Happy Holidays & CT Steps Up Amid Federal Cuts

December 19, 2025

'Tis the season to wish our neighbors in Wilton, New Canaan, Ridgefield, and beyond a joyful season filled with warmth, gratitude, and community. The holiday spirit has been strong, take a look at the photos below!

There is also good news to share on the financial side as we close out the year. I'm pleased to share the significant progress in fulfilling our state retirement fund obligations.

Additionally, if you have heard about the continued federal funding cuts to assistance programs, read below to see how Connecticut is taking concrete steps to help people and programs facing new federal cuts to health care, food assistance, and supportive housing to combat homelessness.

As always, send me an email anytime with your questions, and if you like what you red, please forward this email to share this information with a friend!

Wishing you the happiest of holidays and a wonderful start to the New Year!

Savet Constantine
State Representative

Paying Down Long-Term Pension Debt

The state is making continued progress toward meeting its long-term obligations into retired teachers' and state workers' pension funds. Connecticut has now contributed $10 billion in extra pension payments since 2021.

Here's a closer look at the numbers: Strong investment performance and additional contributions to the retired state workers' fund increased the value of the fund by $2.3 billion, reducing the unfunded liability from $19.2 billion to $17.6 billion. This increased the funded ratio from 55% to 60%. Regarding the retired teachers' fund, it grew by more than $1.6 billion with its funded ratio increasing to 64%.

What does this mean for us? Serving as Vice Chair of the Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee, I can tell you this trend is important because it ensures that Connecticut continues to keep its financial house in order. This is key because it:

Ensures long-term fiscal responsibility
Protects taxpayers from higher future costs
Avoids passing costs to future generations
Makes it less expensive to borrow money due to lower interest rates

My colleagues and I will continue adhering to sound fiscal practices so that everyone in Connecticut benefits from stable, responsible budgeting in the years ahead.

Click here to learn more

Utilizing Our Emergency Response Fund

We passed a $500 million emergency response fund during November’s special session to support residents facing more harmful short notice federal cutbacks. Now, Governor Ned Lamont is putting a plan in motion to put that fund to good use. His $170 million proposal includes calls for committing:

$64.1 million to offset cuts to Affordable Care Act subsidies
$24.55 million to support community food banks and pantries
$6.88 million to combat homelessness with supportive housing
$4.7 million for 2-1-1 to increase call volume and to Community Action Agencies to support outreach and assistance for SNAP recipients

CLICK HERE to see the entire proposal, which still needs approval from legislative leaders. When Washington walks away, Connecticut Democrats step up to help those in need.

Around the District

I had the pleasure of joining some of my colleagues in a series of engaging conversations at an Education Legislative Breakfast. The event, hosted by Cooperative Educational Services, was an opportunity for us to speak in depth with superintendents, board of education chairmen, and local council members about their priorities and the needs of our school systems. Thank you to everyone who attended, shared their expertise, and contributed to an exciting event.

I was proud to be part of an evening recognizing the outstanding service of town volunteers in New Canaan at Waveny Park's Carriage Barn Arts Center. Congratulations to Tom Butterworth, Rich Townsend, Penny Rashin, Tom Schulte, Beth Jones, and Dr. David Reed for their selfless dedication, tireless efforts, and unwavering commitment to strengthening our community.

It was an honor to recognize two members of the Wilton Fire Department for their exceptional years of public service. I was proud to present citations to Fire Marshal Rocco Grosso for 25 years of dedicated service and to Lt. Brad Carlson for 29 years. Both have been pillars of our community, keeping Wilton residents safe in the most challenging conditions. Congratulations to each of them on a well-deserved retirement!

Fire Marshall Rocco Grosso, Rep. Constantine, and Lt. Brad Carlson

Celebrating the Holidays

Our community has been celebrating the holidays all month long, and I was honored to attend a special event for our seniors at Stay at Home Wilton. The crowd enjoyed a wonderful evening of food, drinks, and caroling to get everyone in the spirit of the season. Stay tuned for some big news regarding this program in January that will support independent living and accessibility for our elderly residents.

Take a look at the series of pictures below to see how our community is coming together during the holiday season, a truly remarkable sign of joy and unity!