Legislative & Local Updates for the 149th District for the Week Ending February 17, 2023

February 21, 2023

On February 8, Governor Lamont presented his budget to the General Assembly. The budget which the governor proposed is the beginning of a multi-step process that will yield a final budget. At this point, our Finance, Revenue & Bonding and Appropriations Committees will start examining the proposal through meetings with state agencies and public hearings. Then, the Appropriations Committee will develop a spending plan, and the Finance and Revenue and Bonding Committees will develop a revenue plan and bond package. This will lead to further discussions to negotiate a final budget, which would be adopted by the Senate and House and subsequently signed by Governor Lamont.

I encourage you to watch and participate in the public hearings. To view the schedule and sign up to testify, you can visit the CT General Assembly Website

 
Legislative Update

In committee work this week, we continued public hearings on proposed legislation and the budget. Hearing from constituents and stakeholders is key to ensuring that we represent all of the residents.

 
Legislative Preview Session Planned for February 28
Please join the Greenwich delegation for a legislative preview session on Tuesday, February 28, at 7 p.m., in the Greenwich Town Hall Meeting Room.  
 
Energy Rebates & Credits  

Under the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law by President Biden on Aug. 16, families in CT-04 may be eligible for hundreds of dollars a year in energy savings. The Inflation Reduction Act also includes direct savings for households to make crucial, cost-saving energy efficiency improvements to their home.

Tax credits will be available as soon as 2023 for purchases of new and used electric vehicles and energy-efficient home improvements such as heat pumps and solar panels. 

Connecticut households can find more information on when these credits will take effect and eligibility guidelines here

 

Stamford Receives Federal Funds for
Community Investments 

Last Friday, I had the opportunity to attend a press conference with Senators Blumenthal and Murphy, Congressman Himes, and Stamford Mayor Simmons to announce over $5 million in Stamford community investments. The earmarks include $3 million for the new Stamford East Side library construction, $2 million for more efficient streetlights, and $250,000 for police training equipment. It was great to see Stamford recognized as a growing and thriving city. 

 
Stamford Train Station Changes
The train schedule on the New Haven Line is changing as crews work to upgrade the elevators and escalators at the Stamford Transportation Center. According to the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT), the center island platform between Tracks #3 and #5 is closed. The center island platform will remain closed through May 11.

Once that project is complete, crews will then shut down the center island platform between Tracks #2 and #4 to upgrade the elevators and escalators there. That work is expected to be finished in mid-August. The five upgraded elevators will interface with new technology, increase performance, improve safety, and look more modern.

Changes to train schedule:
 
Westbound
New Haven Line trains 1431 and 1539 will bypass Stamford Station.
Danbury Line trains 1811 and 1837 will not stop in Stamford. Stamford customers must transfer to train 1513 and 1437 at South Norwalk.

Eastbound
The last stop for New Haven Line trains 1306, 1308 and 1310 are in Greenwich. Stamford customers must transfer to train 1506, 1508 and 1512.
New Haven Line trains 1470 and 1548 will bypass Stamford Station.
Danbury Line trains 1812, 1838, 1848, and 1868 will not stop in Stamford. Danbury Line customers must transfer at South Norwalk.
 
Several other New Haven Line trains will have time adjustments up to five minutes. Passengers can find the updated schedule here and are encouraged to visit MTA.info for the latest service information.

 
A Visit to the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich
On February 10, Rep. Hector Arzeno and I visited the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich for a tour of their clubhouse. It was a great opportunity for us both to hear more about the BGCG's enrichment programs that are offered to Greenwich's young people. We also had the chance to meet and speak with some of the children who attend BGCG. It was a great day!
 
February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness
& Prevention Month
February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, a time to spotlight the dangers and warning signs of dating violence to help protect our youth.  

Data shows 26% of high school students in Connecticut have experienced verbally or emotionally abusive relationships, 9% have experienced physical abuse, and 11% have experienced sexual abuse. At the same time, 82% of parents nationwide are unaware that teen dating violence is an issue.  

We must continue educating parents, guardians, community leaders, and friends on understanding what constitutes dating violence and what we can do to protect our young people against this kind of abuse. 58% of parents cannot correctly identify all the warning signs of dating violence. Please click here to learn more about dating violence early warnings.  

Healthy relationships are built on trust, independence, honesty, and kindness. Teaching our youth to value and seek out healthy relationships is of paramount importance not only to their physical and emotional well-being, but also to their development. See here for ten signs of a healthy relationship. 

All adolescents can experience dating violence. However, young women and trans and gender non-conforming youth are at a disproportionality higher risk of experiencing this kind of abuse. Click here for more information and resources on dating violence in LGBTQ+ relationships. 

Locally, YWCA Greenwich offers a free, confidential, 24-hour domestic violence hotline. If you know someone who needs help, they can call 203-622-0003.  

Find more information and useful resources on this issue below: 

  • YWCA Greenwich has resources available on its website 
  • CT.gov has a large range of resources covering teen dating violence and domestic abuse, as well as relevant legislation.
  • Click here to read President Joe Biden's proclamation on Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.

Below is a local event happening on February 26 at the YWCA Greenwich.

 

Events in the District

Neighbor-to-Neighbor Food Drive
It is always a good time to think of people in Greenwich who are food insecure and are worried about what they will be able to get on the table to feed their families. 

The First Bank of Greenwich, in partnership with Neighbor-to-Neighbor, is holding its second annual food drive. Donations are being collected until March 2 and the goal is to outdo last year’s total of 3,764 pounds. And this is not a case where people need to lug bags of groceries to the bank. The donations can be made online.

Go to https://amplify.ampyourgood.com/user/campaigns/4241, to find out more about this partnership and make a donation. The “DONATE” button on the site takes you to the donation store where you can pick out what items you want to purchase and get them. Once the drive is over, the items will be delivered directly to Neighbor-to-Neighbor for distribution to its clients.

Greenwich Symphony This Weekend
The Greenwich Symphony Orchestra is again set to perform this weekend as it continues its new season.

The concerts will be held at the Performing Arts Center at Greenwich High School on Saturday, Feb. 18, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 19 at 3 p.m. The program will include Higdon’s blue cathedral, Elgar’s Cello Concerto with Inbai Segev as a soloist, and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8.

Tickets are still available and are $40 for adults and $10 for students. Parking is free at GHS. Tickets can be purchased online at www.greenwichsymphony.org.

Safety Town Returns to Greenwich
Safety Town had long been one of the most popular programs put out for kids in town to help them learn valuable safety tips while also having a lot of fun. The pandemic had put the brakes on this program for the last few years, but it is back for 2023 and the American Red Cross is seeking people to help as instructors.

Safety Town is a comprehensive one-week safety education program that has been a summer tradition in town thanks to the American Red Cross’ Metro NY North Chapter. Kids who are entering kindergarten this coming fall learn about awareness and accident prevention skills by taking part in fun and interactive activities.

Instructors and assistant instructors are needed for this event which will be held both the weeks of June 5 and June 12 at the Dorothy Hamill Skating Rink at 1 Sue Merz Way.
 
Anyone signing up for these positions must be 16 or older and pass a background check with the town.
 
Anyone interested in applying for these positions can send a resume and a cover letter outlining their pertinent experience to Safetytown.GNY@redcross.org