Upcoming Events & Senior Tax Relief

March 7, 2023
I hope this note finds you well. There are a number of upcoming events and programs that provide helpful resources, or are just a great way to get out and active with friends and family. Below you will find more information, shared from multiple other sources, on these events as well as tax assistance updates for our seniors.

You can click on any of the links above to jump to that section of the email. I hope that you find these resources helpful.

 
Lights Out Connecticut
Tonight, March 7, at 6PM, at the Pequot Library, join local experts for a presentation and panel discussion on the Lights Out Connecticut initiative, which works to bring awareness to how light pollution continues to impact bird migration.

Lights Out Panelists:

  • Viveca Morris - Research Scholar, Lecturer in Law, and the Executive Director of the Law, Ethics & Animals Program at Yale Law School
  • Leo Smith - Former Executive Director of the International Dark Skies Association
  • Craig Repasz - Co-chair of Lights Out Connecticut, the President of the New Haven Bird Club, and Chair of the Connecticut Ornithological Association science committee
  • Meredith Barges - Spearheaded the bird-friendly building initiative at Yale Divinity School and co-chair of Lights Out Connecticut

Registration for the event is not required, but encouraged. Please click the button below to RSVP:

RSVP for Lights Out Connecticut
 
League of Women Voters Events
Connecticut Women in Politics

On Thursday, March 9, from 12:30PM - 1:30PM, Laura Smits, President of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut will host a virtual event highlighting Connecticut Women in Politics: Past, Present, and Future.

Panelists:

  • Kay Maxwell - League of Women Voters
  • Susan Bysiewicz - Lt. Governor of Connecticut
  • Callie Gale Heilmann - Bridgeport Generation Now
  • Gemeem Davis - Bridgeport Generation Now

Registration is required for this event. To RSVP for the virtual panel, or to send in questions to the panelists, please click the button below:

RSVP for Virtual Panel
 
Hidden Histories

Later that day, Thursday, March 9, from 6:00PM - 7:30PM, join

Kathryn Angelica and Dr. Brittney Yancy for an in-person discussion at the Fairfield Museum and History Center on the forgotten histories of Connecticut’s Black women activists.

Dr. Brittney Yancy and Kathryn Angelica are the recipients of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut Education Fund 2021 Connecticut Women’s Suffrage Research Fellowship.

Panelists:

  • Dr. Brittney Yancy - Assistant Professor of History and African American Studies at Illinois College
  • Katheryn Angelica - PhD Candidate at the University of Connecticut

Registration is not required for this event, but there is a recommended donation of $5.

 
Fairfield Health & Fitness Expo
The Fairfield Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Town of Fairfield’s Department of Community & Economic Development, will host the 2023 Fairfield Health and Fitness Expo, Saturday, March 11, at the Fairfield University RecPlex from 11AM – 4PM. It’s back! This is a family friendly, fun, and informative event, and I encourage you to bring your family along to see how you can all be healthier as we head into Spring.

Expo Highlights:

  • 60+ Exhibitors
  • Free Screenings
    • Blood Pressure
    • Glucose
    • Chiropractic
  • Kids Activities
    • Shamrock Fun Run/Sponsored by Sound Runner
    • Craft Activities
  • Other Services
    • Hands-Only CPR & AED Training/Fairfield Fire Department
    • Prescription Drug Take-Back/Fairfield Police Department
    • Fitness Demos
    • Comfort Dog/Fairfield University’s “Dakota”
    • Senior Services and Communities
    • Virtual Reality Dementia Simulation
    • Food Truck

For more information, and to stay up-to-date, please visit the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce Website and the Chamber’s Facebook Event Page. If you need assistance with parking, please contact Michele@FairfieldCTChamber.com (203) 255-1011, or click the link above to visit the Chamber's website.

 
Sports Betting: What You Need to Know
March is Problem Gambling Awareness. With the proliferation in sport betting and seemingly constant ads on TV, it’s helpful to learn more about how to spot a problem.

In a January letter I received from the Executive Director of Connecticut’s Council on Problem Gambling, she wrote that, “...brain scans of people with gambling disorders have shown that participants receive similar dopamine highs from almost winning as they do from actually winning when gambling.” She said that problem gambling impacts 1% of US adults with 2-3% in the mild or moderate gambling problems category. If you or someone you love think you have an issue with gambling, you can receive 24/7 support from the Problem Gambling Helpine - (888) 789-7777.
 
On Monday, March 20, from 7:00PM - 8:30PM, you can join the virtual discussion on sports betting to learn more about its effects on kids and teens, the impact on the brain, and how it's linked to mental health.

Panelists:

  • Dave Torromeo - Head of the Sport Business Management Program at Manhattanville College
  • Dan Trolaro - Vice President of Prevention in the US for EPIC Risk Management

Registration is required for this event, so please click the button below to RSVP:

RSVP for Discussion
 
One Book One Town
This year’s One Book One Town (OBOT) selection in Fairfield is, “I Keep Trying to Catch His Eye: a memoir of loss, grief, and love,”  Fellow Stratfield Dad Ivan Maisel has written a beautiful and powerful memoir about his own journey following the loss of their son Max to suicide. I put off starting the book for many months, and finally began reading last weekend. Ivan is not only a beautiful writer (he covered college football for ESPN for many years), but an insightful and powerful voice of clarity amidst the hecticness of our lives.
 
I have heard some in the community say that the choice of this book is “too difficult,” and indeed this is a difficult conversation. I applaud the OBOT committee and our libraries for helping to bring a conversation about suicide and mental health into the light. In Connecticut in 2020, suicide was the second leading cause of death for those age 10-34. Help is available, now through 988 and many other community resources. Ivan’s story, which I hope to finish this week, is a powerful reminder that, as he says, “Grief is love.”

On Tuesday, March 28, at 7PM, Ivan will join us at the Quick Center at Fairfield University. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the book and Ivan's process in writing it.

Registration is required for the event, so please click the button below to RSVP:

RSVP for Discussion
 
Senior Tax Assistance - Fairfield
The First Selectwoman and the Fairfield Assessor's Office have shared that the town is accepting new applications for credits on real estate tax bills for qualifying elderly and/or disabled residents.

Qualifications:

  • Must be at least 65 years of age (75 years old for the Deferral) or totally disabled (receiving total disability payments from Social Security or from any other government disability program) as of December 31, 2022
  • See table below with income caps
  • The property for which the tax relief is claimed must be the legal residence of the applicant and occupied by them more than 183 days of each year
  • Been a taxpayer of the Town of Fairfield and have paid taxes for at least one year as of October 1 of the current Grand List year
  • Must have a qualifying total asset value (QTAV) not exceeding $650,000
  • Applications will be accepted through May 15, 2023

How to Submit:

Please call the Assessor's Office for application instructions at (203) 256-3110. Applicants must meet in person with a staff member from the Assessor's Office to file.

What to Bring:

  • Proof of income for the previous calendar year
    • Complete copy of your 2022 income tax form 1040 or 1040A
    • Copy of the 2022 social security form 1099
    • All other 1099 forms whether taxable or not
      • For those who do not file an income tax form - copies of all 1099 forms both taxable and non taxable are required.

*All income from all sources for the previous calendar year must be considered for any tax relief program.