This week, as our budget writing committees had what is known as their JF deadlines, the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, passed many important tax proposals that can provide targeted tax relief. The Committee passed a state Child Tax Credit, which is vital step in creating a more affordable Connecticut and allowing many the ability to return to or continue to work. The tax credit would begin in 2024 at $300 per child, up to a maximum of $900 per household, with a goal of eventually increasing the credit to $600 per child, for those who qualify.
With a historically high budget reserve and expected budget surplus, we are working to offer residents tax relief this session. The committee also endorsed Lamont’s bill to boost the income tax credit that offsets property tax bills from $200 to $300, starting with tax returns filed in 2023. And another bill that would push the credit to $400 one year later.
These are just the first steps of the budget process. These proposals will form the basis of budget negotiations between legislative leaders and the executive branch. You can read more about our Finance Committee proposals here. |
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| Juvenile Justice Part 3: Root Causes & Prevention |
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| We concluded the Juvenile Justice panel series on Wednesday night with an extremely informative and engaging conversation around the root causes that lead kids to having a higher propensity for getting involved in crime. Brian McLaughlin, a Fairfield resident with 20 years of experience working for the Connecticut Judicial Branch, walked us through the science of adolescent brain development, the damaging impacts of childhood trauma, and the risk factors that propel kids toward criminal behavior. He shared that the vast majority of youth offenders will desist out of crime on their own, without intervention. Overtreating low-risk youth actually increases their likelihood to reoffend.
We were also joined by Jacquelyn Santiago, the CEO of COMPASS Youth Collaborative, to discuss the diversionary programs they've implemented for Hartford's most at-risk youth. Their data shows that 89% of the youth they serve have experienced the death of a close family member or friend due to a homicide. Root causes of crime such as exposure to violence, substance misuse, and poor education or employment attainment are the most impactful places to intervene and prevent youth from getting involved in crime.
This is critically important work and I am so thankful to the stakeholders and community members who joined to engage in this conversation. You can watch the full panel discussion here. |
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| Op-Ed: Children's mental health must be a top priority |
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| I wrote an op-ed on the state of our children’s mental and behavioral health system and the work we are doing in the legislature to expand mental health services. I hope you will take the time to read this piece and share your thoughts with me. Here's an excerpt: |
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"This session, the legislature is committed to strengthening our youth mental and behavioral health care system and is working in a bipartisan fashion on legislation that dovetails with the $160 million investment that Gov. Lamont proposed in his budget. Our legislation seeks to address the entire spectrum of care and delivery pipeline... Following this pandemic, we should not be returning to the status quo when it comes to care for our children... With the passage of this legislation, we have the opportunity of a lifetime to center mental health as the foundational building block to our children’s well-being." Read the full article here.
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| As part of the recent passage of Special Act No. 22-2, a Sales Tax Free Week will begin this Sunday, April 10th. Sales of clothing or footwear priced under $100 will not be subject to the state's sales tax through April 16th. You can learn more about Connecticut’s Sales Tax Free Week, including a list of tax exempt items, here. While you're shopping next week, don't forget to support our local businesses! |
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| Last Quarter GDP Up, Unemployment Down in CT |
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| Connecticut is on the upswing! Last quarter’s GDP is up 7.7%, which puts us in the top 12 in the nation. Unemployment is down to 3.6% and we have 68,000 jobs open right now.
That’s why now is the time to invest in childcare, so that those who have been unable to get back to work have that opportunity, many of them women who left the workforce during the pandemic. It’s also time to invest in job training and to continue making Connecticut a place to start or grow a business. Momentum and hard work will lead us into an even stronger economy.
“While Connecticut matched the U.S. gains in manufacturing in the fourth quarter as a contribution to overall economic growth, it lodged its most significant growth in the hospitality sector, including restaurants, which as a group represent the low end of the pay scale. Of about 4,700 food-service jobs posted in the past two weeks in Connecticut, about 1 in 10 offered hourly pay of $20 or more. By comparison, 40 percent of manufacturing openings that posted since mid-March pay that rate or higher.”
To read more, check out the CT Insider article. |
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