Breaking Down the Budget Process and I-95 Bridge Work on the Way

April 21, 2023

WHAT'S YOUR REP BEEN UP TO?

On Wednesday, our Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee voted on a series of bills including the state budget. More on that below. My colleague and seat mate, Rep. Mary Mushinsky, took a moment to take this picture with me!

I joined a bipartisan group of legislators to support a bill regarding state taxation of retirement income. Advocates from the American Association of Retired People and the Connecticut Coalition for Retirement Security joined us to advocate for tax relief for retirees. House Bill 6934 is currently before the Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee, in which I am a member.

House Bill 6934 would:

Adjust certain personal income tax rates
Establish phase-out thresholds for the personal income tax deductions for pension and annuity income and IRAs
Increase the applicable percentage of the earned income tax credit
Expand the tax credit for human capital investment among other provisions

STATE BUDGET PROCESS

We are more than halfway through the regular session, and this is the time of year when legislative activity picks up in the Connecticut General Assembly.

This week, the Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee, in which I am a member, as well the Appropriations Committee approved their budget proposals (Appropriations handles the spending side and Finance handles the revenue side).

The next step is negotiations and compromise. Legislators will work with the governor and his staff to craft the final budget agreement. The bill then goes before the House and Senate for consideration. After both chambers pass the proposal, the governor must sign the final budget into law before the end of the fiscal year, June 30.

Take a look at the graphic below for a glimpse of the budget process timeline.

I will keep you posted as we bring the budget bill to the floor to be debated and voted on in the coming weeks.

I-95 SOUTH BRIDGE WORK COMING IN 2024

Some major upgrades are coming next year to the bridge in Groton on I-95 South over Route 184 and the on-ramp from Route 12. The Connecticut Department of Transportation will be addressing maintenance needs on the bridge so that it can last longer on the highway.

The work is expected to begin next spring and last about four months. During that time, the Route 12 on-ramp to I-95 South will be temporarily closed. The detour is posted below and is less than two miles. Thankfully, DOT crews will be working during non-peak hours so you may never deal with the temporary closure.

MORE INFORMATION ON BRIDGE WORK

CONNECTICUT STORYTELLING

The Connecticut Storytelling Center is hosting its 42nd annual Festival and Conference in New London. Organizers will be exploring how different people's perspectives tell the story of a human being through performances, workshops, and presentations.

Here’s what you need to know about the event: