Senate Leadership
June 12, 2008
Williams and Looney Hail Results of Special Session
Significant action taken on gas prices, property taxes, and pension revocation for corrupt public employees and officials
State Senate President Donald Williams (D-Brooklyn) and Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney (D-New Haven) said the legislature's Special Session, which ended early Thursday morning, resulted in significant legislation addressing gas prices, property taxes, and ethics reform.
"One of our top priorities was to deliver some relief for families in Connecticut who are struggling to make ends meet and pay their energy bills," said Senator Williams. "State lawmakers can't solve the energy crisis but we can take some modest steps to help and that's what we did in Special Session."
Lawmakers addressed the energy crisis by:
- Eliminating the July increase in the Gross Receipts tax;
- Allowing gas stations to offer cash discounts; and
- Protecting consumers who lost their prepaid heating oil deposits in the F&S Oil debacle.
- Releasing $2.5 million in order to help Connecticut families survive the looming home heating oil crisis this fall and winter by purchasing energy efficient furnaces for eligible homes.
Both the Senate and the House passed a sweeping ethics reform package that includes a pension revocation statute that creates a single standard for elected and appointed officials and public employees who are convicted of a felony that involves the misuse of public office.
"This reform measure will help strengthen public trust in government and end the absurd practice of allowing public officials who have stolen from taxpayers to earn a taxpayer sponsored pension," said Senator Looney. "Gov. Rell, Senator Gayle Slossberg (D-Milford), and legislators on both sides of the aisle worked together to make this happen and craft legislation we can all be proud of."
A key to the compromise is the fact that the legislation recognizes state employees who are party to a collective bargaining agreement; allows a judge to determine if full pension revocation would be in breach of collective bargaining; and prohibits all future collective bargaining agreements from containing any language that limits the application of pension revocation.
The ethics reform package also:
- Establishes the Class A misdemeanor of failure to report bribery by a public servant;
- Requires the Office of State Ethics to administer mandatory ethics training to state lawmakers by December 21, 2010;
- Extends restrictions under the ethics code to the governor's spouse;
- Requires public agencies to post a schedule of their meetings, special meetings and minutes of their meetings on the Web sites;
- Prohibits the chief of staffs for the legislative caucuses, statewide elected officials, the governor and the lieutenant governor from soliciting certain campaign contributions from members of their staff;
- Restricts the amount of a gift that can be given for a major life event under the ethics code from a non-family member;
- Prohibits certain state contractors from employing former public officials or state employees for a period of one year after their service ends; and
- Establishes new procedures for the issuance of subpoenas and findings of violations by the Office of State Ethics and restricts certain ex parte communications.
The House of Representatives approved the bill earlier in the Special Session. The legislation now moves to the governor for consideration.
Lawmakers also extended the real estate conveyance tax for another two years, which will deliver approximately $40 million to cities and towns to help stabilize property tax rates.
Senate President's District: It is estimated the continuance of the conveyance tax will help the following towns:
- Brooklyn: $70,8480;
- Canterbury: $28,765;
- Killingly: $113,602;
- Mansfield: $123,742;
- Putnam: $66,899;
- Scotland: N/A;
- Thompson: $53,580;
- Windham: $85,589
Senate Majority Leader's district: It is estimated the continuance of this fee will generate more than $560,000 for the town of Hamden and nearly $980,000 for the City of New Haven.
The General Assembly also addressed outstanding budget deficiencies in several state agencies. In this way the legislature minimized the year-end deficit and reduced the impact on the state's rainy day fund, because any budget shortfall is automatically erased with with a transfer from that emergency account.
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Senator Williams’ Derek Slap |
Listing of Leadership’s recent press releases. |
Senator Looney’s Derek Slap |
