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Last Sunday was a great day for a parade in Hartford! Congratulations to Coach Geno Auriemma the UConn Women's basketball team on winning its 12th national title. It was special to join the parade with my legislative colleagues and see so many fans of all ages celebrating this momentous occasion. Thank you to the city of Hartford and so many sponsors who made the parade possible.
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I've received many questions this week from constituents about education issues. First, yesterday Connecticut announced it is not complying with the Trump Administration order to end diversity, equity and inclusion practices in our K-12 schools. Education Commissioner Russell-Tucker responded to the federal Education Department letter that Connecticut and state officials are already in compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As a result of our response, Connecticut may lose federal education funding. Also, this week I heard from constituents concerned about the visas revoked from over 50 international students at our Connecticut higher education institutions. Not only are there deep concerns that these visa terminations are illegal, but this action also hurts our Connecticut colleges and our economy. I am in touch with higher education faculty and the Attorney General's office to make sure that the students get access to the legal resources they need. Finally, constituents often get in touch with me about how important special education funding is for each and every one of our communities including West Hartford and Newington. On Monday, April 21 at 11:00 A.M. in the LOB (Room 2D) and on Zoom the Select Committee on Special Education will hold a public hearing on recently released priority bills (HB 7277 and SB 1561). The two bills address shortfalls in the special education system by enhancing oversight, funding, and support for students and teachers. Click here to share your story and register to speak or submit testimony. Registration to testify in person or on Zoom closes on Sunday April 20th at 3:00 P.M. Speaker order of approved registrants will be listed in a randomized order and posted on the Education Committee website on Sunday April 20th by 6:00 P.M. under Public Hearing Testimony. Please submit written testimony using the On-line Testimony Submission Form embedded in the link above.
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For Tax Day on Tuesday I joined my colleagues of the Tax Equity Caucus for a press conference to address Connecticut's unfair and upside down tax code. According to our Department of Revenue Services Tax Incidence Report our middle class and low-income residents continue to pay four to five times the effective tax rate of the wealthiest in our state. Not only is this simply not fair but makes matters worse for so many struggling paycheck to paycheck and such vast inequality hurts our economy. It's one of the core reasons why I continue to lead the effort to pass a permanent refundable child tax credit to provide meaningful relief to families.
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Between funding cuts, tariffs and the potential of even more tax cuts for billionaires from the federal government, it's even more urgent that we create a fairer tax system for everyone in our state to have an opportunity to thrive.
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Thank you to everyone who joined Representative Turco, Senator Lesser and our special housing experts for the Housing Affordability Forum in Newington this week. From homelessness to zoning laws to senior housing development, we had a robust discussion about the housing affordability crisis and how we can solve it. There are many bills related to these housing issues we will soon vote on in the upcoming session days. Please reach out anytime with your questions or ideas about housing.
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We want to share the latest updates and hear from you! Join the West Hartford delegation on Monday, April 21st at 6:00 P.M. at the West Hartford Community Center (1106 New Britain Ave, West Hartford) for a discussion on Early Childhood Care and Education.
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| STATE AND LOCAL RESOURCES |
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Many businesses, nonprofits, and municipalities in Connecticut are impacted by recent actions from the federal government. All are encouraged to report that information to the state so that it can be compiled into a central database and provide state policymakers with a better understanding of how these directives are affecting various groups, geographical regions, and sectors of the economy.
The reporting tool was recently launched and please click on the image below for more details. |
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On Thursday, April 24, at 12:00 P.M. and 6:00 P.M. the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) invites the public to two virtual meetings to learn more about and comment on Connecticut 2055 Long-Range Transportation Plan, a strategic blueprint highlighting the goals, performance measures, policies, and investments needed to develop the state's transportation system over the next 30 years.Members of the public are encouraged to submit comments, questions, and take the survey to share their transportation experiences, comments and questions can be submitted by emailing DOT.LongRangePlan@ct.gov, calling 860-594-2020, or visiting portal.ct.gov/LongRangeTransportation. The public comment period ends May 23, 2025.Registration is required to attend the virtual meetings. To register, please visit portal.ct.gov/LongRangeTransportation. Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to access the Zoom meeting. Both meetings will present the same content, and a question & answer session will immediately follow the presentation. Following the meetings, the recordings will be available on the Plan’s website with captions in English and Spanish.
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| Sending warm wishes to you and your family for a joyful Easter. |
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