health of Connecticut residents.

I'm happy to report that two of these bills - SB 10 and SB 176 - have officially been signed into law!

SB 10, AN ACT CONCERNING CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION requires Connecticut to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions produced by the state's electric grid by January 1, 2040. After the transportation sector, our electric grid (essentially, how energy is supplied and consumed) is the second highest emitter of greenhouse gasses in the state. This law seeks to change that by giving utility companies and suppliers the necessary push to find cleaner, zero-carbon ways to provide consumers with energy.

SB 176, AN ACT CONCERNING CLEAN ENERGY TARIFF PROGRAMS looks to increase commercial reliance on rooftop solar energy by modifying existing energy caps involving shared clean energy facilities and expanding the Non-Residential Energy Solutions (NRES) and the Shared Cleaner Energy Facilities (SCEF) programs.

While more remains to be done, these new laws represent significant steps forward for Connecticut in increasing our reliance on clean energy sources and protecting our environment for ourselves and for future generations.

Click below to watch the press conference and bill signing ceremony for SB 10 and SB 176.
 
ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH (PODCAST HIGHLIGHT)
Here's a great podcast to check out in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Click on the image to check it out.