Newsletter

June 17, 2021
On Wednesday, my colleagues and I in the CT State House passed the biennium budget for the State of Connecticut on a largely bipartisan basis.

I’m proud of the biennium budget we delivered for the people of Connecticut. We held the line on taxes while reducing the tax burden for the middle class, seniors, and on R&D for businesses. We are funding our municipalities, our schools, and non-profits while also budgeting an unprecedented $2.3B surplus.

I am also excited to announce that the Connecticut Budget significantly increases state funding to Fairfield. Fairfield will receive over $4 million dollars each year to assist with school funding and town services. This is a 35% increase from FY 21 to FY 22 and FY 23. 

This is timely legislation as Connecticut recovers from the pandemic. The budget provides relief for businesses and hard-working families while keeping Connecticut fiscally sound.

No Tax Increases
I rejected proposed tax increases because our state’s economy is in the best condition it has been in for decades and at a time like this there is no need to ask for more from our residents. Along with my moderate colleagues, I worked hard to also stop legislation that we believed was overly onerous on businesses because we want businesses to grow and flourish here.

Tax Relief
Relief for Connecticut residents: People and families in Connecticut work hard every day to put food on the table, build their savings, and make a better life for themselves. My colleagues and I knew that working families deserved our support. Our budget reflects this by increasing the state’s earned income tax credit to 30.5% of the federal credit, providing thousands of families across Connecticut additional money in their pockets. To further support our all families across the state, the budget has allocated funding to provide a child tax credit, following the expiration of the federal child tax credit. 

Relief for restaurant industry: Like many businesses, Connecticut restaurants have faced many hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That is why it was vital that we support them with targeted tax relief. Our budget allows restaurants and bars to keep 13.6% of the 7.35% sales tax they collect on sales of meals and beverages.

Relief for the entertainment industry: Similar to restaurants, popular entertainment venues such as theaters, concert venues, and amusement parks were unable to operate as they normally would. We know how important arts and entertainment are not only to our communities and quality of life but also for our economy. We felt it was important to help entertainment venues get back on their feet, which is why we eliminated the admissions tax for these businesses.

Investments Into Our Communities

Expands Health Care: As our state and nation continue to recover from the pandemic, it is more important now than ever to provide our residents with the health care they need. The state will expand healthcare for 40,000 residents and families, and  increase funding to hospitals, local health departments, nursing homes and group homes.

Investments in Public Education: We know that success in school begins at birth. To ensure equity for all students, Connecticut is eliminating fees for Birth to Three services. The state is also increasing funding towards Education Cost Sharing (ECS) grants to provide all municipalities with the funds they need to support their students. Over the next two years, Fairfield will receive $2,241,646 in ECS funding; an $18,558 increase from FY 21. In addition, the budget sets into motion separating our technical high schools from the State Department of Education so that they can govern themselves in a way that will optimize their infrastructure and ability to meet students' needs.
 
Investments in Green Infrastructure: Providing clean water and sustainable forms of energy to our districts is crucial for both public health and the environment. Over the next several years, Connecticut will allocate significant funds for green energy and wastewater infrastructure. Developing reliable infrastructure is necessary to ensure the safety of our residents, to ensure the efficiency of society, and to compete with our neighbors in sustainability efforts. 

Investments in Innovation: In order to continue Connecticut’s leadership in innovation throughout the nation, this budget allocates substantial funds to bioscience start-up and early-stage businesses. These state investments are matched 1:1 with private capital due to their ample contributions to our state economy. 

Connecticut's Long-Term Financial Stability
As we have seen during the past year, it is crucial that our state is prepared to handle anything that comes our way. Our budget recognizes this by funding all major priorities without tapping into the historic $3.5 billion in Connecticut's Rainy-Day Fund.

Our Rainy-Day Fund not only allows us to maintain the flexibility we need to face unforeseen circumstances, but helps keep interest rates low on debt service. This increased stability is not going unnoticed, as it was a combination of these factors which helped Connecticut receive its first credit upgrade in two decades earlier this year. While our state still faces challenges, the demonstrated improvement in the long-term stability of our state finances is extremely encouraging and is the result of smart choices made across government in recent years.

I am proud of the hard work we put in to create a balanced budget that keeps our state moving forward with support for working- and middle-class families.

 
LEGISLATION PASSED THIS WEEK
The 2021 legislative session has officially come to an end! The 2021 legislative session has officially come to an end! I am very proud of the many bills passed to uplift our Fairfield community, and all municipalities across Connecticut.

This past week the House was in session on Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. On Saturday I had the great honor of opening session with the pledge. Thank you Speaker Matt Ritter for the privilege.

For a comprehensive list of legislation passed this week, please click here. I have highlighted a few pieces of legislation that are particularly important to me below. 

SB 837: The continued use of forever chemicals like PFAS, which is often found in firefighting foam, pose a significant environmental hazard. Most recently, in June 2019, the state saw a spill of PFAS containing foam threatening the aquatic habitats in the Farmington River. To better support and protect our environment, firefighters, and children, SB 837 will begin take critical steps to reduce our use of PFAS.
 
HB 6587: Epinephrine cartridge injectors, such as EpiPens, are lifesaving tools for individuals with life-threatening allergies, however high prices keep these devices out of reach for many. EpiPens can cost up to $700, leading consumers to hang on to long-expired epinephrine injectors or forego them altogether. HB 6587 would cap the cost at $25 and require health carriers to include at least one covered epinephrine injector on its lowest cost-sharing tier for certain insurance plans. 
  
SB 1011: Opioid antagonists, like Naloxone or Narcan, and EpiPens save countless lives, rescuing individuals from an accidental overdose or a severe allergic reaction respectively. SB 1011 will require police officers, who are often the first responders to a scene, to carry and effectively administer these life-saving medications. 
 
HB 6688: Trucks cause extreme wear and tear to our roads, and with no means to recoup the cost to fix those roads taxpayers are all left to shoulder the burden. HB 6688 will allow for a user fee only on large trucks (class 8 and above) so that trucking companies pay their fair share to repair and maintain our roads.  
 
SB 660: Over this past year, our health care providers served on the frontlines working tirelessly to ensure the health and safety of our communities – often facing the darkest moments of the pandemic and witnessing untold traumas. Many of our first responders are now suffering from anxiety, PTSD, and other lasting mental health and emotional impairments. SB 660 will expand Workers' Compensation to better support first responder's mental and emotional health in the aftermath of the pandemic. 

 
SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE LEGISLATION
Local businesses are at the heart of every community in Connecticut, but sadly over the past year, they have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. While a number of great loan and grant programs have been established and implemented to provide aid, many small businesses missed out due to the sheer demand for assistance. In an effort to not only aid small businesses, but also bolster our local economies, my colleagues and I made it a priority to expand and incentivize the state's Small Business Express (SBE) Program by passing HB 6467.

This bill implements extensions to SBE to support small businesses and opportunity zones in Connecticut. Funding from this program will help small businesses in our district to create additional jobs, acquire assets, and expand business operations.
 
There is still a long road ahead as both our community and state continue to work towards better days. This bill, along with many others voted on this session will help make the challenges we face ahead a little easier.

 
COFFEE WITH POLICE CHIEF KALAMARAS
Since being elected, our Police Chief Kalamaras has been open to building a relationship and discussing the many challenges we are witnessing in law enforcement both locally and across the country. We’ve talked about the logistics, the expenses, the politics, the criticisms both those that have been unfair and those that have been fair and more. We’ve also worked to get to know each other as people and not only in these very specific roles in which we serve. I’ve been so grateful to build this relationship, engage in these candid conversations, and to hear one another and learn from each other. I view this relationship as an example of exactly what we need more of - openness and willingness to learn. Thank you Chief for this and all you do for Fairfield and I look forward to continuing to work together.
 
FAMILY FUN DAY 
This Saturday, June 9th from 9AM-12PM the Fairfield Moms are hosting a Family Fun Day at the Fairfield Shopping Center!