Newsletter 3/20/21

March 20, 2021
My heart is heavy this week. We’ve witnessed another horrific incident motivated by racial and gender-based hate that resulted in a devastating loss of life and in Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders feeling unsafe in their communities. We must not tolerate any hate or prejudice against any person or groups of people for any reason and we must use our voices to call it out when we see it. Last year there were 3,795 reported hate incidents against AAPI individuals, a huge spike exacerbated by racist responses to coronavirus misinformation. Hateful rhetoric is dangerous. This devastating act is an important reminder of the impact that language can have.

Here are some resources to help and to learn more about AAPI discrimination so that we can ensure this never happens again: https://stopaapihate.org/actnow/

 
MAIN STREET WORKING GROUP
Here are a few updates that I would like to provide as a Co-Chair of the Main Street Working Group. 

Our Main Street bill this session is HB 6606, which will:

  • Require the Commissioner of DECD to conduct a study relating to economic development issues affecting distressed municipalities and opportunity zones in the state.
  • Establish a task force to study the impediments to the renovation of historic mixed-use properties. 
  • Extend the continued statewide latitude for outdoor dining beyond the period of the Governor's emergency orders.

The Main Street Working Group is also supporting an Appropriations line-item that would provide $350,000 a year to the Connecticut Main Street Center. The big service that they provide to their member towns, which Fairfield is one of, is Tax Increment Financing in order to help start-up businesses and properties. 

As a Working Group, we are also supporting HB 5429, the pedestrian and bicycle safety bill, which passed out of Transportation last week. This would allow municipalities to designate pedestrian safety zones in their towns and control speed limits through local, pedestrian-centric main street areas. 

 
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
There has been a tremendous amount of conversation around proposed ideas in the legislature about how we can promote increased diversity of housing stock so as to make our communities more accommodating for our seniors, young people, and for people who struggle to meet the steep financial cost-of-entry burden in our community. I want to caution that many people are looking to our community as we are integral to this conversation and the manner in which we engage in this challenging debate. I have many specific concerns about the zoning proposals currently before the Planning and Development Committee. I have shared those concerns with the committee and caucus leadership as well as everyone who has contacted me about this issue. Those concerns would need to be addressed for any of these bills to earn my support.
 
However, some opponents of the proposed legislation have chosen to make this a political wedge issue by stoking fear instead of suggesting solutions. This committee process is the forum where all stakeholders are at the table to raise their concerns and propose improvements so I look forward to following the process and hearing their ideas. I ran for office to make sure we have a data-driven discussion when setting public policy and I will continue to do that. I hope that everyone can put partisanship aside so we can work together to address these complex issues touching the heart of our community.
 
I am deeply committed to protecting our investments in our homes while also finding ways to expand opportunities for both our seniors to downsize and for new people to move to our beautiful town. I will be following this process closely as these bills work through the Planning and Development Committee and look forward to continuing to keep you updated.
 
FEDERAL STIMULUS PACKAGE 
Last week, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act, which includes $1.9 trillion in relief to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

To answer any questions you may have about the bill, Sen. Murphy's office has published a FAQ document on their website with more information about major sections of the bill including state and local aid, education funding, direct payments, and unemployment insurance. In addition, the following resources are a helpful breakdown of what is in the bill:

Notably, Connecticut will receive the following funding: 

  • Fairfield Specific Funding: $23- $24 million total
    • $8 million will be received by May
    • $2.8 million for Board of Education
  • State and Local Aid: $4.351 billion in aids to towns and cities.
  • Child Care: $277,000,000 to support child care providers through Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG). In addition, Connecticut received nearly $67 million to support child care providers through the end of year spending package. 
  • Rental Assistance: $187,000,000 in rental assistance. This is in addition to the $237 million provided through the spending package that passed in December. 
  • LIHEAP: $166,000,000 for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
  • Direct Payments: Finally, Connecticut workers and families will also receive assistance. An estimated 1,561,605 people will get economic impact payments totaling approximately $3.9 billion. This comes on top of the $1.6 billion in economic impact payments that were provided to Connecticut in December.

I have received this data courtesy of our federal delegation.