SEN. OSTEN WELCOMES STATE BONDING FOR NORWICH, PRESTON, LOCAL SCHOOLS AND THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS

NORWICH – State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) today welcomed a variety of state bonding projects that will benefit not only eastern Connecticut, but will benefit towns and young people all across Connecticut. Each project is expected to be approved by the State Bond Commission when it meets tomorrow, Thursday, December 18 at 10 a.m. in Hartford.

Senator Osten welcomed $1 million for a state Department of Social Services customer service center to operate as a new opportunity center in Norwich, and $1.37 million for new refrigerant and chilled water piping, updated controls, and roof work the Uncas on Thames Campus at 401 West Thames Street in Norwich.

Sen. Osten also welcomed a $500,000 state grant for Special Olympics Connecticut to use for the construction of a new headquarters in Bristol, and $400,000 for upgrades to a wastewater pump station in Preston on the site of the former Norwich State Hospital. The pump station needs upgrades to prepare for the Mohegan Tribe’s Preston Riverwalk development, which is expected to increase demand on the town-owned sewer pumping station.

Sen. Osten also welcomed $30 million in new,  so-called “DRIP” funds – the state’s District Repair and Improvement Program – that was just created this year to provide funding to assist public schools with the costs of minor capital repairs, improvements and maintenance, and to reduce the need for more costly and extensive renovations in the future.

“This is nearly a billion-dollar bonding agenda, and I want everyone to notice that about half of it is being spent on cities and towns. The state is picking up the tab for projects all across Connecticut that local taxpayers would otherwise be paying higher property taxes for,” Sen. Osten said. “Each of these projects has its own unique and local impact. Norwich is getting better social services delivery. Preston and the region will see economic development due to an updated wastewater pumping station. The Connecticut Special Olympics won’t have to fundraise as long or as hard to build their new headquarters. And schoolchildren all across the state will have safer, more modern schools which their parents don’t have to pay more local property taxes to improve. This state funding is great news, especially in this economy and at this time of year.”