Special Session Summary, ICYMI: The Real Story With Emma Wulfhorst, Fireworks Safety

July 3, 2024


 
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Dear Neighbor,

Thank you to all the wonderful people who came out to the coffees in Canton on Saturday and the one this morning in Avon. Special thanks to LaSalle Deli & Market and to Beanz & Co. for hosting us – two extraordinary community builders in our community.
 
I’ve included some 4th of July fireworks safety tips and as a friendly reminder, many people who suffer from PTSD, like some of our Veterans, really struggle with the sound of fireworks. Please be mindful of that. And, for all who might have a dog who gets nervous when the skies go boom, consider a heavy blanket. Our dog, Cal, could always be distracted by watching turning up the volume on Animal Planet.
 
Wishing all of you a safe and happy Fourth of July,

Eleni
SPECIAL SESSION SUMMARY
Last week, the legislature was called into Special Session. What does that mean? It means that the Governor along with House and Senate leaders made a special call to the legislature to bring us in for business that needed statutory changes sooner rather than later.

I was truly surprised to hear that some people were saying that we increased people's car taxes so I think it's important that I break it down for you.
The municipal car tax falls under the Planning and Development Committee and I worked on a bill for two years to implement the motor vehicle tax cut we passed in 2022. It was an implementation bill. It passed the House along bipartisan lines this session, but when it got to the Senate, in the final hours of session, it was amended in a way that would have drastically increased commercial vehicle taxes and we could not pass it in the House as amended. That triggered our need for a special session.

Initially, the average car owner will see a tax decrease of around 8% and more over time because we have set a new depreciation schedule that will be used on MSRP, not NADA. The goal of this was to create predictability for taxpayers and towns. Additionally, we made sure that commercial vehicles will be on the motor vehicle deck and not the personal property deck.

It's important to note that while there seemed to be considerable misunderstanding of the bill in the Senate during this special session leading to many no votes, in the House, not only did Republican Minority Leader Vinny Candelora vote for it but so did the ranking member of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, Representative Holly Cheeseman as well as 14 additional Republican colleagues, many of them in leadership positions.

In addition to fixing the motor vehicle tax, we also addressed:
  • Promoting transparency and competition in municipally-administered school construction projects by restoring a ban on construction managers self-performing subcontracting work;
  • Making Connecticut a more attractive place for innovative financial services companies to establish a significant presence by expressly allowing banks holding a certain charter to accept and hold non-retail deposits and secure deposit insurance from the FDIC and by updating the name of that charter;
  • Providing more certainty to the state’s insurance industry by establishing that the annual assessment on domestic insurance companies to fund certain insurance-related state offices and programs should be calculated based on those companies’ total taxes, prior to any adjustment for tax credits, from the year immediately preceding the prior calendar year instead of the prior calendar year itself;
  • Relieving employers, including tax-exempt organizations, that kept employees on payroll throughout the pandemic and received the federal Employee Retention Credit from the burden of interest payments attributable to the timing and complexities of a new federal program rather than any willful underpayment by the taxpayer;
  • Supporting the preservation and redevelopment of historic properties by streamlining the process by which the State Historic Preservation Office reviews those properties; and
  • Amending the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority to permit the Authority to acquire water companies outside its current service area (in this case, it means that we changed the charter to allow them to bid on Aquarion if they so choose).
 
ICYMI: THE REAL STORY WITH EMMA WULFHORST
Thanks to Emma Wulfhorst and Fox61 for having me on “The Real Story” last Sunday. It was a great opportunity to explain the special session and talk about next year. To watch the segment please click below.
 
 
COFFEE & LEGISLATIVE UPDATES FROM CANTON AND AVON
Saturday, I had a great conversation at LaSalle Market and Deli and today, Rep. Tammy Exum and I had another great coffee in Avon. We talked special session, our frustration over not doing enough on climate change, and of course, SB1, specifically the coronary calcium test that will be covered by insurance starting next year. Thank you for stopping by!
 
AARP CT LIVABLE COMMUNITIES GRANT UPDATES
AARP Connecticut invites nonprofit organizations and municipalities across the state to apply for the 2024 Livable Communities Grant Program. Now in its seventh year, the grant program dedicated to funding “quick-action” projects in Connecticut communities, aims to help the state’s neighborhoods, towns and cities be great places to live for people of all ages. The application deadline is Friday, August 16, at 5 p.m.

Grants can range from small, short-term activities to larger, permanent solutions, but the maximum amount of any single grant will be $5,000. All applications should be for a project of $5,000 or less. They should also be for projects in Connecticut that are focused on improving the lives of those 50+ and make a positive impact within one of the following eight Domains of Livability, including:

  • Outdoor spaces and buildings
  • Transportation
  • Housing
  • Social Participation
  • Respect and Social Inclusion
  • Work and Civic Engagement
  • Communication and Information
  • Community and Health Services

Comprehensive details about the program and applications can be found HERE. All proposals must be submitted to CTLivable@aarp.org by 5 p.m. ET, August 16, 2024, and all projects must be completed within 12 months from the day grant funding is received. 
 
FIREWORKS SAFETY
As we gear up for festive celebrations, let's remember the importance of firework safety! Ensure a fun and safe experience by following guidelines: keep a safe distance, never relight duds, and always have water nearby. Let's celebrate responsibly and protect ourselves and our communities.
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!

I would like to wish you all a safe and Happy 4th!

Sincerely,


Eleni Kavros DeGraw
State Representative
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