Month: April 2019

Senators McCrory, Kushner, Abrams and Anwar Join Nursing Home Workers in Support of Impending Strike

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Senators McCrory, Kushner, Abrams and Anwar Join Nursing Home Workers in Support of Impending Strike

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State Senators Saud Anwar, Julie Kushner, Mary Abrams and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal stand with nursing home workers at a Monday press conference concerning a possible upcoming strike.

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senators Mary Daugherty Abrams (D- Meriden, Middlefield, Rockfall, Middletown, Cheshire), Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor), Julie Kushner (D-Danbury) and Douglas McCrory (D-Hartford) joined U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal and more than 75 certified nursing aides, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, housekeepers and dietary workers, all members of SEIU 1199 New England, in solidarity with them as they prepare to strike beginning May 1. The nursing home workers demand wage increases, better oversight of nursing home staffing ratios, and protection of quality health care services for nursing home residents.

The impending strike, planned to move forward on May 1, comes as wages of nursing home workers are stagnant, having increased just 2 percent since 2015. The current budget bill for 2019-2020 currently lacks funding for wages, which will lead to nurse assistants receiving minimal wage increases of only 30 cents over five years, drastically outpaced by the rise of inflation.

Caregivers are also seeing lower staffing ratios at nursing homes, which comes just as nursing home residents require additional care. A key priority for the Senate Democrats this legislative session is Senate Bill No. 375, which if approved would lead to increased oversight of nursing home staffers, requiring homes to track the ratios and numbers of workers on staff on a daily basis and set minimum levels of daily care for patients. If this legislation is passed, it represents an opportunity to alleviate the challenges nursing home workers face while better protecting their patients.

“While I am a Senator, I am a physician as well,” said Sen. Anwar. “Studies show that when you do not have the appropriate level of staffing in a nursing home, the number of falls and hip fractures increase. We also know hospitalization risks are much higher when you don’t have enough staff. And one-third of the elderly with hip fractures die from their complications. This is a matter of life or death. We are paying for it, but we might as well pay early and prevent all of that. The best return on investment is to invest in the workforce and make sure they’re treated with respect and honor, as they are doing honorable work. Nursing home owners need to put their money into the right place. If we want a sustainable society, we must make sure 1199 and all the workers taking care of the most vulnerable people are protected.”

“I am honored to stand with the workers of 1199 SEIU in their courageous fight,” said Sen. Abrams. “As Senate Chair of the Public Health Committee, I am particularly concerned that low pay and understaffing in nursing homes will negatively impact patients and workers alike. Nursing home staff work tirelessly to care for some of the most vulnerable members of our population. They deserve to be compensated fairly.”

“We are asking for appropriations that allow us to settle contracts that move workers ahead. We need to raise wages in nursing homes,” said SEIU 1199 President Rob Baril. “Most nursing home workers are women. Most are black and brown. It is a labor of love. They give up themselves in caring for the sick, the infirm and the elderly, but you cannot pay the rent with love. Workers in this industry have been limited to a 1 or 2 percent raise, if they get a raise at all. Homes are struggling to find workers. We are standing up for stable care for our residents. We know well-paid workers are those who can give their residents the very best. But after no raise allocated from 2016 to 2020, what we’re talking about is a 25-30 cent raise over a period of five years. That is not enough. We refuse to be second-class citizens. We are here to ask the legislature and the governor to do what is right.”

Trump & Republicans Increase Connecticut Taxes by $2.8 Billion This Year

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Trump & Republicans Increase Connecticut Taxes by $2.8 Billion This Year

On Tax Day, Senate Democrats Highlight the Impact of the Republican Tax Plan on Connecticut

HARTFORD, CT – On Tax Day, Connecticut Senate Democrats highlighted the impact of the new federal tax code on the residents of our state. The nonpartisan Office of Legislative Research estimates that Connecticut taxpayers saw a $2.8 billion tax increase as a result of the new tax law passed by President Donald Trump and Republicans.

Specifically the new federal tax law limits the state and local tax (SALT) deduction which taxpayers can claim at $10,000. According to an analysis of 2015 tax returns by the Government Finance Officers Association , 41% of Connecticut taxpayers claimed an average SALT tax deduction of $19,665. 41% is the second highest among all states (behind Maryland at 46%) and $19,665 is also the second highest (behind New York at $22,169.)

While Connecticut residents are seeing tax increases large corporations are receiving tax cuts. The Republican tax plan lowered the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent. As a result the number of companies paying no taxes went from 30 to 60 according to an analysis released today by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.

“The Republican tax plan is an assault on working families in Connecticut. Corporations are receiving tax cuts while residents in our cities and towns are seeing tax increases,” said Senator Marilyn Moore (D-Bridgeport). “This is unacceptable. This negatively affects those living in a city like Bridgeport because our property taxes are already some of the highest in the state. Income inequality is crippling our communities and this tax plan adds another burden to the working class.”

Additionally, these tax cuts have not helped small businesses. According to a recent poll by Businesses For Responsible Tax Reform, a majority of small business owners say the new tax law has not helped their business. The nationwide poll found that 48% of small businesses said the new tax law had no impact on the growth or profitability of their business, 24% said it had a negative impact, and only 19% said it had a positive impact on their business. The coalition of small business owners, economic leaders and business associations at the national, state and local level support rolling back cuts for corporations to help small businesses.

1. https://www.cga.ct.gov/2018/rpt/pdf/2018-R-0283.pdf
2 .https://www.gfoa.org/sites/default/files/GFOA_SALT_09202017.pdf
3. https://itep.org/notadime/
4. https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/4a8609_308eb721aee24edea3e93b43081e5303.pdf
5. https://www.businessesfortaxreform.org/

Senator Moore Joins Stop & Shop Workers in Support of Strike

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Senator Moore Joins Stop & Shop Workers in Support of Strike

HARTFORD, CT – This evening, Senator Marilyn Moore (D-Bridgeport) joined workers at the Bridgeport Stop & Shop grocery store on Main Street in support of their strike against the company. The strike, which started Thursday at 1 p.m., comes as workers protest unfair labor practices from the grocery store chain.

On Thursday, 31,000 members of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union working at 243 Stop & Shop grocery stores in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut went on strike after extended negotiations between the company and the union have extended since January. Stop & Shop workers have been working without a contract since February as negotiations continue.

The UFCW has said that despite the grocery store’s parent company seeing significant profits, the company is attempting to cut employee healthcare and retirement benefits. Stop & Shop employee pensions are currently fully funded by the company, which has asked for new full-time workers, and part-time workers hired since February 2014, to receive a reduced pension benefit of up to 32 percent, according to the UFCW. The company is also seeking to require full-time employees to pay an additional $893 in health care premiums over three years and part-time employees an additional $603 over three years. In addition, the contract would see many part-time employees receive an average wage increase of under 2 percent.

Stop & Shop says its union staff leads to higher costs and it must reduce them to remain competitive, though the UFCW said it has not provided financial information to verify the claim. Union officials said Stop & Shop’s parent company, Ahold Delhaize, reported more than $2 billion in profit in 2018, and received a tax cut in the United States of $225 million in 2017.

“Working people deserve to receive a living wage and affordable healthcare,” said Senator Moore. “These are human rights and that’s why passing legislation for paid family and medical leave and raising the minimum wage is so important. The hardworking employees at our local grocery stores shouldn’t have to strike to receive basic rights.
We need to hold corporations accountable when they don’t value and treat their employees with the respect and dignity they deserve. I’m proud to stand with these workers and I hope that Stop & Shop will come to the table and work out a deal that does not compromise the rights of their committed employees.”

Statement of Senator Cathy Osten on the Effect of Federal Tax Changes on Connecticut Residents

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Statement of Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) on the Effect of Federal Tax Changes on Connecticut Residents

“Today, Connecticut taxpayers are shelling out nearly $3 billion more in federal income tax payments due to recent tax changes made at the federal level. These changes punish Connecticut residents for having solid home values and for having children. Even those renters and elderly who will see some tiny tax savings this year, on the order of about one percent, will see their federal taxes go up by more than a hundred dollars a year beginning in 2027.

“Meanwhile, here in Connecticut, while legislative Republicans complain about taxes, they have voted to raise taxes on hospitals, they have voted to raise taxes on motor vehicle registrations and homeowners’ insurance policies, and they have spent every penny of new tax revenue collected over the past eight years. They complain and complain, but they still spend that tax revenue.”

Senator Osten: ‘The Time for Dithering is Over.’

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Senator Osten: ‘The Time for Dithering is Over.’

Osten tours three bridges in Norwich to make the case for toll revenue and state investment in roads and bridges

State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) today kicked off her tour of three Norwich bridges to make the case for the creation of electronic tolling in Connecticut to help generate the revenue necessary to fix Connecticut’s massive backlog of road and bridge repairs and upgrades – including those in eastern Connecticut.

There are 332 bridges in Connecticut rated as deficient or worse on the National Bridge Inventory rating scale. Deficient, as defined by Federal Highway Authority, means at least one section of a bridge is rated as poor, meaning it has advanced section loss and major deterioration. 279 of these 332 bridges–84%–have been rated in poor condition.
Sen. Osten highlighted the numerous deficient bridges in southeastern Connecticut with a map of the various bridge locations:

SE CT Bridges

A complete list of all the deficient bridges in Connecticut can be found here: https://www.senatedems.ct.gov/brokenbridges

“Polls show there is pubic support and business support for electronic tolling if we put that money toward improving our roads and bridges, which is exactly what we will do,” Sen. Osten said. “The time for dithering is over. Gas tax revenues are flat, our Special Transportation Fund is running out of money, the Federal Highway Administration is running on a shoestring, and Connecticut needs to join the rest of the East Coast of America in creating a fair and reliable source of revenue to keep our motorists safe and to make our businesses more productive and profitable. The alternative offered by some others – to go on a borrowing spree, and put half a century of road and bridge repairs on the state credit card – is fiscally irresponsible. The support is there for tolls. Once we have this new source of transportation revenue, that will free-up other STF monies for projects like road and bridge repairs here Norwich and eastern Connecticut.”

Sen. Osten said recent polls show public and business support for e-toll revenue to repair state roads and bridges:

And former Republican gubernatorial candidate David Stemerman told The Hartford Courant last week that he supports tolls to pay for new congestion lanes: http://www.courant.com/politics/capitol-watch/hc-pol-stemerman-capitol-presence-20190403-rvabgrm5ibcw5prl4ozi543st4-story.html

Sen. Osten began her Norwich bridge tour today on Taftville-Occum Road (Route 97) in Norwich where Interstate 395 crosses the Shetucket River and carries 2.75 million cars and trucks every year. Eight sections of that bridge are scheduled for an $8.8 million upgrade to its beams and bearings.

Sen. Osten continued her tour 10 minutes away at the 100-year-old Sherman Street Bridge over the Yantic River at the intersection of Sherman Street and Asylum Avenue in Norwich. In September 2016, the Sherman Street Bridge superstructure was rated “critical” with “advanced deterioration” of its primary steel and concrete structural elements. The bridge’s substructure is rated “poor,” and its bridge railings and approach guardrails don’t meet current safety standards. Located just south of Backus Hospital, the Sherman Street Bridge carries 5,000 vehicles per day and is expected to see local traffic grow 50% to 7,500 vehicles per day by 2035. A $10 million repair of the Sherman Street Bridge is expected to be put out to bid next year.

Sen. Osten concluded her bridge tour at the Pleasant Street Bridge over the Yantic River at the corner of Ortobando Avenue in Norwich. A $2 million rehabilitation of the bridge’s deck and pedestrian sidewalks was just completed last October using federal and local funds.

“Today we looked at a big bridge, a little bridge, and a bridge that’s recently been rehabbed. Every bridge in Connecticut can be safe, modern, and attractive if we commit ourselves to raising new revenue, paying as we go, and only charging people who actually use these roads and bridges– including all of the out-of-state drivers who’ve been getting a free ride for decades on Connecticut highways,” Sen. Osten said. “The time has come to show the leadership that is necessary to bring Connecticut’s transportation system into the 21st Century for the benefit of our citizens and our businesses.”

Lesser, Scanlon Participate in AARP Telephone Town Hall with Over 6,000 Connecticut Senior Citizens

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Lesser, Scanlon Participate in AARP Telephone Town Hall with Over 6,000 Connecticut Senior Citizens

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HARTFORD, CT – State Senator Matt Lesser (D-Middletown) joined State Representative Sean Scanlon (D-Guilford) and over 6,000 Connecticut senior citizens for an AARP Telephone Town Hall focused on lowering the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs. Sen. Lesser said he was thrilled to speak to Connecticut residents on their health insurance concerns and answer their questions.

“I would like to thank the AARP for organizing this important telephone town hall and making it possible for Rep. Scanlon and I to touch base with so many Connecticut residents,” said Sen. Lesser, who co-chairs the Insurance and Real Estate Committee with Rep. Scanlon. “The AARP has been supportive of our health insurance reform priorities and the public is well aware that something needs to change. The high cost of prescription drugs is hurting Connecticut families, small businesses and seniors. This is an issue that is extremely important for the legislature to tackle this year.”

Sen. Lesser and Rep. Scanlon were joined by Nora Duncan, the state director of AARP Connecticut, and AARP Advocacy Director John Erlingheuser, who moderated the call. Residents had the opportunity to ask the lawmakers questions with the primary topic of lowering the cost of prescription drugs.

“Ninety-seven percent of Connecticut residents who participated in the AARP Telephone Town Hall want legislators to do more to lower the cost of prescription drugs,” said Sen. Lesser. “That is why we have successfully advanced legislation to the General Assembly to bring down costs and protect consumers. I understand how important life-saving prescription drugs are. For too long the prescription drug companies have been able to write the rules at the expense of the consumer. We have the opportunity to give Connecticut families, small businesses and seniors an equal playing field and finally lower costs.”

House Bill 7174, “An Act Concerning Prescription Drugs,” will:

  • Give authority to the Comptroller to create the “Connecticut Prescription Drug Program,” allowing individuals to enroll in pharmacy benefit terms negotiated by the state for its state employee pool. The Comptroller will also be able to make the state’s pharmacy benefit terms available to qualified private employees.
  • End “pay for delay,” practices, where branded drug companies pay generic drug companies to delay introducing a cheaper alternative to the market by requiring the drug to be sold at 50 percent of the list price for the time period of the delay.
  • Protect small pharmacies and their customers by preventing pharmacy benefit managers from hitting them with retroactive fees to recoup claim payments already paid to the pharmacy at the point-of-sale and provide a rebate to consumers at the point-of-sale
  • Establish a task force to study the feasibility of importing prescription drugs from Canada.

Senator Abrams Joins Striking Meriden Stop & Shop Workers to Provide Support

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Senator Abrams Joins Striking Meriden Stop & Shop Workers to Provide Support

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MERIDEN, CT – This afternoon, State Senator Mary Daugherty Abrams (D-Meriden, Middlefield, Rockfall, Middletown, Cheshire) joined workers at the Meriden Stop & Shop grocery store in support of their strike against the company. The strike, which started Thursday, comes as workers protest unfair labor practices from the grocery store chain.

On Thursday, 31,000 members of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union working at 243 Stop & Shop grocery stores in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut went on strike after extended negotiations between the company and the union have extended since January. Stop & Shop workers have been working without a contract since February as negotiations continue.

The UFCW has said that despite the grocery store’s parent company seeing significant profits, the company is attempting to cut employee healthcare and retirement benefits. Stop & Shop employee pensions are currently fully funded by the company, which has asked for new full-time workers, and part-time workers hired since February 2014, to receive a reduced pension benefit of up to 32 percent, according to the UFCW. The company is also seeking to require full-time employees to pay an additional $893 in health care premiums over three years and part-time employees an additional $603 over three years. In addition, the contract would see many part-time employees receive an average wage increase of under 2 percent.

Stop & Shop says its union staff leads to higher costs and it must reduce them to remain competitive, though the UFCW said it has not provided financial information to verify the claim. Union officials said Stop & Shop’s parent company, Ahold Delhaize, reported more than $2 billion in profit in 2018, and received a tax cut in the United States of $225 million in 2017.

“I’m proud to stand alongside the striking workers as they fight to keep what they’ve already earned,” said Sen. Abrams. “No matter what your job is, if you work hard, you deserve proper compensation, and that’s at risk for these workers as they are not being offered a fair deal. They help Stop & Shop achieve its success, and they deserve their share of that success.”

“Our 31,000 members who work at Stop & Shop work incredibly hard to provide the great customer service that has made the company billions of dollars in profit and the top grocery store in New England. Instead of a contract that recognizes the value and hard work that our members provide every day, Stop & Shop has only proposed drastic and unreasonable cuts to health care benefits and take home pay, while replacing real customer service with more serve-yourself checkout machines,” said the UFCW. “What Stop & Shop workers don’t deserve, and what no one who works hard in New England deserves, are unreasonable cuts while the company they work so hard for makes billions of dollars in profits. That is wrong and it sends a terrible message to every customer who truly depends on our Stop & Shop cashiers, stockers, bakers, deli clerk, and butchers.”

 

Senator Haskell Joins Wilton Stop & Shop Workers in Support of Strike

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Senator Haskell Joins Wilton Stop & Shop Workers in Support of Strike

WILTON, CT – This morning, State Senator Will Haskell (D-Wilton) joined workers at the Wilton Stop & Shop grocery store in support of their strike against the company. The strike, which started Thursday, comes as workers protest unfair labor practices from the grocery store chain.

On Thursday, 31,000 members of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union working at 243 Stop & Shop grocery stores in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut went on strike after extended negotiations between the company and the union have extended since January. Stop & Shop workers have been working without a contract since February as negotiations continue.

The UFCW has said that despite the grocery store’s parent company seeing significant profits, the company is attempting to cut employee healthcare and retirement benefits. Stop & Shop employee pensions are currently fully funded by the company, which has asked for new full-time workers, and part-time workers hired since February 2014, to receive a reduced pension benefit of up to 32 percent, according to the UFCW. The company is also seeking to require full-time employees to pay an additional $893 in health care premiums over three years and part-time employees an additional $603 over three years. In addition, the contract would see many part-time employees receive an average wage increase of under 2 percent.

Stop & Shop says its union staff leads to higher costs and it must reduce them to remain competitive, though the UFCW said it has not provided financial information to verify the claim. Union officials said Stop & Shop’s parent company, Ahold Delhaize, reported more than $2 billion in profit in 2018, and received a tax cut in the United States of $225 million in 2017.

“I’m proud to stand with these workers as they fight for a living wage,” said Sen. Haskell. “Income equality is not just a national problem – it’s a local problem here in Fairfield County. If you work in our community, I will stand by your side in the fight for affordable healthcare and wages that allow you to put food on the table.”

“Our 31,000 members who work at Stop & Shop work incredibly hard to provide the great customer service that has made the company billions of dollars in profit and the top grocery store in New England. Instead of a contract that recognizes the value and hard work that our members provide every day, Stop & Shop has only proposed drastic and unreasonable cuts to health care benefits and take home pay, while replacing real customer service with more serve-yourself checkout machines,” said the UFCW. “What Stop & Shop workers don’t deserve, and what no one who works hard in New England deserves, are unreasonable cuts while the company they work so hard for makes billions of dollars in profits. That is wrong and it sends a terrible message to every customer who truly depends on our Stop & Shop cashiers, stockers, bakers, deli clerk, and butchers.”

Sen. Haskell participated in a Facebook Live interview Friday morning with Good Morning Wilton. That interview is available at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/GoodMorningWilton/videos/2030361917259683/

Senator Anwar Joins East Hartford Stop & Shop Workers as Strike Begins

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Senator Anwar Joins East Hartford Stop & Shop Workers as Strike Begins

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State Senator Saud Anwar speaks with striking workers at the East Hartford Stop & Shop grocery store Thursday.

EAST HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-East Hartford) joined workers at the Silver Lane East Hartford Stop & Shop grocery store in support of their strike against the company. The strike, which started Thursday at 1 p.m., comes as workers protest what they say are unfair labor practices from the grocery store chain.

On Thursday, 31,000 members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local Unions 328, 919, 1459, 1445 and 371 working at 243 Stop & Shop grocery stores in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut went on strike after extended negotiations between the company and the union have extended since January. Stop & Shop workers have been working without a contract since February as negotiations continue.

The UFCW has said that despite the grocery store’s parent company seeing significant profits, the company is attempting to cut employee healthcare and retirement benefits. Stop & Shop employee pensions are currently fully funded by the company. Stop & Shop has asked for new full-time workers, and part-time workers hired since February 2014, to receive a reduced pension benefit of up to 32 percent, according to the UFCW. The company is also seeking to require full-time employees to pay an additional $893 in health care premiums over three years and part-time employees an additional $603 over three years. In addition, the contract would see many part-time employees receive an average wage increase of under 2 percent.

Stop & Shop says its union staff leads to higher costs and it must reduce them to remain competitive, though the UFCW said Stop & Shop has not provided financial information to verify the claim. Union officials said Stop & Shop’s parent company, Ahold Delhaize, reported more than $2 billion in profit in 2018, and received a tax cut in the United States of $225 million in 2017.

“I joined the workers striking today because I stand with them in their fight for proper representation,” said Sen. Anwar. “The ongoing negotiations and proposed reductions in Stop & Shop’s contract offerings show that Stop & Shop is not treating its employees, who make its operations work and help it achieve success, fairly. I support the workers as they deserve proper compensation for their hard work.”

“Our 31,000 members who work at Stop & Shop work incredibly hard to provide the great customer service that has made the company billions of dollars in profit and the top grocery store in New England. Instead of a contract that recognizes the value and hard work that our members provide every day, Stop & Shop has only proposed drastic and unreasonable cuts to health care benefits and take home pay, while replacing real customer service with more serve-yourself checkout machines,” said members of the five UFCW chapters. “What Stop & Shop workers don’t deserve, and what no one who works hard in New England deserves, are unreasonable cuts while the company they work so hard for makes billions of dollars in profits. That is wrong and it sends a terrible message to every customer who truly depends on our Stop & Shop cashiers, stockers, bakers, deli clerk, and butchers.”

 

Senator Needleman Holds District-Wide Forum With Teachers in Essex

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Senator Needleman Holds District-Wide Forum With Teachers in Essex

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State Senator Norm Needleman talks to assembled teachers Wednesday at a district-wide teacher forum held in Essex Town Hall.

ESSEX, CT – State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex) on Wednesday hosted a teacher’s forum at Essex Town Hall with more than a dozen teachers, all constituents of the 33rd District, to discuss pressing concerns and ways he can work with them to improve education in Connecticut. Over the course of about 90 minutes, Sen. Needleman listened to teachers describe their most significant needs and agreed to work with them to achieve better results state-wide.

Talking points during Wednesday’s forum included potential strategies that the legislature could apply to more secure teacher retirement plans and improving safety in classrooms through a proposed bill that would provide additional protections for teachers and students in the classroom, helping students while ensuring proper resources are in place for teachers to utilize.

Sen. Needleman and the assembled teachers also touched upon legislation introduced this year that recommended mandated school regionalization. Sen. Needleman has worked with Governor Lamont and legislators to instead focus on finding ways to encourage cooperation between towns and school districts, providing a better route forward for collaboration.

Amid conversations, Sen. Needleman advocated for legislators and teachers to work together and find flexible solutions, as well as for both parties to search for long-term solutions instead of short-term ones. He added that with his experience working as First Selectman of Essex, which leads to him working with leaders of five local boards of education due to combined school districts, he understands education negotiations and can bring that experience to any future discussions.

“It’s always a great opportunity to sit and talk with teachers about their concerns and about the challenges that they face as they seek to educate our students,” said Sen. Needleman. “To me, teaching is one of the most important professions because we entrust the future of our kids and our grandkids in the hands of people who will be with them eight hours a day for 13 years or more. We need to make sure we listen to them and their concerns and make sure that, as legislators, we enact laws that meet their needs and meet the needs of our kids, and at the same time give them flexibility and empower them enough to be able to make decisions to do things correctly.”

“Teachers really appreciated the opportunity to have Sen. Needleman come out and listen to their concerns,” said Gloria Dimon, representative for the Connecticut Education Association. “Teachers are especially concerned about their pensions, and Sen. Needleman seems like he has a lot of good ideas on that issue. We look forward to working with him more in the future.”