State Capitol Update for the Week of November 8.
November 12, 2021Yesterday was Veterans Day, honoring all of the brave men and women who wear the uniform, including our own family, friends, neighbors, and heroes we have never met. My father was a veteran, and keeping his flag in my office reminds me of the long chain of service in my own family, and the values that underlie that decision to serve something beyond our personal interest. Towns and cities around the state honored the occasion, and I had the privilege of joining the ceremony in Salisbury, where a new memorial was unveiled, included more recent conflicts in which residents have served.
The service and sacrifice of our veterans while wearing the uniform makes our lives possible. Many veterans continue that tradition of service even when the uniform is hung up in the closet, particularly focusing on the needs of veterans who return home with physical, mental, and emotional wounds: fighting for veterans who have been sexually assaulted while serving, veterans exposed to toxic substances while serving, who are now becoming seriously ill or dying. These veterans model service in every conceivable way, even when it means questioning military leadership. That is patriotism in action, and reminds us that we should thank our veterans with our actions as well as our words. Thank you, for what you did in serving our country, and for what you continue to stand for in our communities.
I wanted to highlight a couple of upcoming events, in addition to those in the newsletter itself:
- Saturday, November 13:
- 3pm – 11pm: “Rock the Kitchen” fundraiser for the Community Soup Kitchen in Torrington, featuring live music, will take place at the Eagle Club, 222 Main Street, Torrington
- 6:00 – 8:30 pm: Litchfield Hills Creative Awards at the Warner Theatre in Torrington (tickets $20 each)
- Thursday, November 18: a dinner celebrating Northwestern Regional High School’s Blue Ribbon Award
Here’s a list of today’s topics:
- COVID Data. Click here.
- Update on CT's Fiscal Outlook. Click here.
- January 2022 Increase in Electric Supply Rates. Click here.
- Infrastructure Bill's Impact on CT. Click here.
- Cyberstart Ameria Launches. Click here.
- Screen and Stay Initiative for CT Schools. Click here.
- Voice4Change. Click here.
- Claire Coleman Appointed Consumer Counsel for CT. Click here.
- Robin Hood Radio Series. Click here.
- Overflow Shelter needs Site Coordinators. Click here.
- Special Vaccine Clinic for Children Ages 5-11. Click here.
- Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Youth Film Challenge Deadline this Sunday. Click here.
- Art Exhibit in Falls Village. Click here.
- Construction Work in Torrington. Click here.
COVID Data
For additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus and click the link that is labeled, “Data Tracker.”
Update on Connecticut’s current fiscal outlook
This week we received the latest “Consensus Revenue” report, which projects the state’s revenues during the current budget cycle. We receive this report three times a year, in November, January, and April. To cut to the bottom line, it’s excellent news.
Overall, revenue projections during the FY 22 – FY 23 biennium (aka the two-year budget we passed in June) are up $591.9 million in FY 22 and $346.5 million in FY 23. Total tax revenue improvements for FY 22, 23, and 24 exceed $200 million each year across the General and Special Transportation Funds.
What does this mean? We are still projecting a surplus in the current fiscal year (FY22) and the next (FY23). That is not new, but the numbers are stronger. And while there are still projected deficits beyond that, those numbers are getting smaller and more manageable.
Furthermore, these strong revenues have enabled us to make a historic $1.6 billion excess payment towards our pension liability recently, over and above the full Rainy Day Fund balance of over $3 billion. Consensus Revenue predicts we will once again be able to do that in the coming fiscal year. This is good for our budget and for our bond rating, which saves the state further money.
Consumer alert: January 2022 increase in electric supply rates
The supply portion of electric bills for all Connecticut ratepayers paying the Standard Service supply rate to Eversource or The United Illuminating Company (“UI”) is scheduled to increase on January 1, 2022.
For Eversource, the new standard service rate per kilowatt hour reflects an increase of 64% over the rate that was in effect as of July 1, 2021. For UI, the increase is 33%. A January increase is common, however, so it is often more helpful to compare to the previous rate in effect in January 2021: the year-to-year comparison reflects a 37% increase for Eversource customers.
Impacted Eversource customers will see this increase on the “Supply” portion of their bill, as opposed to the “Delivery” portion, which will not be affected by this increase.
All impacted customers will be charged the new Standard Service rate as of 1/1/22, as identified in the table above, multiplied by their monthly electricity usage as measured by their electric meter in kilowatt hours.
Why is the Standard Service rate increasing?
Every six-month period, the Standard Service supply rate of electricity is approved by the Pubic Utility Regulatory Authority (PURA) following a competitive procurement process. The Standard Service rate is the price paid by you, as a ratepayer, for the cost of generating the electricity you use. This is different from the transmission and distribution rates, which is the price you pay to cover the costs of delivering the electricity to your home.
Connecticut’s regulated electric distribution companies (Eversource and United Illuminating), do not derive any profits from the Standard Service rate. It is a pass-through rate, meaning the money you pay to your regulated electric distribution company is passed on directly to the supplier from whom they purchase the electricity you use. Supply rates are directly affected by the market price of natural gas, which is the fuel used to generate the majority of Connecticut’s electricity. When the market price of natural gas increases, supply rates also increase.
The market price of natural gas is affected by many factors, on both the supply and demand side of the equation. Natural gas prices fell substantially during the global Covid-19 pandemic due to decreased demand. The average closing price for natural gas in 2020 was lower than it has been in more than twenty years.
As the world economy slowly recovers from the global Covid-19 pandemic, demand is increasing as business production and consumer activity increases. Escalating extremity in temperature fluctuation has also caused an increase in demand, due to increased air conditioning and heating use.
Market supply of natural gas is also diminished for several reasons. Natural gas production is largely dependent upon oil production, as the two products are most often produced simultaneously as part of the oil drilling process. Just before the pandemic, global oil supplies increased due largely to international price competition. The effects of the pandemic magnified the supply increase, which ultimately led to negative oil prices for the first time in history. This caused a substantial reduction in oil drilling, which caused a substantial reduction in the production of natural gas.
We are now facing a situation where demand is quickly escalating at a time when supplies are very low. This has caused the market price of natural gas to more than double over the past year.
Is there any way to lower the price I pay for the supply side of my electric bill?
Consumers who would like to shop for lower prices may do at the Energizect.com website, where electric supply may be purchased from third-party suppliers.
The Office of Consumer Counsel (OCC) encourages all consumers who wish to use a third-party supplier to do so via the Energizect.com website, which provides impartial and accurate information about available third-party generation rates. In OCC’s experience, an increase in standard service prices is often accompanied by an increase in high-pressure, and sometimes deceptive, sales pitches by third-party suppliers via telephone and door-to-door solicitation. In the coming months, OCC advises consumers to be hypervigilant about potential scams or disadvantageous third-party supply offers.
Please keep in mind, Energy Suppliers:
- Cannot charge sign-up fees;
- Cannot charge monthly fees in addition to the contracted price of supply;
- Cannot advertise a “teaser” rate followed by an increased rate;
- Cannot charge an early termination fee;
- Do not know, and cannot infer that they know, future Standard Service rates;
- Are not affiliated with Eversource or UI;
- Are not affiliated with PURA, DEEP, OCC, or any other state or federal government agency;
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the OCC or PURA:
Office of Consumer Counsel Public Utilities Regulatory Authority
10 Franklin Square 10 Franklin Square
New Britain, CT 06051 New Britain, CT 06051
860-827-2900 800-382-4586
occ.info@ct.gov pura.information@ct.gov
What the infrastructure bill means for CT
Late last week Congress finally approved the $1 trillion infrastructure bill, which will provide almost $5.4 billion to the state of Connecticut and create more than $100 billion in competitive grant programs for which organizations across the state may apply. It funds replacement of lead pipes so every child can drink clean water; transforms rail, roads, bridges and public transport; modernizes ports, airports, and rail; enables manufacture of solar panels, wind farms, batteries, and electric vehicles to grow clean energy supply and fight climate change; cleans up brownfields and superfund sites; builds resilience to storms, wildfires, and hurricanes.
It also includes $100 million in funding for broadband in the state, which will be critical for our region.
Independent analysis from Moody’s has shown that the bill is fully paid for and will reduce the deficit over the long term. Economists have concluded it will ease inflationary pressures and lower costs for working families: no one making less than $400,000 per year will see taxes go up.
For more information on what the bill means for Connecticut, click here.
Cyberstart America launches
Connecticut will participate in CyberStart America, an innovative, online cybersecurity talent search and competition sponsored by the National Cyber Scholarship Foundation and the SANS Institute. Building on the success of last year’s National Cyber Scholarship Competition and the previous Girls Go CyberStart program, CyberStart America is open to all high school students to explore their aptitude for cybersecurity and computer science. Connecticut students in grades 9 to 12 will have the chance to win prizes and recognition for their schools, as well as scholarships for advanced training for themselves.
The CyberStart America program is a series of online challenges that allow students to act as cyber protection agents, solving cybersecurity-related puzzles and explore related topics such as code breaking, programming, networking, and digital forensics. The program can be assigned as part of homework, can form the basis of an extracurricular club, or students can simply try it on their own.
Participating students and their teachers do not need knowledge or experience in information technology or cybersecurity to take part. Everything they need can be learned in the game. The program is free for schools and students, and all Connecticut students in grades 9-12 are invited to participate.
Students who do well in the program can earn access to scholarships and advanced training. Last year, 32,000 students from 4,800 schools around the country played CyberStart, and the National Cyber Scholarship Foundation awarded over $4 million in scholarships and advanced training. Last year, 407 Connecticut students participated and 20 qualified for the 2020 final round of $2 million in college scholarships.
Cybersecurity is a critical issue facing this country and field where students can find successful careers protecting personal data and the operations of organizations like hospitals, schools, corporations and government agencies. There are cybersecurity jobs in nearly every industry. Critical skills are also needed by military and intelligence agencies helping shape the future of cyber conflict and defense.
To learn more about CyberStart America, visit cyberstartamerica.org. High school students should register via the website to play.
Screen and Stay Initiative for Connecticut Schools
Earlier this month, the rollout of the “Screen and Stay” initiative for Connecticut schools that choose to participate, began. Under the initiative, students and staff identified as close contacts to a known COVID-19 case but who are not yet fully vaccinated will be able to remain in school if they were wearing masks and don’t develop symptoms. The initiative will bring immediate relief to the frequent and repeated quarantines that continue to impact student learning and place a burden on working families. The innovative, multi-agency solution will aid school districts through the remainder of the fall.
For more detail on the program, Click for PDF
Voices4Change: Students invited to help decide how more than $1.5 million in federal relief funds are invested.
This week Connecticut launched Voice4Change, a first-of-its-kind campaign administered by the Connecticut State Department of Education that will empower high school students to decide how American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) funds are spent.
A total of 43 districts encompassing 77 high schools across Connecticut have opted-in to participate, representing more than 55,000 students.
The governor explained that the goal for the initiative is to increase student engagement while fulfilling the Connecticut State Board of Education’s vision of ensuring students thrive in a global economy and civic life by challenging students to think critically and solve real-world problems. A first-in-the-nation statewide student civic engagement initiative, Voice4Change is empowering high school students to propose and vote on how more than $1.5 million of the ARP ESSER state set-aside will be invested to reimagine schools across Connecticut.
Students from the participating schools will submit proposals to the Connecticut State Department of Education outlining how they propose to spend $20,000 in their school, aligned with the department’s ARP ESSER priorities. Proposals deemed eligible to receive ARP ESSER funds will ultimately be voted on by their high school peers on March 11, 2022, one year after the historic American Rescue Plan Act was passed. The Connecticut State Department of Education, students, and the school district will then work together to carry out the winning proposals in each school. Also reserved are five Commissioner Choice awards, which will be given to fulfill five innovative student proposals across the state that are not victorious in their elections.
Information on the initiative will soon be made available on the Connecticut State Department of Education’s Voice4Change webpage atct.gov/voice4change. The student application period will launch near the end of November and close in early January. Any questions regarding Voice4Change can be sent to SDE.ARPESSER@ct.gov.
Claire Coleman appointed Consumer Counsel for Connecticut
Governor Lamont has nominated Claire Coleman of Woodbridge to serve as consumer counsel for the State of Connecticut. In the position, which is a five-year term, Coleman will lead the Office of Consumer Counsel in its mission of advocating on behalf of Connecticut consumers on issues relating to electricity, natural gas, telecommunications, and water.
The office is an independent state agency authorized to participate on behalf of consumer interests in all administrative and judicial forums and in any matters in which the interests of consumers with respect to public utility matters may be involved.
Coleman is currently the undersecretary for legal affairs at the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management (OPM), where she has served since April 2019 providing legal and policy advice related to the formulation and implementation of the budget and public policy for the state. In this role, the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities recently honored her as a Municipal Champion for her work on emergency COVID-19 pandemic executive orders that supported the efforts of local governments to respond to and govern during the pandemic.
Coleman previously worked as an energy attorney at Save the Sound (formerly Connecticut Fund for the Environment), and as counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee, where she conducted investigations into both private business practices and government programs and regulations, and prepared members of Congress for hearings on many areas of government policy and practice. She also worked as a litigation associate at Wiggin and Dana LLP in New Haven and Sullivan and Cromwell LLP in New York, and served as law clerk to the Honorable Ellen Bree Burns, United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in government from Cornell University, and a Juris Doctor from the Northwestern University School of Law.
Coleman will begin serving in the role on an interim basis beginning December 3. Her nomination for permanent confirmation will be forwarded to the Connecticut General Assembly for its consideration when the next regular legislative session begins in February.
Foundation for Community Health and Robin Hood Radio Series: interview with Joanne Borduas of the Community Health & Wellness Center
In partnership with NPR’s Robin Hood Radio, the Foundation for Community Health (FCH) has launched a radio series. Featured guests have included our area’s nonprofits, as well as members of FCH’s Board of Directors.
The most recent interview was with Joanne Borduas, CEO of Community Health & Wellness Center (CHWC). CHWC offers a range of healthcare services in northwest Connecticut, in a compassionate, high quality, and patient-centered environment. In her interview, Joanne share about CHWC’s history, their model to be a ‘one stop’ for care, and current efforts to establish a health center in North Canaan. The East Main Street location in North Canaan will be home to comprehensive and continuous primary care, behavioral health, walk-in non-emergency medical services for minor illness and injuries, and chiropractic care.
Joanne’s interview, as well as every interview in the series, can be listened to here.
Overflow Shelter for Northwest CT needs site coordinators
Operation Overflow, Torrington’s wintertime homeless shelter, is in need of volunteers for the upcoming season beginning on Dec. 1.
Operation Overflow, a four-month shelter that rotates between four local churches throughout the winter, offers an alcohol and drug-free place to sleep during the cold nights. They are looking for volunteers to stay with the homeless overnight.
Special COVID-19 Vaccine clinic for children ages 5-11 at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital
Hartford HealthCare and Charlotte Hungerford Hospital will host a special COVID-19 clinic for children ages 5 to 11 on Saturday, November 13, from 12 noon to 4 pm. The clinic will take place at the hospital’s Memorial Conference Hall, 540 Litchfield Street, Torrington.
Children must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian and appointments are required.
You can schedule an appointment and find more information HERE.
All children who receive the vaccine will be scheduled for their second dose of the Pfizer pediatric vaccine on Saturday, Dec. 4 at the same location and time frame.
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Youth Film Challenge Deadline November 14
The deadline for the Bridging Divides, Healing Communities Youth Film Challenge has been extended to this Sunday, Nov. 14, at midnight to give budding filmmakers more time to shoot and edit their films in current conditions. Participants will compete for $3,500 in cash prizes, with a top prize of $2,000!
Young people ages 14-24 who live or attend school in Berkshire, Columbia, northeast Dutchess and northwest Litchfield counties may submit an up to 6-minute film that focuses on a specific issue that divides society and addresses how they would tackle this problem.
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Art Exhibit in Falls Village: Angels with Dirty Faces
FURNACE/Art on Paper Archive is pleased to present Angels with Dirty Faces, an exhibition of recent work by Gelah Penn. The exhibition’s title is inspired by the 1938 gangster film starring James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart, directed by Michael Curtiz.
The opening reception is this weekend, Saturday, November, 4-6 pm at 107 Main Street, Falls Village. For more information, visit their website.
Roadway construction project begins in Torrington along a section of Route 8 Southbound between Exits 45 and 46.
The project, which began on November 11, will include rehabilitation/replacement of a collapsed catch basin. On the 10th of September 2021 the Commissioner declared an emergency condition existed at the above noted location. To facilitate construction activities, Route 8 Southbound High-speed travel lane between Exits 45 and 46 will be closed from mile point 54.0 to mile point 53.6.
Providing information to Connecticut residents
For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus. Residents can also subscribe to text message alerts from the state by texting the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.
Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance. Anyone who is out-of-state or requires a toll-free number can connect to Connecticut 2-1-1 by dialing 1-800-203-1234. This is intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone who is experiencing symptoms are strongly urged to contact their medical provider.