Duff, Norwalk Delegation Applaud New State Bonding Funding for Norwalk Projects

HARTFORD – Today, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff and the Norwalk legislative delegation applauded the announcement of over $5.2 million in state bonding funding for key projects benefiting Norwalk.

The bond agenda includes $3,528,000 for Veterans Park Marina to finance improvements to the harbor. This funding will support critical improvements to the marina, enhancing Norwalk’s waterfront and recreational opportunities for residents and visitors alike.

Additionally, $1,500,000 will be allocated to Friends of the Norwalk River Valley Trail, Inc. for the completion of the Norwalk section of the Norwalk River Valley Trail via the Glover Ave Spur. This investment will enhance connectivity, expand access to outdoor recreation, and further promote Norwalk’s growing network of green spaces.

The Open Door Shelter, Inc. will receive $250,000 for its Campus Expansion Project. These funds will support an assessment of the existing housing portfolio and explore the acquisition of abutting properties, furthering the shelter’s mission to provide critical services and housing solutions for those in need.

“This latest round of state bonding reaffirms our commitment to investing in Norwalk’s infrastructure, public spaces, and essential services,” said Senator Duff. “From improving our marina and expanding recreational trails to supporting housing initiatives, these projects will have a meaningful impact on our community. I extend my gratitude to Governor Lamont and the bond commission for prioritizing Norwalk in this funding cycle and improving the quality of life for residents.”

“I’m excited to see us moving forward with these projects, knowing they will have a lasting, positive impact on Norwalk,” said Rep. Lucy Dathan (D-Norwalk). “These investments on critical initiatives will enhance the quality of life for our residents and reflect our ongoing commitment to building a stronger, more inclusive community for all. Together, we are strengthening the foundation for a more prosperous future. Thank you CT Bond Commission and Governor Lamont for prioritizing Norwalk.”

“Thank you to Governor Lamont and the Bond Commission for once again investing in Norwalk,” said Rep. Dominique Johnson. “Improvements to the Veterans Park Marina and completing the Norwalk Valley River Trail will provide more access to outdoor activities in our beautiful community. Open Doors continues to make a profound impact through their work and this funding will enable them to not only address the needs of our most vulnerable neighbors but also expand their ability to meet the growing needs of our community.”

“Earlier this year, I co-founded the End Homelessness Caucus. Although we live in one of the richest states in the country, there are still several individuals who do not have reliable housing options. Norwalk is blessed to have an organization like Open Doors serving our community. Their hard work has ensured that houseless individuals and families have access to the resources they need in their search for housing stability. This funding will allow Open Doors to increase their reach and impact. Thank you Governor Lamont and the bond commission for providing funding for this vitally important project, as well as the other projects that will make Norwalk better than ever,” said Rep. Kadeem Roberts.

“This funding represents a significant investment in Norwalk’s future, improving our infrastructure, expanding recreational opportunities, and strengthening support for those in need,” said Rep. Travis Simms. “These projects will enhance our community’s quality of life, and I’m proud to stand with my colleagues in securing these critical resources for Norwalk.”

“These investments in Norwalk’s parks, trails, and essential services will enhance the quality of life for all residents,” Mayor Rilling said. “The much needed improvements to the marina at Veterans Park will provide improved waterfront facilities and recreational opportunities for residents and visitors to the Norwalk harbor. The funding for the Norwalk River Valley Trail will bring us that much closer to completion of the Norwalk portion of the trail, benefiting not only Norwalk but the entire region, and the funding for The Open Door Shelter will further support their efforts to find housing solutions for those in need. I am grateful to Governor Lamont, Senator Duff, and our state partners for their support for these projects and for helping to make Norwalk a more connected and inclusive community.”

“Each of these projects will make improvements that enhance the quality of life for people who live in Norwalk and make the city an even better place to live and do business,” said Governor Ned Lamont. “I am glad that our administration could partner with these organizations and get these projects done.”

The bond agenda is set to be formally approved on Friday, April 11.

Trump Axes Critical Connecticut Library Grant

Thousands of CT Families, Kids, and Seniors Left in the Lurch

HARTFORD – Senate President Martin Looney (D-New Haven) and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) today strongly condemned the decision by the Trump administration to terminate Connecticut’s 2024-2025 federal grant awarded under the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Grant to States program. This funding, totaling $2.16 million, was intended to support critical statewide library services, yet more than 56 percent of the grant remains undelivered.

“This cruel and needless cut to Connecticut library funding will hit the most vulnerable people in our state the hardest,” said Senator Looney and Senator Duff. “It means a single mom loses access to job training. A child has no quiet place to read or learn after school. Seniors can’t get help navigating essential services. Libraries are not luxuries, and Donald Trump is severing these lifelines in the middle of the year, with no warning and no justification. We expect Connecticut Republicans to remain silent on these actions like every other cut from the Trump administration but especially this one as it aligns with their attacks on libraries in the General Assembly.”

The Connecticut State Library has used LSTA funds to support a wide range of vital services, including:

-Early literacy and summer reading programs serving nearly 230,000 children and families

-Workforce development and digital access initiatives to bridge the digital divide

-Professional development for librarians

-Statewide interlibrary loan and delivery services, circulating 1.5 million items

-The Connecticut Library for Accessible Books, providing audio and braille books to over 5,000 people, including veterans

-A statewide eBook lending platform, offering 50,000 digital books to residents

“Withdrawing library grants is a callous move at any time, but downright cruel at a time when it’s getting harder for many Americans to make ends meet – most of all, in small and rural communities,” said American Library Association President Cindy Hohl.

“We are deeply dismayed by this decision, which has immediate negative impact on every Connecticut resident and the library services they count on,” said Connecticut State Librarian Deborah Schander. “The Connecticut State Library remains committed to advancing the mission of libraries across the state and throughout our communities. In the meantime, we are exploring all options to ensure these vital services continue.”

BREAKING: CUTS MILLIONS TO CONNECTICUT ARTS GROUPS AND MUSEUMS

HARTFORD – Senate President Martin Looney (D-New Haven) and Senate Majority Leader Bon Duff (D-Norwalk) issued the following joint statement today regarding the midnight decision by President Donald Trump and his Republican administration to cut approximately $3,000,000 in aid to Connecticut from the federal National Endowment for the Humanities.

“There is no aspect of American life that Donald Trump and his Republican administration have left unscathed in their venal desire to give tax breaks to their billionaire buddies. Veterans, health care, education, home heating assistance for seniors, and now arts groups and museums have all fallen victim to his knife. And there is no end in sight to the pain and destruction that Donald Trump and Republicans will inflict on Connecticut and the nation in order to reward billionaires while trampling middle-class Americans underfoot.

“We will all pay the price – in increased prices due to tariffs, less health care, fewer educational opportunities, reduced local services, and now the destruction of the arts and events that celebrate our local history and culture. And still our Republican colleagues in Connecticut remain mute to Trump’s revenge on the nation.”

Jason Mancini, Executive Director of CT Humanities, testified today before the Appropriations Committee about the letter he received at midnight last night.

“As many of you may know from New York Times reporting, DOGE staffers visited the offices of the National Endowment for the Humanities on Monday. Subsequently, rumors began to spread about grant suspensions and terminations.  At midnight last night, I received from the chair of NEH a series of letters terminating our operating support grants. These are the funds through which we serve Connecticut’s cultural sector – our grantmaking to museums and cultural organizations, and through our civics initiatives, literature programs, digital projects, and educational resources. This also means that direct NEH grants to Connecticut organizations will cease,” Mancini said. “Coupled with the termination of Institute of Museum and Library Service grants and suspension of IMLS staff, this means that millions of dollars of federal funding will no longer be invested in our communities. Almost certainly, funding from the National Endowment for the Arts to the Connecticut Office of the Arts and arts organizations will be next.”

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is the only federal agency in the United States dedicated to funding the humanities. Since its founding in 1965, NEH has awarded over $6 billion in grants to museums, historic sites, colleges, universities, K–12 teaching, libraries, public television and radio stations, research institutions, independent scholars, and to its humanities council affiliates in each of the nation’s 56 states and jurisdictions. Panels of independent, external reviewers examine and select top-rated proposals to receive grants.

NEH grants support the building blocks of American civil society, helping to examine the human condition, promote civics education, understand our cultural heritage, foster mutual respect for diverse beliefs and cultures, and develop media and information literacy. Grants help to bring museum exhibitions to your town, strengthen teaching in your schools, create documentaries and podcasts, facilitate groundbreaking research, and preserve and expand access to cultural and historical artifacts.

From 2019 to 2023, the NEH issued $10.53 million to support 81 projects in Connecticut, ranging from educational programs and planning and preservation grants to stipends for fellowships and internships. Recently funded NEH projects in Connecticut include:

-$25,000 for The Weston Historical Society, “Weston at Work: A New, Permanent Exhibit Focusing on Industry and Marginalized Groups in Weston, CT”

-$25,000 for Eastern Connecticut State University for curriculum development “Empowering Students to navigate an A.I. World”

-$259,000 for the Connecticut State Library, “Connecticut Digital Newspaper Project”

-$10,000 for the Mark Twain Memorial, “Mark Twain House & Museum Book Preservation”

-$31,000 Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, “Nook Farm: Then and Now”

$48,500 for the Lyman Allyn Art Museum, “The Way Sisters: Miniaturists of the Early Republic”