Protecting and Prioritizing Seniors

March 22, 2024

A bill designed to help seniors is now heading to the House Floor! I'll break down how this proposal will help our aging population in their golden years.

We are only a few days away from the start of early voting. Please scroll down to see when and where you can cast a ballot in Stamford ahead of the April 2nd presidential primary.

Utility companies are offering payment plans to some customers with unpaid balances. Look below to learn how their plans work and who to contact if you need assistance.

And, please bring the kids to a bilingual celebration of reading with me this weekend! I'll let you know where youngsters will play games and get to use their creativity.

Here are the sections of today's email:

  • Protecting and Prioritizing Seniors
  • Early Voting Takes Place Next Week
  • Help with Unpaid Utility Balances
  • Join Me For a Celebration of Reading
 
Protecting and Prioritizing Seniors

Great news! The Aging Committee approved House Bill 5001, an omnibus bill that will provide further support to our seniors.

This proposal is a priority of the House, and I am thrilled it is progressing through the legislative process.

Issues impacting seniors are often ignored. Our elderly residents need support and access to resources that will provide them with the best quality of life possible. HB 5001 does this by: 

  • Requiring additional training of home care workers 
  • Creating a more efficient process for accessing Medicaid
  • Expanding the Office of Long-Term Care Ombudsman

Click here to read an article that explores additional details of the bill.  
Our aging population faces a growing list of challenges that are not isolated incidents. As our society gets older, these issues will only become more pronounced. HB 5001 not only acknowledges these complexities but also paves the way for crucial improvements. This legislation will ensure that our seniors will age gracefully. Next stop, the House Floor!
 
Early Voting Takes Place Next Week
Early voting for the April 2 presidential preference primary election will take place on March 26, 27, 28, and 30 from 10 A.M. - 6 P.M. at the Stamford Government Center Cafeteria on Washington Boulevard. Due to Good Friday and Easter, there will be no early voting Friday, March 29 or Sunday, March 31.
Are there deadlines to be aware of?
 
Monday, March 25 at noon is the deadline to register with a political party to vote in the early voting period for the presidential preference primary.
 
Monday, April 1 at noon is the deadline for registering in person with your registrar of voters or town clerk to vote on April 2, and for unaffiliated voters to enroll in a party for in-person voting.
 
Seventeen-year-olds may register and vote in the primary if they will have attained the age of 18 by Nov. 2, 2024. They can file a registration application with the Stamford Registrars of Voters by noon on the business day before the day they want to vote, or click here to register.
 
Help with Unpaid Utility Balances

Utility companies have started reaching out to residential customers with unpaid balances to sign up for payment plans to avoid interruption in their current services.

Those with financial hardships or medical issues due to a serious illness have not been eligible for termination due to nonpayment since March 2020, which stems from the COVID-19 pandemic, and a longstanding statutory moratorium that annually safeguards Connecticut residents from winter shut-offs from November 1 to May 1.

If you get one of these notices, my office can work with you to help contact utility companies directly to set up a payment plan to avoid service disruption. These plans charge no interest, and all customers qualify at least once for one or more of the plans. Please see the graphics below for contact information for the utility companies and the available payment plan options for eligible customers.

Additionally, the Community Action Agency of Western Connecticut can also help, so please visit https://caawc.org/ or call (203) 357-0720.

After connecting with utility companies, customers may additionally contact PURA’s customer affairs unit for specific questions regarding payment arrangements. As a reminder, utility companies will never call threatening to shut off power and demanding immediate payment.

Please reach out if you have any questions, comments, or feedback. 
 
Join Me For a Celebration of Reading

I invite families with children five and under to join me for a special bilingual celebration of reading! The Sparkler Reading Fiesta will take place Saturday, March 23 at 11:00 A.M. at Ferguson Library in Stamford.

I’m teaming up with Nostr@s and Sparkler Learning to promote literacy, comprehension skills, critical thinking skills, communication, and so much more. As a former elementary school teacher, I understand the vital role of reading in a child’s mental development.

At this event families can expect:

  • A workshop that will encourage your kids to explore their creativity and unleash their imagination with art and self-expression
  • Games designed to entertain and educate children of all ages
  • My reading of “The Rabbit Listened”

To register and to learn more about this event in Spanish, please look at the image below and scan the QR code.