Month: September 2016

Bye Welcomes State Funding for Trout Brook Trail Phase 3

WEST HARTFORD—State Senator Beth Bye (D-West Hartford) today welcomed State Bond Commission approval of a $500,000 state grant to assist West Hartford with completing Phase 3 of the Trout Brook Multi-Use Trail, which will ultimately connect New Park Avenue with Asylum Street via a 10-foot wide paved path accessible by bicyclists, pedestrians, joggers and others.

Funding for the trail was included in this year’s state bonding package (Senate Bill 503, Public Act 16-4), which was approved on an overwhelming and bipartisan 34-2 vote in the state Senate, and by a unanimous and bipartisan 134-0 vote in the state House of Representatives.

“I advocated very strongly for this state aid, and I’m happy to see that West Hartford residents will not only be able to reap the benefits of safer biking and walking outdoors, but that their property taxes won’t have to shoulder the entire cost of this project,” Sen. Bye said. “Getting people off of the roads and onto a trail is a safer and more enjoyable way to bike or jog, to walk your dog or push a baby carriage. This trail will ultimately connect two different thriving business districts in West Hartford, as well as providing easier access to the CTFastrak station. I want to thank all of my colleagues in the state legislature for supporting this bonding bill and the great investments it is making in people and places all across Connecticut.”

West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor also welcomed today’s good news.

“We are so thrilled to learn that the bonding for the Trout Brook Trail has been approved, and I sincerely appreciate all of Senator Bye’s hard work and commitment in getting this funding approved in order to maintain the great quality of life that we have here in West Hartford,” Mayor Cantor said. “Pretty soon we’re going to have a walkable, runnable, rideable trail from one end of town to the other, and that is something that everyone is going to be able to enjoy.”

The proposed location for phase three of the Trout Brook Multi-Use Trail is between the Trout Brook watercourse and Trout Brook Drive from Park Road to Jackson Avenue.

The proposed trail will be a 10 foot wide bituminous path that covers approximately three-quarters of a mile and connects with previously constructed sections of the trail. A majority of the proposed trail will be set back approximately five feet from the curb and motor vehicle travel lanes.
The concept for the Trout Brook Multi-Use Trail project was first developed several years ago and is part of West Hartford’s 2009 Plan of Conservation and Development. Of the approximately 63,000 people living in West Hartford, about 14,300 residents—one out of every four or five people—live within a half-mile of the Trout Brook Trail project area.

The multi-use trail provides an important recreational amenity for both West Hartford residents and visitors, and is an important, alternative means of transportation to the busy north-south arterial roads, thereby improving mobility and safety for bicyclists and pedestrians.

The multi-use trail is intended to be used by everyone in the community, including experienced commuter cyclists, recreational riders, elementary school children, the elderly, and families with young children. The Multi-Use Trail also meets Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards for accessibility.

West Hartford has already committed to snow removal along the entire length of the trail, thereby ensuring its use year-round.

Bye Votes to Keep & Grow Sikorsky Jobs in Connecticut

State Senator Beth Bye (D-West Hartford) joined a historic vote in the state Senate today to retain and grow approximately 8,000 jobs at Sikorsky Aircraft until 2032, keep the Sikorsky headquarters here in Connecticut, and substantially increase Sikorsky’s spending with its network of 302 in-state suppliers —14 of which are located in Sen. Bye’s Senate District towns of Bloomfield, Farmington and West Hartford.

The agreement with Sikorsky will infuse an estimated $69 billion into Connecticut’s economy, generate $384 million per year in annual tax revenue, generate $21 billion in employee wages and benefits, and directly and indirectly support 24,600 jobs.

This agreement presents an opportunity to strengthen one of three critical components of Connecticut’s defense industry sector and to shore-up the state’s standing as a leader in fields of aerospace technology and manufacturing. The increased spending by Lockheed Martin in Connecticut’s supply chain alone will exceed the totality of the state’s full incentive package.

“When you combine this agreement today with the recent announcements by Electric Boat and Pratt & Whitney about their intention to hire thousands of new employees over the next few years, and you look at what’s happening with bioscience and entrepreneurship in Connecticut, and our efforts to bring gigabit internet to every city and town, we are very well positioned to keep our college graduates in Connecticut, working here and raising a family here,” Sen. Bye said. “We’ve got to keep this good momentum going. One of the ways we do that is to keep looking forward, keep investing, and ensure that we are creating the educational opportunities that our children and college students need to succeed and secure high-tech employment.”

Today’s agreement with Sikorsky comes on the heels of recent announcements by Pratt & Whitney and Electric Boat that they plan on hiring several thousand employees in the next several years and expanding operations in Connecticut, thereby reinforcing Connecticut’s standing as a leader in fields of aerospace technology and manufacturing.

Under the terms of the new agreement, Sikorsky/ Lockheed Martin will:

• Keep the Sikorsky headquarters in the state and maintain Connecticut as a primary production facility for its government-based helicopter business
• Retain and grow its full time employment in Connecticut from a minimum of 6,500 employees in 2019 to just over 8,000 by 2032
• Increase its spending with Connecticut subcontractors from $300 million per year beginning in 2019 to $470 million per year beginning in 2030.
• Increase its capital spending for machinery and equipment by 22 percent.

In exchange, Connecticut will provide financial incentives totaling up to $220 million over the term of the agreement:

• Sikorsky will earn grants of up to $8.57 million on an annual basis over the term of the agreement by meeting certain benchmarks, such as retaining at least the minimum level of each category; growing jobs; payroll spending; utilizing in-state suppliers; and deploying capital for machinery, equipment, and other long term investments
• Sales and use taxes will be exempted up to $5.7 million per year over the term of the agreement
• If Lockheed Martin exceeds the target level employment by 100 to 550 jobs in any given year of the agreement, it will be eligible for a performance incentive grant of up to $1.9 million, for a total of up to $20 million

Under terms of the new agreement between Sikorsky and the state—an agreement which is still pending U.S. Navy and labor union approval—Sikorsky will build nearly 200 CH-53K King Stallion helicopters in Connecticut for the United States Navy until at least 2032.

The King Stallion is approximately the size of two passenger buses; it is capable of lifting 36,000 pounds and can carry a fully loaded Humvee and a platoon of 48 Marines. During the construction and testing of four King Stallion prototypes at Sikorsky’s West Palm Beach, Fla. facility, Connecticut subcontractors provided more $161.4 million worth of product design, development and parts.

Sikorsky presently has 7,855 employees at its facilities in Stratford, Bridgeport, Shelton and North Haven. Those employment figures will decline slightly, then grow, over the next several years as Sikorsky transitions its work in Connecticut from building the Blackhawk helicopter for the U.S. Army to the new, larger King Stallion helicopter for the U.S. Navy.

Larson Votes To Keep & Grow Sikorsky Jobs In Connecticut

State Senator Tim Larson (D-East Hartford) joined a historic vote in the state Senate today to retain and grow approximately 8,000 jobs at Sikorsky Aircraft until 2032, keep the Sikorsky headquarters here in Connecticut, and substantially increase Sikorsky’s spending with its network of 302 in-state suppliers—22 of whom are located in Sen. Larson’s Senate District.

The agreement with Sikorsky will infuse an estimated $69 billion into Connecticut’s economy, generate $384 million per year in annual tax revenue, generate $21 billion in employee wages and benefits, and directly and indirectly support 24,600 jobs.

This agreement presents an opportunity to strengthen one of three critical components of Connecticut’s defense industry sector and to shore-up the state’s standing as a leader in fields of aerospace technology and manufacturing. The increased spending by Lockheed Martin in Connecticut’s supply chain alone will exceed the totality of the state’s full incentive package.

“This is going to have a generational impact on jobs and other businesses in our state. East Hartford, for instance, has thirteen Sikorsky suppliers. Sikorsky will potentially be doubling its purchases from those companies, and as someone who grew up in East Hartford, I know what this will mean for businesses in the supply chain,” said Sen. Larson. “The agreement we came to with UTC has launched ‘Aerospace Alley’ into the stratosphere and this agreement with Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky will do the same. It is undeniable that Connecticut is the single greatest place in the world for aeronautics, defense and engineering companies and we are proud of that.”

Today’s agreement with Sikorsky comes on the heels of recent announcements by Pratt & Whitney and Electric Boat that they plan on hiring several thousand employees in the next several years and expanding operations in Connecticut, thereby reinforcing Connecticut’s standing as a leader in fields of aerospace technology and manufacturing.

Under the terms of the new agreement, Sikorsky/ Lockheed Martin will:

• Keep the Sikorsky headquarters in the state and maintain Connecticut as a primary production facility for its government-based helicopter business
• Retain and grow its full time employment in Connecticut from a minimum of 6,500 employees in 2019 to just over 8,000 by 2032
• Increase its spending with Connecticut subcontractors from $300 million per year beginning in 2019 to $470 million per year beginning in 2030.
• Increase its capital spending for machinery and equipment by 22 percent.

In exchange, Connecticut will provide financial incentives totaling up to $220 million over the term of the agreement:

• Sikorsky will earn grants of up to $8.57 million on an annual basis over the term of the agreement by meeting certain benchmarks, such as retaining at least the minimum level of each category; growing jobs; payroll spending; utilizing in-state suppliers; and deploying capital for machinery, equipment, and other long term investments
• Sales and use taxes will be exempted up to $5.7 million per year over the term of the agreement
• If Lockheed Martin exceeds the target level employment by 100 to 550 jobs in any given year of the agreement, it will be eligible for a performance incentive grant of up to $1.9 million, for a total of up to $20 million

Under terms of the new agreement between Sikorsky and the state—an agreement which is still pending U.S. Navy and labor union approval—Sikorsky will build nearly 200 CH-53K King Stallion helicopters in Connecticut for the United States Navy until at least 2032.

The King Stallion is approximately the size of two passenger buses; it is capable of lifting 36,000 pounds and can carry a fully loaded Humvee and a platoon of 48 Marines. During the construction and testing of four King Stallion prototypes at Sikorsky’s West Palm Beach, Fla. facility, Connecticut subcontractors provided more $161.4 million worth of product design, development and parts.

Sikorsky presently has 7,855 employees at its facilities in Stratford, Bridgeport, Shelton and North Haven. Those employment figures will decline slightly, then grow, over the next several years as Sikorsky transitions its work in Connecticut from building the Blackhawk helicopter for the U.S. Army to the new, larger King Stallion helicopter for the U.S. Navy.

Gerratana Votes To Keep & Grow Sikorsky Jobs In Connecticut

Senator Terry Gerratana (D-New Britain) joined a historic vote in the state Senate today to retain and grow approximately 8,000 jobs at Sikorsky Aircraft until 2032, keep the Sikorsky headquarters here in Connecticut, and substantially increase Sikorsky’s spending with its network of 302 in-state suppliers—13 of whom are located in Senator Gerratana’s Senate District.

The agreement with Sikorsky will infuse an estimated $69 billion into Connecticut’s economy, generate $384 million per year in annual tax revenue, generate $21 billion in employee wages and benefits, and directly and indirectly support 24,600 jobs.

This agreement presents an opportunity to strengthen one of three critical components of Connecticut’s defense industry sector and to shore-up the state’s standing as a leader in fields of aerospace technology and manufacturing. The increased spending by Lockheed Martin in Connecticut’s supply chain alone will exceed the totality of the state’s full incentive package.

“Any state in the country would be thrilled to reach a deal like this, but Lockheed Martin chose Connecticut thanks to our strong manufacturing and STEM education programs and commitment to making smart business investments,” said Senator Gerratana. “The agreement I cast my vote in support of will preserve and create new, good-paying jobs at Sikorsky while also ensuring that this company increases its commitment to Connecticut by expanding the amount of business it does with in-state companies. Thirteen businesses in New Britain, Berlin and Farmington already supply Sikorsky with goods and services, and each of them will benefit greatly from the passage of this deal. The landmark agreement that Connecticut reached with Sikorsky solidifies our state’s reputation as a place where people make things and lays the ground work for a much stronger state economy.”

Today’s agreement with Sikorsky comes on the heels of recent announcements by Pratt & Whitney and Electric Boat that they plan on hiring several thousand employees in the next several years and expanding operations in Connecticut, thereby reinforcing Connecticut’s standing as a leader in fields of aerospace technology and manufacturing.

Under the terms of the new agreement, Sikorsky/ Lockheed Martin will:

• Keep the Sikorsky headquarters in the state and maintain Connecticut as a primary production facility for its government-based helicopter business
• Retain and grow its full time employment in Connecticut from a minimum of 6,500 employees in 2019 to just over 8,000 by 2032
• Increase its spending with Connecticut subcontractors from $300 million per year beginning in 2019 to $470 million per year beginning in 2030.
• Increase its capital spending for machinery and equipment by 22 percent.

In exchange, Connecticut will provide financial incentives totaling up to $220 million over the term of the agreement:

• Sikorsky will earn grants of up to $8.57 million on an annual basis over the term of the agreement by meeting certain benchmarks, such as retaining at least the minimum level of each category; growing jobs; payroll spending; utilizing in-state suppliers; and deploying capital for machinery, equipment, and other long term investments
• Sales and use taxes will be exempted up to $5.7 million per year over the term of the agreement
• If Lockheed Martin exceeds the target level employment by 100 to 550 jobs in any given year of the agreement, it will be eligible for a performance incentive grant of up to $1.9 million, for a total of up to $20 million

Under terms of the new agreement between Sikorsky and the state—an agreement which is still pending U.S. Navy and labor union approval—Sikorsky will build nearly 200 CH-53K King Stallion helicopters in Connecticut for the United States Navy until at least 2032.

The King Stallion is approximately the size of two passenger buses; it is capable of lifting 36,000 pounds and can carry a fully loaded Humvee and a platoon of 48 Marines. During the construction and testing of four King Stallion prototypes at Sikorsky’s West Palm Beach, Fla. facility, Connecticut subcontractors provided more $161.4 million worth of product design, development and parts.

Sikorsky presently has 7,855 employees at its facilities in Stratford, Bridgeport, Shelton and North Haven. Those employment figures will decline slightly, and then grow, over the next several years as Sikorsky transitions its work in Connecticut from building the Blackhawk helicopter for the U.S. Army to the new, larger King Stallion helicopter for the U.S. Navy.