Month: May 2016

New Haven Delegation Delivers Critical Funding for Mill River Cleanup, Chapel Street Bridge Repairs, Dixwell Q House, Youth Continuum and Public Schools

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New Haven Delegation Delivers Critical Funding for Mill River Cleanup, Chapel Street Bridge Repairs, Dixwell Q House, Youth Continuum and Public Schools

NEW HAVEN—New Haven’s legislative delegation today announced that the State of Connecticut has given final approval to funding for cleanup of the Mill River, repairs to the Chapel Street Bridge, school improvements, relocation of the Stetson Library to the new Dixwell Community House, reconstruction of Dwight Gardens and housing through Youth Continuum.

“This session, New Haven’s legislative delegation worked as team to help win funding for critically important projects,” said Senate President Martin M. Looney (New-Haven). “Innovation is crucial to Connecticut’s economic competitiveness, and continued investment in the redevelopment and conversion of the former Department of Transportation garage at 470 James Street into a technology incubator further positions New Haven as a center of technological innovation. I want to thank Governor Malloy for his continued support of investment in New Haven.”

Connecticut will invest $2 million for remediation of sediment contamination in the Mill River adjacent to the former DOT bus garage in New Haven.

“There is nothing more important than investing in the young people in our community, and moving the Stetson Library to the Q House will provide endless resources and opportunities to our kids and their families,” said Sen. Gary Winfield (New Haven). “This investment proves that the state is serious about ensuring our residents have access to opportunities that enhance and advance their lives, and I am proud to be an advocate for this project.”

“Affordable housing remains a huge priority for me and the rest of the New Haven delegation, and I am so pleased that the state is continuing to invest in the Dwight Gardens Cooperative,” added Sen. Winfield. “We are serious about continuing to rebuild and invest in this neighborhood in a way that is good for the city, and for the people who live here.”

The state Department of Housing will provide a $3.75 million loan to assist with completing the renovations to 80 units of affordable housing at the former Dwight Gardens Cooperative in New Haven. The loan will be provided at 1 percent through December 31, 2040, with no interest during construction. A HUD-enforced deed restriction will ensure that 60 units are available for residents at 25 percent to 80 percent of area median income until 2035, with resale of the complex restricted until 2040.

“I am excited about the funding being infused into the neighborhoods which so badly need a centerpiece to keep families and children engaged,” said Rep. Toni Walker (D-New Haven). “We have worked hard to secure this victory for the Dixwell and Newhallville neighborhood.”

The New Haven Free Public Library will receive $1 million in aid for relocation of the Willis K. Stetson Library to the new Dixwell Community House (Q House). The new open, flexible, modular space will allow for increased resources and enhanced technologies targeted for exploration and discovery with children and families; teen development and creativity; adult literacy, workforce development and job preparedness; heath, wellness and nutrition resources; and cross-generational active learning and skill development.

“I’m very pleased that the state has decided to continue its funding to enhance all aspects of the New Haven community,” Rep. Robyn Porter (D-New HaveN) said. “I’m especially proud that the state granted funding will be used to complete renovations of 80 units of affordable housing at the former Dwight Gardens Cooperative as well as seven units of rent restricted, supportive housing for young adults on Winchester Avenue. It is important that New Haven seeks to find long-term and sustainable solutions to the homelessness issue rather than continue to manage episodes of homelessness as they occur.”

Rep. Porter also commended the State for their funding of the relocation of the Willis K. Stetson Library to the new Dixwell Community House also known as “Q-House.”

“This new space will allow for increased resources, cross-generational active learning and skill development, and job preparedness,” Rep. Porter said. “The Q-House on-site pre-demolition ceremony is set on Saturday, June 4th at 10:45 a.m.”

“Any advancement in the Q-House project is welcome news,” said Rep. Patricia Dillon (D-New Haven).

“This is a prime example of what can be accomplished when a delegation works together to make sure New Haven stays on the radar in Hartford,” Rep. Juan Candelaria (D-New Haven) said. “Despite difficult budgetary issues, we were able to bring funds home to support important programs from housing and environmental remediation to transportation infrastructure.”

The State of Connecticut will provide a $950,000 grant-in-aid to Youth Continuum, Inc., to assist with creation of seven units of rent restricted, supportive housing for young adults on Winchester Avenue in New Haven.

“I am very pleased New Haven has received these funds to improve our schools, housing, library, and transportation,” Rep. Roland Lemar (D-New Haven) said. “I have advocated for relief for New Haven since I’ve been in office, and I truly appreciate the governor for identifying funds that minimize the financial impact to taxpayers. This funding not only saves New Haven hundreds of thousands of dollars, but it also dramatically improves the quality of life in our community.”

The New Haven School Public School District will receive a grant-in-aid of nearly $157,000 in Alliance District funding to assist with paying for general improvements to school buildings.

Additionally, the City of New Haven will receive $491,337 to cover repairs to the Chapel Street Bridge over Mill Street.

Gerratana Joins New Britain Legislative Delegation in Announcing New State Investment in the City

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Gerratana Joins New Britain Legislative Delegation in Announcing New State Investment in the City

Funding to be approved for New Britain Schools, the hospital for special care, and improvements to the Main Street Bridge

State Senator Terry Gerratana joined Representatives Peter Tercyak, Bobby Sanchez, Rick Lopes and Betty Boukus to announce the impending approval of new state funding for a variety of projects in New Britain. The funds will be used to provide additional resources at local schools, improve pedestrian access downtown and assist the hospital for special care in updating its infrastructure.

“New Britain is my hometown and I am thrilled that we have been successful in securing all this additional state investment for our city,” said Senator Gerratana. “I am particularly excited in the continued growth around the CTFastrak station. This is a project I have been working on for some time now, and believe it has been a game-changing success for New Britain. CTFastrak has generated development and economic growth around its route. By continuing to target this area for projects, we are sure to see a lot more interest from developers looking to use these properties as new residential or commercial locations.”

“I am proud to be a part of such a hard-working delegation that gets results for New Britain,” Representative Bobby Sanchez said. “I look forward to these important items getting the green light by the Bond Commission Friday and will continue to do my part on behalf of the city.”

The City of New Britain will receive a $2.1m grant to assist with improvements to the Main Street Bridge over Route 72, adjacent to the CTFastrak station. CTFastrak has been a major success for New Britain, and these improvements will help capitalize on its popularity by making the downtown area more accessible and attractive to city residents, visitors, and businesses. Aesthetic and pedestrian access improvements will be made to the bridge, improving access to and from the station and adjacent neighborhoods, creating a gateway to downtown New Britain.

The New Britain school districts will receive $23,500 in state funding. The school district applied for this funding, and will use it to make a variety of upgrades and general improvements to school buildings.

Finally, the Hospital for Special Care will receive $2.5m to assist with the acquisition and implementation of an electronic medical records system. This system will allow medical professionals to more easily and efficiently access their patient’s medical files, allowing for a streamlining of service and improvement of health care.

These projects are expected to be approved when the State Bond Commission meets on Friday, May 27.

Gerratana Holds “Business Breakfast” With Four Local Business Owners

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Gerratana Holds “Business Breakfast” With Four Local Business Owners

Businesses spoke about successes and struggles operating in New Britain and how the Senator can help them grow and thrive

photo of Senator Gerratana

NEW BRITAIN, CT—Senator Terry Gerratana sat down for breakfast at New Britain Diner with the heads of some of the 6th Senate District’s most important employers. Representatives from Turbine Technologies, Victory Energy Solutions, Polar Corporation, The John Boyle company, and Pape Electroplating were present to speak candidly about the recent experiences as growing businesses in the Greater New Britain region.

“These businesses are a driving force behind our local economy and important neighbors in our community,” said Senator Gerratana. “It’s important to me that we can have these candid conversations about what can be done to improve Connecticut’s business climate. I was happy with the positive response and look forward to doing this again.”

Several of the business owners volunteered that they have seen the impact of Connecticut’s recent focus on improving its technical schools. They said that a few years ago it would be difficult to find job candidates who had been trained and certified in industrial arts. Connecticut’s investments in technical high schools and manufacturing programs at Asnuntuck and other community colleges have greatly improved the state’s workforce, and the businesses reported they have no trouble finding entry-level employees who are trained and ready to go to work.

The businesses have said they would like to see more students graduating with training in advanced industrial arts such as geometric dimensioning and programming. Last year Senator Gerratana joined her colleagues in the General Assembly to pass legislation that ensures all Connecticut students receive an education in programming and computer science. These skills are vital in manufacturing and are also highly useful to any person looking for improvement in the 21st Century economy.

Most of the businesses attending the breakfast with Senator Gerratana have participated in the state’s Small Business Express program. This program offers grants and loans that can be used to purchase or lease machinery, expand operations, relocate within Connecticut, or for use as working capital. These funds are provided to businesses that are able to create new jobs and retain existing ones while growing their business. The businesses reported good experiences with the program, but would like the state to help them gain access to more capital.

Following the meeting, Senator Gerratana and the business leaders agreed to stay in touch and continue holding these meetings on a regular basis.

New Britain Legislators Pass Budget With No Tax Increases

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New Britain Legislators Pass Budget With No Tax Increases

Budget cuts spending but increases funding for New Britain over the previous fiscal year

The state budget secured final legislative passage this week, with support from Representative Peter Tercyak, Representative Rick Lopes, Representative Robert Sanchez and Representative Betty Boukus. Senator Terry Gerratana supported the budget in the Senate on Thursday.

“Despite tough fiscal times, we stood up for our city, passing a budget that makes deep cuts to government spending but increases funding to New Britain,” said Senator Gerratana. “We secured nearly $700,000 in additional municipal aid for the city and a car tax cut that will save businesses and residents more than $4.5 million at no cost to the city. This budget makes significant structural changes, cutting spending and consolidating government while still maintaining Connecticut’s priorities and supporting the people of New Britain.”

Over the past year, Democrats in the General Assembly have cut $1.5 billion from the state budget. The budget passed this week makes long-term spending cuts to state spending and government payroll, and institutes fiscal reforms without raising taxes. This budget closes the deficit while also increasing municipal funding by nearly $50 million.

New Britain will receive $692,320 more in municipal aid than it did in Fiscal Year ’16. In total, New Britain is receiving $101,4111,421 from this budget. In addition, the state budget caps municipal car tax rates at 37 mills, down from New Britain’s current tax rate of 49 mills. This decrease will be visible on car local tax bills this summer, providing businesses and residents with a direct car tax cut of $4,450,144. Next year the car tax cap will drop to 32 mills, and New Britain residents will be paying 35 percent less than they are today. 

New Britain Motor Vehicle Taxes
For a car assessed at $18,000

  FY 15 FY 17 FY 18 and after
Mill Rate 49 37 32
Total Tax Owed $882.00 $666.00 $576.00
Savings N/A $216.00 $306.00

Moore Applauds Unanimous Senate Passage of Legislation to Combat the Opioid Epidemic

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Moore Applauds Unanimous Senate Passage of Legislation to Combat the Opioid Epidemic

Bill expands access to Narcan and limits first-time opioid prescriptions

Today Senator Marilyn Moore (D-Bridgeport) brought a bill to the floor of the Senate that aims to confront Connecticut’s growing opioid epidemic. House Bill 5053, An Act Concerning Access to Overdose Reversal Drugs takes a multi-faceted approach to the problem that legislators and advocates believe will lower addiction risks and save lives. The bill received unanimous, bipartisan approval in the Senate and now moves to the desk of Governor Dannel P. Malloy to await his signature.

“This bill is in response to what I’ve heard at community meetings from parents who have children suffering from heroin addictions,” said Sen. Moore. “It’s one component to begin to address the opioid addiction that faces our children. We still have much more work to do.”

This comprehensive legislation addresses the over-prescribing of opioid painkillers and ensures that first-responders are better equipped to manage opioid addiction. It sets a cap on first-time painkiller prescriptions to a 7-day supply for minors and adults, except under limited circumstances and requires that doctors explain the risks of opioid use to minors before prescribing them. The bill also strengthens Connecticut’s prescription drug monitoring program which helps physicians determine if their patients may be at risk for opioid addiction.

House Bill 5053 requires that local emergency medical services (EMS) carry naloxone, commonly sold under the brand name “Narcan,” which can save the life of a person experiencing an opioid overdose. The bill also prevents health insurers from requiring prior authorization for Narcan prescriptions, allowing more people to have the drug on hand and ready to administer in an emergency situation. Health care professionals and good Samaritans will also be released from liability when they administer Narcan or another opioid antagonist to treat an overdose. Finally, the bill adds more on-the-ground experts, including an emergency medical technician and a licensed drug and alcohol counselor to the Connecticut Alcohol and Drug Policy Council.

Earlier this year, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised doctors to refrain from giving opioid prescriptions to patients suffering from non-chronic pain, stating that the risks for such patients include addiction and death. The CDC also reported that from 2000 to 2014, the numbers of overdose deaths involving opioids, which include prescription opioids as well as heroin, increased by 200 percent. The organization has called combating opioid use and overdoses a “national priority.”

Last year, the CDC reported that people who use prescription opioid painkillers are 40 times more likely to try heroin. Every year there is a significant increase in heroin deaths. From 2014 to 2015, heroin deaths increased by 27 percent in Connecticut and according to the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, 723 people died in 2015 from heroin, cocaine or other drugs such as morphine.