Capitol News from State Senator Anthony Musto

July 2009 Issue

Capitol address
Legislative Office Building
Room 2100
Hartford, CT 06106-1595

On the Web
www.SenatorMusto.cga.ct.gov

Phone
Capitol: 860-240-0558
Toll-free: 1-800-842-1420

As legislative leaders continue to work with the Executive Branch to create a two-year budget for the state that meets our needs in a fair manner and puts us on the path to future growth in the State of Connecticut, several important measures are moving forward. I was proud to support them and will continue to support important legislation that benefits Bridgeport, Monroe and Trumbull.

Anthony Musto

Standing Up for Health Care Reform

One of the most critical issues facing individuals and families in Connecticut and across the country is the high cost of health care. Excessive medical bills and the financial hardship that a lack of quality and affordable care can cause leads to other serious problems, like home foreclosure and personal bankruptcy.

SustiNet logo This month, I stood in support of health care reform in our state by voting to override Governor Rell’s veto of the SustiNet Health Partnership. This bill creates a nine-member public authority for health care matters that will make recommendations on the details and implementation of the SustiNet plan. This is a positive step toward better, affordable care for all Connecticut residents.

Learn more about the SustiNet plan at healthcare4every1.org.

Reducing Impact on Small Businesses

According to the most recent data available from the federal Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy, Connecticut has more than 75,000 small employers in operation in the state. small businesswoman These businesses represent 97.4 percent of all of our employers and 49.6 percent of private-sector employment.

Especially in this challenging economic environment, small businesses need our support, which is why I voted in favor of legislation that will help keep an eye on regulations that might impact our small businesses. The bill, which is effective on October 1, requires any state agency proposing a regulation to identify how it affects small businesses and include that analysis as part of the fiscal note that it submits to the legislature’s Regulations Review Committee.

Land Conveyances Provide Opportunities for Local Communities

Earlier this month, Governor Rell vetoed an important piece of legislation that would have conveyed more than 33 acres of property to Bridgeport and Trumbull. The Trumbull land conveyance would have offered economic development opportunities to the town, while the Bridgeport conveyance — a parcel of land in Trumbull — was to be used to construct either a magnet school or a public park within 10 years.

The governor believes that instead of conveying these parcels to towns the state should sell them in order to make a greater profit. However, conveying these pieces of land gives municipalities — and local property-tax payers — a better deal and gives communities an opportunity for smart growth. Unfortunately, we never had the opportunity to override the governor’s veto of this bill, but I will continue to support these conveyances for Trumbull and Bridgeport.