Dear Neighbors,
The past several months have been a challenging and painful time for our state. On March 8th, Connecticut had its first confirmed case of coronavirus. On March 9th, the Governor declared a Public Health and Civil Preparedness Emergency, and our lives have been radically changed ever since.
My commitment to you and your family, however has not changed, and I am here to help. I am working hard at the state level, in collaboration with the Governor’s office, to help people get jobs, support our local businesses, get more funding for our schools, expand testing and health care support, and protect our most vulnerable. If you or your family needs assistance, I would love to hear from you. Call or text message me directly anytime on my personal cell phone at 860-335-2023, email me at Geoff.Luxenberg@cga.ct.gov or find me on Facebook at facebook.com/RepLuxenberg.
Sincerely,
Coronavirus Resources
For the most up to date information visit portal.ct.gov/coronavirus
CDC COVID-19 Health Guidelines
While we continue along in our “reopening” process, the CDC and Governor Lamont are continuing to require individuals wear masks in public when you are unable to maintain a “social distance” of more than 6 feet away from others. For more information, visit cdc.gov/coronavirus.
Unemployment Assistance
If you are out of work, or not working as many hours as you did prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, you may qualify for unemployment insurance. This includes self-employed individuals as well. Visit www.FileCTUI.com to file your claim and let me know if you are having any difficulties. The Department of Labor has experienced an unprecedented surge in claims, but contacting our office for help may result in your claim being expedited.
Business Support
We are working closely with the Department of Economic and Community Development on loans and resources to support small businesses. To learn more, visit: business.ct.gov/Recovery or call the small business hotline at 860-500-2333. Or you can always call or text me directly on my personal cell phone at 860-335-2023.
Rent and Mortgage Relief
If you are having trouble paying your residential mortgage or rent, we have worked with banks and landlords to provide you additional time to put together payments. For more information on these programs, visit: portal.ct.gov/coronavirus/information-for/homeowners-and-renters.
Meeting Manchester’s Needs
We are working hard and fighting to obtain more resources for the Manchester community. On May 13th Manchester schools were awarded $1,540,381 through the federal CARES Act to help offset unprecedented educational expenses brought on by the pandemic.
In additional to the Federal Government support, I was recently able to work collaboratively with the Manchester legislative delegation to deliver some additional state funds for the town of Manchester and the 8th Utilities District. The team effort resulted in the State Bond Commission approving $433,648 in extra state funding for the town and $68,425 in extra state funding for the 8th Utilities District in Manchester’s North End. The State Bond Commission also approved $5 million for the state’s efforts toward mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic.
Contact Tracing efforts are a critical and necessary step towards getting back to normal. The state’s voluntary and confidential contact tracing platform - ContaCT - is up and running and I highly encourage anyone who is contacted by the automated site to participate.
If you test positive for COVID-19, you will be emailed by SVC-Covid19@ct.gov or texted or called from 855-670-0299 asking you to fill out a questionnaire to help protect your family, friends, co-workers, and broader community.
If you are contacted by our public health professionals by email, phone or text asking you to fill out a questionnaire as a contact of someone who has tested positive, please do so.
COVID-19 Hit Manchester Hard: Representative Luxenberg is Working Even Harder To Help You
Our office has been working around the clock to provide assistance to the people of Manchester during this uniquely challenging pandemic and economic situation. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you or your family need help navigating unemployment assistance applications, finding out what government services or benefits you may qualify for - including healthcare access and food assistance - getting small business support, or if you want any information about our efforts to respond effectively and scientifically to COVID-19.
While we continue to be guided by public health experts on the steps we need to take to safely “reopen,” we also have an opportunity to build a stronger and more robust state and save lives. We have expanded tele-medicine, brought additional COVID-19 testing sites to the greater Manchester area, expanded affordable childcare options for front-line workers, and delayed due dates for state income taxes and municipal property taxes. We are working to ensure hospitals, front-line workers, and health care providers have adequate stocks of personal protective equipment, to secure additional funding for Manchester schools, to help individuals get their unemployment benefits, and to improve conditions at our nursing homes to protect our seniors.
How can we do better? What can I work on specifically to solve a problem you see in our community or for you personally that hasn’t been solved? I want to hear from you and take action to help. It continues to be a great honor and privilege to represent you.
| Results Delivered. Extra State Funding Specifically for Manchester |
Fiscal Year ‘20 | Fiscal Year ‘21 |
|---|---|---|
| Local Capital Improvement Project (LoCIP) | $434,522 | $434,522 |
| Town Aid Road | $643,681 | $643,681 |
| Grants For Municipal Projects | $1,506,098 | $1,506,098 |
| Education Cost Sharing (ECS) | $36,228,543 | $37,520,091 |
| PILOT | $980,303 | $980,303 |
| Total State Funds To Town | $41,685,747 | $42,977,295 |
The bond package also contained various other pieces of town aid to Manchester as well as funds for workforce development, launching the Paid Family Medical Leave insurance program, and funding transportation improvements. It is now up to Governor Lamont and the Bond Commission to release these funds, and I will hold them to that.
Supporting Manchester’s Small Businesses Is A Big Part of My Job
Though the state has begun the reopening process, there are still many Manchester businesses that are struggling financially and will continue to face unprecedented challenges beyond the life cycle of the COVID-19 pandemic. I have worked hard over the past three months to advocate for low-interest loan programs, tax relief, and rental support for our small business owners. We are working with them as partners to help them solve complex challenges so they can continue to operate, keep their workers employed, and keep their doors open. Here are some resources which may help you, or a favorite Manchester business of yours:
- DECD resource page: ct.gov/Coronavirus/Information-For/Business-Resources
- DECD COVID-19 Business Emergency Response Line: 860-500-2333
- SBA Low-Interest Disaster Loans: sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance
- CDC Business Guidance: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html
- Small Business Development Center COVID-19 Business Resources: ctsbdc.com/covid19-businessresourcecenter
- Women’s Business Development Council virtual classes & counseling for those impacted by COVID-19: ctwbdc.org
- SCORE Small Business Resilience Hub: score.org/recovery/small-business-resilience
- For information on Phase 1, 2, and 3 Reopenings: ct.gov/DECD/Content/Coronavirus-Business-Recovery/Sector-Rules-and-Certification-for-Reopen
If you need any help navigating or applying for these resources, please let me know so I can help.