Dear Friends and Neighbors,
With the bi-partisan budget that passed this session, I am pleased to announce that the City of New Haven will receive significant additional funding. We were able to do this without increasing any sales or income taxes. I am hopeful the additional state funds, along with federal funds coming from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), will help New Haven balance its city budget and take some of the burden off local property tax payers. The federal funds in particular are a one-time infusion of funds in response to the pandemic and future preparations.
For Fiscal Year ‘22, New Haven will receive $165,735,873 in total education aid, a nearly $2.45 million increase from last year, and $168,121,331 for Fiscal Year ‘23, a $4.83 million increase from last year.
New Haven will also receive more than $91,291,654 in Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) funds in both fiscal years for a total of more than $182.5 million for the biennium. This is a significant increase based on legislation led by Senator Looney with full support of the New Haven legislative delegation and me. The PILOT program reimburses municipalities for state owned land that it can’t develop for the grand list or put to use.
In total, the city will receive $279,452,701 in state aid for Fiscal Year 22 - a $52 million increase from last year - and $281,838,159 for Fiscal Year 23 - a $54.4 million increase from last year.
I hope you will find this newsletter, which also highlights some of the other legislation we passed this year, informative. Best wishes to you and your family to remain safe, happy and healthy!
Sincerely,
Key Federal Funds For New Haven
As a part of federal ARPA funding, New Haven is expected to receive approximately $120 million to help with reimbursement costs associated with response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Board of Education will also receive additional federal pandemic relief funds that can be used for special education, before and after school programs, summer programs, early childhood learning, family intervention and credit recovery programs for high school students.
New Haven State Aid
| FY 22 | FY 23 | |
|---|---|---|
| Education Aid | $165,735,873 | $168,121,331 |
| Non-Education Aid | $113,716,828 | $113,768,828 |
| Total State Funds To New Haven | $279,452,701 | $281,838,159 |
Working closely with Senator Looney and the New Haven delegation we were successful in securing state funding for many key organizations in our community. These are non-profits and organizations that provide for social services, job assistance, culture and tourism, public safety and positive activities to help keep our youth safe. Organizations expected to receive state funds include; Fair Haven Community Health Center; Mary Wade Home; JUNTA for Progressive Action; New Haven and Annex Little League; Dom Aitro League Baseball; Project Longevity; New Haven Fire Training School; New Haven Jobs Funnel; New Haven Arts Council; Festival of Arts and Ideas; New Haven Pride Center; New Haven Reads; Quinnipiac Canoe Launch Project; East Shore Park; and Peat Meadow Park.
Renters’ Rebate
Based on legislation I introduced we were able to exempt seniors and those who are disabled from the burdensome yearly landlord verification requirement if they have previously verified that address. This requirement also can’t delay submission of an application for the renters’ rebate program and still allows for extensions for medical reasons.
Legalization Of Sports Gaming
This session as vice-chair of the Public Safety and Security Committee I was able to assist in the effort to successfully negotiate with our tribal casinos and Governor Lamont to legalize online gaming and sports wagering in Connecticut. This legislation will keep us competitive with other states that have already approved online gaming and sports wagering and is expected to bring significant additional revenue to our state. The agreement still needs approval of the Federal Department of Interior.
Growing CT’s Economy
New Haven Port Authority Funding
Earlier this year we received good news on the approval of $5 million for the New Haven Harbor Dredging project that Sen. Looney and I were able to help secure. New Haven Harbor is the 2nd largest port in New England and plays an important role in our local economy. A deeper navigation channel will allow for more ships and commerce and lead to more job creation and economic activity for area businesses as well as environmental restoration to make sure our harbor and maritime industry remain viable assets for years to come. We also passed legislation to put in place much needed oversight of the Connecticut Port Authority Board.
Increasing Access To Broadband Internet
- Grants to cities and towns for broadband projects
- Required internet providers to cover part of the state’s costs
Helping Our Local Bars and Restaurants
- Continued alcohol to-go and delivery sales by local bars and restaurants
- Cut red tape to make outdoor dining a permanent option for bars and restaurants
Project Longevity
Project Longevity offers cities like New Haven the resources needed to reduce gun violence that unfortunately affect our state and community. Legislation I introduced will now work to expand and provide better coordination for this effective community-based program. This will also be accompanied by $350,000 in state funds for FY 22 and FY 23. In Public Safety, I also got legislation passed to make sure our police officers are equipped with the life-saving opioid antagonist Narcan.
Public Safety On Our Streets
Transportation committee legislation we passed strengthens our pedestrian safety laws and will give municipalities more authority to set speed limits, traffic safety measures and the ability to collect fines. In addition, I was able to get legislation passed based on my bill to give our police more tools to enforce our illegal street racing statutes and combat illegal ATV riding.
Fighting For Equity
- Provided new health care coverage to 40,000 low-income residents and families regardless of immigration status
- Declared racism a public health crisis and created a Commission on Racial Equity tasked with eliminating health disparities
- Passed Clean Slate legislation by erasing most misdemeanor crimes after 7 years and lesser felonies after 10 years
- New Haven will be eligible for a pool of $25 million in ARPA funding directed towards unemployment and crime prevention. This will include programs to increase job training related to re-entry programs.