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Support for Success Village
The House recently advanced a measure providing targeted tax relief for the hundreds of residents at the Success Village housing cooperative in Bridgeport and Stratford.
Through no fault of their own, the complex endured years of severe financial mismanagement and neglected infrastructure, including periods without heat or hot water, resulting in mounting debt from unpaid property taxes and utility costs.
House Bill 5500 allows those accumulated overdue tax interests to be forgiven at no cost to the state or the city of Bridgeport. The measure also gives residents a fair opportunity to recover from a deeply challenging situation they did not create and supports efforts to stabilize the complex’s finances.
The Senate has until May 6 to pass the measure before the end of the session. |
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| Click here to watch my remarks on H.B. 5500 |
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National Drug Takeback Day
As you begin spring cleaning, clearing out old medications is an essential step toward a refreshed and safe home. National Drug Takeback Day, administered by the DEA, will take place on Saturday, April 25. This event provides residents with a free, convenient way to safely dispose of unwanted, unused, or expired medications at local collection sites. The DEA partners with local law enforcement agencies across the United States to host this event in local communities like ours.
The Connecticut State Police Troop G will host a Drug Takeback Site at 149 Prospect St. in Bridgeport from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 25th.
Host sites will collect pills and capsules, as well as prescription and over-the-counter medicines. The DEA cannot accept liquid, sharps, or needles. Trained volunteers will be present to handle collected materials and ensure safe disposal. Any medication you wish to dispose of should be presented in a clear, sealed bag. Loose pills or capsules will not be accepted.
If you are unable to attend the event, MyOldMeds.com offers a Locator Tool to help you find the nearest disposal site year-round. There are more than 29,000 verified locations in all 50 states that have secure unwanted or expired medicine disposal kiosks, and/ or provide free in-home disposal kits upon request. Additionally, the Locator Tool provides disposal site hours of operation, hours of collection, what is collected, and other helpful information.
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PURA Approved Lower Electric Rates
Starting May 1, Connecticut residents can expect some welcome relief on their energy bills. Earlier this week, the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) approved an interim decision to lower residential electricity rates across the state.Under this change, on average, rates will decrease by approximately 4.3 cents per kilowatt-hour, about $30 per month for the average Eversource customer, and 4.9 cents per kilowatt-hour, or roughly $34 per month, for the average United Illuminating customer.This reduction is largely driven by a drop in the public benefits charge, which will now appear as a credit on customers’ bills rather than an added cost, at least through September. Much of this shift is tied to long-term energy contracts negotiated by Millstone and Seabrook nuclear power plants. These agreements provide electricity at stable, fixed prices, helping shield ratepayers from the volatility of fossil fuel markets.The state’s continued investment in a diversified energy portfolio has helped cushion the impact of rising natural gas prices this winter, underscoring the value of a balanced and forward-looking energy strategy.Customers should begin seeing these lower rates reflected in their bills starting May 1, with the reductions expected to remain in place through at least September for most households.Visit EnergizeCT.com for more ways to save.
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As always, please feel free to contact me at 800-842-8267 or by email at Andre.Baker@cga.ct.gov. And for news and legislative updates, please visit my official Facebook page.
Sincerely,
Andre Baker |
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