Juan R. Candelaria

Last week, the House concluded its legislative session, wrapping up months of hard work to deliver for the people of Connecticut.

In New Haven alone, we delivered millions for our residents, including $7.65 million in additional education funding, a $12.42 million state grant, and a total of $347 million in state aid. This achievement could not have been done without the New Haven delegation working together for the benefit of our great city.

While the Connecticut legislature has been busy at work passing bills that will help our state, I wanted to take a moment to share something more personal.

It was a busy week, as the State House of Representatives was in session Monday-Thursday. We passed a number of bills, and you can read about some of them here.

Connecticut’s Renters’ Rebate Program is now open to eligible renters who are elderly or living with a disability and meet certain income requirements.

Qualified applicants may receive rebates of up to $900 for married couples and $700 for single individuals. The rebate amount is determined using a graduated income scale, as well as the total rent and utility payments (excluding telephone) made during the previous calendar year.

Applications must be submitted through your local municipality’s assessor’s office or a designated social service agency. The application period is now open and will run through September 30. Please note that no extensions are permitted, and all applications must be received by the municipality no later than September 30.

Affordability remains a major challenge in our state. Alongside proposals to increase Education Cost Sharing (ECS) funding and ease pressure on local property taxes, several other bills are focused on tackling the broader financial strains that families face every day.

I had such a wonderful time this week reading a book with children at the Farnam Community Center, followed by some volunteering with Connecticut Foodshare. It is events like these in our community that really make a difference and bring us together.

This week I joined my colleagues to support a new plan that strengthens the Education Cost Sharing program, the state's leading grant to local school districts. The plan redirects between $100-$170 million from our state's surpluses to flow back to cities and towns for education funding.

This proposal would prevent cities and towns from having to increase property taxes to cover the rising cost of education. It is our responsibility to make sure all children in Connecticut receive a proper education and learning environment, and this proposal goes a long way toward achieving that goal.

I'm thrilled to welcome $4.3 million in state funding through the Connecticut Community Investment Fund to support five important projects in New Haven. This funding will help municipalities and nonprofit organizations advance critical efforts in community development, housing, health services, and economic revitalization, strengthening neighborhoods and expanding opportunities for residents across our city.