CT Sales Tax Free Week Starts Sunday

August 18, 2022


 
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Friends and Neighbors,

I hope this message finds you and yours well.

Don't forget to join me for Office Hours tomorrow, August 19 from 8 AM to 9 AM at the Valley Diner!
This is part of my regular series of community events that I hold each month to build strong relationships with people in our community. It's a great opportunity to connect with me to discuss your thoughts, concerns, questions, and feedback on state issues. I'll also give an update on what we accomplished to help middle- and working-class families, seniors, kids, and our community this session.

I hope to see you there!

If you can't make it to this event, but would like to connect with me, you can always reply to this email and we can set up a time to speak.
 
CT SALES TAX FREE WEEK
Connecticut's 2022 Sales Tax Free Week runs from August 21 to August 27. This is a great opportunity to take the kids back-to-school shopping or to treat yourself or your loved ones while saving money.
 
Many retailers in Connecticut offer additional discounts on clothing and footwear during Sales Tax Free Week, providing consumers with even more savings.

During the one-week sales tax holiday, most clothing and footwear items priced under $100 are exempt from the Connecticut sales tax. The exemption during Sales Tax Free Week applies to each eligible item costing under $100, regardless of how many of those items are sold to a customer in the same transaction. The tax holiday applies to purchases made in-store, online, mail-order, and over the phone.
 
The sales tax holiday occurs once a year as a result of legislation passed in 2015. However, in 2022, we passed a special act to establish a one-time tax holiday that ran from April 10 to 16 to help ease some of the financial strain on residents. The law also established CT's gas tax holiday and free bus service, which have been extended through the end of November.
 
More information about Connecticut’s Sales Tax Holiday, including a list of exempt and taxable items, is available on the Department of Revenue Services website.
 
CAREER CONNECT LAUNCHES!
I am excited to announce that CareerCT, a program I supported to help individuals whose employment was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, is underway.

The initiative, which will benefit thousands of state residents, is funded with $70 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

More than 19 free job training programs are available to help train Connecticut workers in targeted industries including:

  • Manufacturing
  • Healthcare
  • IT
  • CDL Licensing
  • Green Jobs
  • Infrastructure/Construction
  • Life sciences
  • Business Services

Each program will include supportive services for qualified individuals to successfully complete the training and connect to employment including childcare, transportation, career advising, and other forms of case management. Training and supportive services will be available at no cost to eligible participants.
To Enroll in Training Programs or to Learn More – Click HERE
 
INFLATION REDUCTION ACT EXTENDS INSURANCE PREMIUM ASSISTANCE
Health insurance became more affordable for hundreds of thousands of Americans through enhanced premium tax credits created by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). As historic inflation and the lingering economic impacts of COVID-19 tightened budgets, these subsidies kept coverage more affordable for about 65,000 Connecticut residents. Locally, families have saved hundreds of dollars each month with these tax credits, which lower the monthly cost of health care. 

With the recent passage of the federal Inflation Reduction Act, these subsidies will be extended through 2025. The subsidies were set to expire at the end of this year, and many families would have seen their premiums increase on January 1, 2023. The Inflation Reduction Act extension will enable Connecticut residents who purchase their health insurance through Access Health CT to continue receiving premium assistance for the next three years, making health care more affordable.

Residents are encouraged to shop, compare, and enroll in coverage through AccessHealthCT.com. They can also find out if they're eligible for low- or no-cost health plans through HUSKY Health and Covered CT.

Residents can receive free enrollment assistance through the following options:

  • Online by visiting www.accesshealthct.com and by using the "Live Chat" icon to connect with a representative Monday-Friday from 8AM to 3:45PM
  • In-Person with a certified broker or enrollment specialist in their community. Click here to locate one.
  • Calling an Access Health CT customer service representative at 1-855-805-4325 Monday-Friday from 8AM to 4PM. Customers who are deaf or hearing impaired may use TTY at 1-855-789-2428 or call with a relay operator.

In addition to making health insurance more affordable, the Inflation Reduction Act also takes steps to lower prescription drug costs for Medicare patients, makes sweeping investments in energy security and environmental justice, and closes loopholes the wealthiest Americans and corporations have used to avoid taxes.

No one should be priced out of receiving medical care, and here in Connecticut, I will continue to fight for more affordable insurance coverage and health care.
 
WHAT HAS YOUR STATE REP BEEN UP TO?
I was happy to stop by the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce’s networking event on Wednesday! As Vice Chair of the legislature's Commerce Committee, these conversations are invaluable to my work to create jobs and build stronger communities!

It was a pleasure to speak with Ashlyn DiGirolamo of People’s United Bank and Susan Mendilo of New York Life today about the new JobsCT initiative to spur job growth in the state. It’s a bill I proudly helped craft, brought out on the house floor, and passed this year to incentive job creation, with special incentives to create jobs in economically distressed communities like ours. With smart policy and partnership we will continue to move the Valley and our state forward.
 
Insurers can't post billions in profits and expect us to believe their request for double-digit rate hikes on our hardworking residents is justified. Our residents can't afford this, and on Monday, I went to Hartford to urge CT Insurance Department Commissioner Mais to reject the proposed rate hikes of big insurance companies. Government should work for the people, not millionaire CEOs and billionaire companies. You can click here to watch my testimony. 
 
2022 OEC PARENT SURVEY
Do you have a child that's 12 or younger? The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood is asking parents to complete a survey about how OEC can better serve families. After completing the survey, individuals will be entered into a raffle to win 1 out of 20 $100 gift cards. The survey is available in several languages. Click the button below to take the survey. 
Take OEC's 2022 Survey Here
 
ABSENTEE BALLOTS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS
Students will be heading back to college soon. Does your student have a plan to vote during the November elections? Students who will be out of town (or state) that day are eligible to vote by absentee ballot. Applications for absentee ballots are available here or through your town clerk's office.

To learn more about voting absentee, please visit the Connecticut Secretary of the State's website here.
 
COMMUNITY EVENTS
 
 
 
 
 
 

Please feel free to contact me with any thoughts and concerns you may have on Kara.Rochelle@cga.ct.gov or 1-800-842-8267. Follow my Facebook page for regular legislative updates.

All my Best,

Kara Rochelle
State Representative
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