Welsh weighs in on Malloy's agenda

Sen. Welch: We need to be realistic. There is a disconnect to what middle class and working poor families are going through.

February 10, 2014

Senator Jason Welch (R-Bristol) (4th from the left) in the senate chamber on the opening day of the 2014 legislative session listening to Senate Minority Leader John McKinney speak.

Hartford, CT – State Senator Jason Welch (R-Bristol) released the following statement today re: Governor Malloy’s State of the State speech on opening day of the 2014 Legislative session.

“The governor’s theme seemed to be moving Connecticut forward which I agree we need to do. However, we need to be realistic about where we are today. There is a disconnect to what middle class and working poor families are going through. The governor has proposed moving $3 billion in Medicaid spending off the books. This means we are ignoring some huge bills. He also is suggesting borrowing more money and putting it on the state credit card in order to pay for new initiatives. This is risky and shows a lack of understanding to the current economic situation in our state.

“23,000 fewer people are working today in Connecticut since Governor Malloy took office. Connecticut’s unemployment rate remains one of the highest in the nation. Our cost of living in the state remains a burden to the average family. Gas prices are one of the highest in the nation, electricity costs are up and taxes are overwhelming.

“I am open to some of the Governor’s ideas including: ending homelessness among our veterans by 2015. But the reality is we have open beds at the State Veterans facility in Rocky Hill because of the administration’s failure to act. Another concept I am open to is one I have been fighting for in Hartford; reducing taxes. Not charging a sales tax on clothing under $50 is good policy. But there are many other areas where we can ease the burdens of our middle class, working poor families and our small businesses.

“We need to be realistic about where we are. At this point the recovery is stagnant and too many of our neighbors are still not working.

“I am confident that over the next 90 days lawmakers will have solid discussions about what our core commitments are and whether more restraint is needed.”

The 2014 legislative session ends in May.

Copyright 2014 All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Welch votes no on gun control compromise

Press release:

Harford, CT – State Senator Jason Welch (R-Bristol) released the following statement today re: SB 1106:An Act Concerning Gun Violence Prevention and Children’s Safety.

“All of us were moved by this horror in Newtown, and this horror demands action with mental health access, action with hardening our schools, action in ending straw purchases and action in getting guns out of the hands of criminals, with the goal of preventing a madman from committing such a horror again.

State Sen. Jason Welch

“But this bill falls short of that goal.  It also comes with a loss of liberty.  This country is about freedom. Whether you believe liberty to be granted through the divine or that it came to be following our natural law, with liberty comes great responsibility.  Not all have lived up to that responsibility. 

“But the irresponsibility of some ought not cause the loss of liberty of others. 

“Evil is the common theme in these horrific mass shootings.  I don’t see this bill getting to the heart of evil.  I don’t see this bill convincing mass murderers to change their hearts and minds.

“I do applaud those who came up with some really good ideas. Things we ought to follow through on including: mental health first aid for district safe school climate coordinators and reconstituting the statewide gun trafficking task force to get illegal guns off the streets.  But when I weigh what this country stands for I can’t support the loss of freedom in this bill, therefore I cannot support it at all.”

Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Wright favors gun measure, Betts stands opposed

At least one of Bristol’s four lawmakers plans to vote for the bipartisan gun control measure before the General Assembly today.

Rep. Chris Wright

State Rep. Chris Wright, a Bristol Democrat, said he favors the proposal because he’s convinced it will bring down the number of gun deaths in Connecticut without intruding on the rights of law-abiding citizens.

Another Bristol lawmaker, Republican Whit Betts, said he plans to vote against the bill. He said it would further reduce gun owne
rs’ rights. He said it doesn’t address the root cause of the Sandy Hook Elementary School killings that left 20 students and six educators dead in Newtown on Dec. 14.

The other two legislators from Bristol, Democratic state Rep. Frank Nicastro and Republican state Sen. Jason Welch, haven’t yet said how they’ll vote. But both generally favor the positions of gun advocates.

State Rep. Whit Betts

Wright said he came to his position in part because of what he’s seen while working as a billing clerk in the St. Francis Hospital emergency room. He said he’s seen “so many people coming in after being shot” that the issue is personal for him.

He said he watched one day as a 20-year-old was pronounced dead. Another time, he said, he stood by as doctors told the mother of a 15-year-old that her son had died after being gunned down at the end of his driveway.

“It’s such a waste of life,” Wright said. “I’m tired of it and the people in my district that I hear from are tired of it.”

Betts said, “My heart goes out to those who’ve lost loved ones as a result of the senseless tragedy at Sandy Hook.  However, I don’t think this proposed legislation could ever prevent another Sandy Hook tragedy."

“Unfortunately, criminals and those wishing to do harm to others will find a way, regardless of what legislation is adopted,” he said. “I believe we should be putting a primary focus on addressing mental health, which is what I believe to be the root cause of the terribly shooting tragedies.”

Wright said he understands the measure agreed on by legislative leaders won’t bring an end to the gun violence. But, he said, “it will bring the numbers down. And I think that that is important.”

Betts said his constituents oppose the measure because they believe it curtails their constitutional right to bear arms.

Wright said he doesn’t believe there is a Second Amendment issue involved.

He said the provision in the Bill of Rights was designed to ensure the government had “an armed, trained militia” ready in case it had to put down rebellions, not to provide the people a right to arm themselves against the government itself, as so many believe nowadays.

He said many people have “a fundamental misunderstanding” of the nature of the Second Amendment.

Wright said the new provisions included in the measure “are not the most intrusive things in the world.”

Requiring a permit to purchase to buy ammunition is “a logical next step” that “makes it just a little bit harder for the criminal” to get hold of bullets. Those who have a permit already won’t have any trouble, he said.

“We’re not confiscating anything,” Wright said.

The only restriction is that gun owners won’t be able to buy more high capacity magazines in the future.

Wright also hailed the bill’s call for the creation of a dangerous offender registry in Connecticut to make it easier for police to know who isn’t supposed to possess a gun.

Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

The guns of April - Updated

When the General Assembly votes today on a bipartisan gun control measure, it appears that Bristol's legislative delegation will likely split. State Rep. Chris Wright, a Bristol Democrat, is expected to vote in favor of the measure. But the city's other three lawmakers -- Reps. Frank Nicastro and Whit Betts as well as state Sen. Jason Welch -- are far from certain yes votes. Nicastro, a Democrat, is likely to vote against it. Welch and Betts could go either way.
Update: Betts will vote against it.
Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Labor history on the legislative agenda

The state currently requires Connecticut schools to teach math, science, economics, physical education and even "the dangers of gang membership." But if Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney has his way, the list may grow. Looney, a New Haven Democrat, has proposed legislation to require the teaching of "labor history and law, including the history of organized labor, the collective bargaining process and existing legal protections in the workplace, as part of the public school curriculum." The purpose of Looney's measure is to support "a well-rounded education."

Now labor history has its place, for sure. And it's probably too often ignored.

But the existing law doesn't require schools teach anything about the Civil War, the Civil Rights Movement or anything else specific. It just calls for students to learn "government and history." Requiring only labor history to be studied when so much else is left to teachers to decide is... up to the General Assembly. The proposal is now before the Labor and the Education committees, where it will probably die. Here's what the law currently calls for:
In the public schools the program of instruction offered shall include at least the following subject matter, as taught by legally qualified teachers, the arts; career education; consumer education; health and safety, including, but not limited to, human growth and development, nutrition, first aid, disease prevention, community and consumer health, physical, mental and emotional health, including youth suicide prevention, substance abuse prevention, safety, which may include the dangers of gang membership, and accident prevention; language arts, including reading, writing, grammar, speaking and spelling; mathematics; physical education; science; social studies, including, but not limited to, citizenship, economics, geography, government and history; and in addition, on at least the secondary level, one or more world languages and vocational education. For purposes of this subsection, world languages shall include American Sign Language, provided such subject matter is taught by a qualified instructor under the supervision of a teacher who holds a certificate issued by the State Board of Education. For purposes of this subsection, the "arts" means any form of visual or performing arts, which may include, but not be limited to, dance, music, art and theatre.
I'm a little concerned about that English spelling of theater, but perhaps that can be fixed someday.
Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Fitzgerald seeks votes, support for House bid

Republican Jill Fitzgerald, a candidate for the state House in the 77th District, released this open letter today:

To my fellow Bristol residents:

Jill Fitzgerald

I am running again for State Representative because I continue to believe that we need more relevant and proactive representation than we have been getting. This is a very ambitious undertaking since I have a full time job as legislative aide to Senator Welch in addition to my own part-time bookkeeping business, and I take my service to the Board of Education and my family very seriously.
When I accepted the nomination, I did so with the understanding that I would step aside if someone else came forward, because I was concerned that I could not run as aggressive a campaign as I would want to. But that was not to be, and I stand as the committed candidate running against Chris Wright.
I offer the people of Northeast Bristol a very clear choice for representation in our state legislature. I have had the privilege of working here in the legislature since the beginning of 2010. This experience has led me to understand how essential it is for us to have more balanced representation. We cannot continue to justify the implementation of policies that put our financial future and public safety at risk.
I have chosen not to participate in the public campaign financing, so I am maintaining a very low-budget campaign. I will work at getting my message out to the best of my ability, and I will not neglect my other roles that were previously mentioned. (I think this is how all campaigns should be run).
If I am elected, I will leave my full-time position and serve my constituents whole-heartedly. I need your vote and your support to make this happen. I look forward to discussing where I stand on issues with anyone who is interested. You may email me at Jilltfitz@gmail.com.
Sincerely, Jill Fitzgerald

Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Wright backs manufacturing caucus creation

Press release from state Rep. Chris Wright, a Bristol Democrat:

REP. WRIGHT WELCOMES THE FORMATION OF A GENERAL ASSEMBLY CAUCUS TO PROMOTE MANUFACTURING

State Representative Christopher Wright (D-Bristol) is welcoming the formation of a Connecticut General Assembly “Manufacturing/Advanced Manufacturing Caucus” to emphasize and promote the importance and manufacturing in Connecticut.

“This is a very positive step and comes at a critical time following last year’s special session on job creation in Connecticut,” Rep. Wright said. “Bristol has a great history of manufacturing and whatever we can do to stimulate manufacturing jobs and help our companies that are here to compete and grow is worth the effort.”

The new group will host briefings and roundtable discussions with industry experts, disseminating information and providing resources so that members and their staff can learn about opportunities and challenges facing Connecticut’s manufacturing sectors.

“I look forward to meeting with our local manufacturers to get their input and share their concerns with the caucus members,” Rep. Wright said. “The health of our economy has always depended on good paying manufacturing jobs and we will not have a healthy economy until we rejuvenate our manufacturing sector.”

The legislators have scheduled a press conference to announce the details about the new caucus on Wednesday, May 2^nd at 10:00 a.m. in Room 1B, Legislative Office Building.

Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Betts, Welch: Ax our benefits

Two lawmakers who took office this month from Bristol are seeking legislation that would eliminate health and retirement benefits for themselves and other new members of the General Assembly.
State Sen. Jason Welch and state Rep. Whit Betts, both Republicans, proposed a measure that would ax the benefits "for newly-elected legislators assuming office on or after January 5, 2011."
The bill has been shipped to the appropriations committee.
Legislators earn $28,000 annually for their part-time job. They are also eligible for state pensions after serving more than a decade and, once they've put in 10 years in office, receive free health care for themselves and their spouse after age 55.
In addition to their pay and retirement benefits, legislators are entitled by Connecticut law to participate in the state's "group hospitalization and medical and surgical insurance plan."
Under the proposal by Welch and Betts, new legislators would keep their current medical insurance but lost their pensions and retiree health coverage..
The bill would not apply to legislators who served before 2011 even if there was a gap in their legislative career.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Opening Day in Hartford

State Sens. Joe Markley and Jason Welch

Despite the inevitability of partisan bickering and budget battles to come, Inauguration Day at the Capitol provided a jolt of hope for a state mired in economic misery.
“It’s exciting. Everybody’s starting a new page,” said Steve Casey, a former state senator from Bristol.
With the opening of the General Assembly session and the swearing-in of Gov. Dannel Malloy as the state’s 88th governor, politicians on both sides of the aisle talked about the necessity of facing Connecticut’s woes head on.
“There’s a little bit of a dreamlike aspect to all of this,” said state Sen. Joe Markley, R-Southington, who was thinking back to his first term in the legislature a quarter century ago.
For state Rep. Frank Nicastro, D-Bristol, the start of the new session is “very exciting” in large part because Malloy is taking hold of the helm.
“We’re going to turn the state around and bring it back,” Nicastro said.
“There’s a lot of enthusiasm here,” said state Rep. Betty Boukus, D-Plainville, because of “a blend of old and new” officials and the swearing-in of Malloy and Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman.
State Rep. Whit Betts, R-Bristol, said he is also excited at the possibilities.
“I hope we can meet on common ground,” Betts said.
State Sen. Jason Welch, R-Bristol, said that a lot of serious work lies ahead to repair the state’s fortunes and that Republicans and Democrats “disagree on how to fix it.”
But, he said, the Democrats in the Senate have been “very welcoming” and he hopes everyone can settle on a course that will get the economy flowing again and create much-needed jobs.
Malloy said the state has reached “a crossroads of crisis and opportunity” and that if its leaders show strength and compassion, they can fix the state’s finances and economy.
“We will need to solve our problems together – by pursuing with great urgency not Republican ideas or Democratic ideas, but good ideas that know no political master or agenda," Malloy said in his address.
State Rep. Chris Wright, D-Bristol, said the first day is always fun, but he’s sure a long and difficult session lies ahead.
“There’s going to be no easy answers,” Wright said, because every spending cut creates howls from whoever is hurt but somehow the state has to fill a multi-billion hole in its budget.
Sacrifices are going to be required, Wright said, and the need to slice spending and raise taxes is “going to upset people, but that’s what we were elected to do.”
Casey, who works for the state’s information technology department, said it helps “to have a new governor who has a lot of hope and vitality and who is willing to take on the massive challenges we have.”
“We’re ready,” Boukus said.
[And here is the New Britain version of this story, which is actually quite different.]

Two new Bristol lawmakers

Bristol’s two new GOP legislators took office Wednesday morning at the Capitol amidst many family and friends.

The weight of responsibility that comes with the office “hit me for the first time today,” said state Rep. Whit Betts. “It was a very serious moment.”

State Sen. Jason Welch said he’d been so busy that the enormity of the job didn’t really sink in until he stood in the Senate chamber.

As the names of each senator were called one by one, he felt thankful for the opportunity to serve.

“We made it. We’re here,” Welch recalled thinking.

Betts said, “It’s now time to face the music.”

Betts won the open 78^th District seat representing northwestern Bristol and Plymouth that longtime GOP lawmaker Bill Hamzy of Terryville gave up when he opted not to seek reelection.

Betts and Welch, who unseated a longtime incumbent to win the 31^st District seat, joined three Democratic veterans to make up the city’s legislative delegation. The others are state Reps. Frank Nicastro, Chris Wright and Betty Boukus.  Click here for the rest of the story.

*****
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Welch gets his committee roles

State Sen.-elect Jason Welch was tapped to serve as the ranking Republican on the Public Health Committee and to serve as well on the Appropriations, Internship and Judiciary panels.
*****
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Democratic lawmakers get committee assignments

Both of Bristol’s Democratic lawmakers will serve as vice chairs of legislative committees in the next session of the General Assembly.
State Rep. Frank Nicastro will continue to hold sway as the vice chair of the Veteran’s Affairs Committee while state Rep. Chris Wright gained a promotion to serve as second-in-command of the Housing Committee.
Another Democrat whose district includes Bristol, Plainville’s Betty Boukus, is the general bonding chair of the powerful Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, a plumb perch that may give her more clout to help her 22nd District.
The committee assignments were handed out Wednesday by House Speaker Chris Donovan, a Meriden Democrat. Click here for full story.
*****
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Democrats refuse to let 'Gov. Scrooge' slash jobs

State Rep. Frank Nicastro, a Bristol Democrat, said tonight that when the legislature goes into session Tuesday, it's not going to go along with Gov. Jodi Rell's budget reduction ideas.
"We are not going to accept the governor's plan," Nicastro said.
He said that Rell's proposal would cost at least 4,000 people their jobs.
"Just what people need: 'Merry Christmas, you lost your job,'" the 79th District representative said.
He said the legislature will meet Tuesday as Rell insisted, but it won't do much.
"We're going to reject her plan" and then call for another session "right away to submit our plan," Nicastro said.

He said the Democratic plan will cut more than $100 million without layoffs.

Nicastro said the General Assembly will likely meet early next week, but it could be sooner. It will definitely approve something before Christmas, he said.
"It's not that we're going to proscratinate. We're going to come up with our plan," Nicastro said.
"We will not cut any more dollars from municipalities. That $84 million in cuts to municipalities will not happen," he said.
The municipalities "have been hurt enough" already, he said. Nicastro is a former mayor of Bristol.
The Democrats said that Rell is not pushing for hundreds of millions in federal stimulus cash. That's available, he said, if she goes after it aggressively.
"We lay off 5,000 more workers, that means 5,000 more on unemployment" who won't be spending or buying, Nicastro said.
"There's already been a large reduction in state workers," Nicastro said, and adding to the toll now makes no sense.
State workforce is already down 10 percent through early retirements and leaving vacant positions, he said.
Rell wanted to cut $87 million from hospitals. That would ax more than 2,000 jobs, he said, according to the Connecticut Hospital Association.
The governor's cuts would lead to more than $38 million in federal cuts because of reduced health care reimbursements, Nicastro said.
She wants to whack adult day care centers and other critically needed social service providers.
"What we're trying to do is create jobs," Nicastro said.
"She's failed to balance the budget in other ways," he said, so she has had to seek more cuts. Even the GOP opposes her plan, Nicastro said.
"We have an obligation to balance the budget," Nicastro said, but the state can't add to unemployment rolls and undermining Connecticut's hospitals.
"Laying off another 5,000 people isnt' the answer," Nicastro said. "We know we have a responsibility and we're going to do it. But we're going to do the right way."
"We're going to go after those federal funds big time," Nicastro said.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Hospital employees urged to lobby lawmakers

Email sent out to Bristol Hospital employees by the hospital president, Kurt Barwis:

Dear Bristol Hospital Employees,

As you know, there has been a tremendous amount of recent activity at the Capital in Hartford surrounding the proposed partnership between the University of Connecticut Health Center and Hartford Hospital. There are three bills that will be going before the Connecticut state legislators for a vote within the next two days regarding this proposed partnership, which includes the rebuilding of UConn Health Center’s John Dempsey Hospital.

1.      Senate Bill 800: An Act Concerning Funding the Fringe Benefit Differential for Employees of John Dempsey Hospital at the University of Connecticut Health Center  which would authorize the Comptroller to cover the cost difference between the state fringe benefits rate and the average fringe benefits rate of short-term acute care hospitals.

2.      House Bill 6335: An Act Concerning the University of Connecticut Health Center Facilities Plan that would require a study of issues concerning The University of Connecticut Health Center facilities plan.

3.      Senate Bill 833: An Act Authorizing Bonds of The State For Capital Improvements And Other Purposes, which includes up to $25 million in FY10/FY11 for planning, design and construction of a new or renovated facility.

 Collectively, this entity would be known as the University Hospital, and, if authorized, will receive nearly one billion dollars in state funding. This partnership and a replacement hospital will have a devastating impact on Bristol Hospital and the Bristol community. We are asking for your help in contacting the key decision makers and our local legislative delegation immediately to let them know that we oppose these three bills and ask for their support when these bills come before them.

 Attached please find a draft of an opposition letter that we are asking you to add your name to the end of the letter and email the letter to the following key leaders in the House and the Senate, as well as copying our local delegation:

 Christopher.Donovan@cga.ct.gov  Representative Christopher Donovan

Denise.Merrill@cga.ct.gov – Representative Denise Merrill

Daily@senatedems.ct.gov – Senator Eileen Dailey

Hartley@senatedems.ct.gov – Senator Joan Hartley        

Looney@senatedems.ct.gov – Senator Martin Looney      

Williams@senatedems.ct.gov - Senator Donald Williams

Harp@senatedems.ct.gov – Senator Toni Harp    

Harris@senatedems.ct.gov – Senator Jonathan Harris

 Please copy (cc) in the following email addresses to our local delegation so that they will know where we stand on these bills.

 Betty.Boukus@cga.ct.gov – Representative Betty Boukus

Frank.Nicastro@cga.ct.gov – Representative Frank Nicastro

william.hamzy@housegop.ct.gov – Representative William Hamzy

john.piscopo@housegop.ct.gov – Representative John Piscopo

Christopher.Wright@cga.ct.gov – Representative Christopher Wright

John.Mazurek@cga.ct.gov – Representative Corky Mazurek

Joe.Aresimowicz@cga.ct.gov – Representative Joe Aresimowicz

Zeke.Zalaski@cga.ct.gov – Representative Zeke Zalaski

Demetrios.Giannaros@cga.ct.gov – Representative Demetrios Giannaros

Beth.Bye@cga.ct.gov – Representative Beth Bye

Colapietro@senatedems.ct.gov – Senator Tom Colapietro

DeFronzo@senatedems.ct.ct.gov – Senator Donald DeFronzo

Kevin.Witkos@cga.ct.gov – Senator Kevin Witkos

Sam.Caligiuri@cga.ct.gov – Senator Sam Caligiuri

 There will also be copies of letters in the cafeteria for those employees who would like to sign the letters in person. We will deliver them to the State House. If you have any questions, please call Carlo Luciano at ext. 3864 or Mary Pat Caputo at ext. 3524.

 Thank you,

Kurt Barwis

*******

Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Bristol lawmakers split on gay marriage measure

City lawmakers split on a controversial measure to implement the state Supreme Court's ruling that gay marriage was legal in Connecticut.
Two legislators who represent the city backed the bill while three others opposed it, according to the vote tally sheets posted on the General Assembly's website.
Backing the bill, after it was amended to exempt religious organizations and their affiliates, were state Sen. Tom Colapietro, a Bristol Democrat, and state Rep. Chris Wright, another Democrat.
Opposing it were state Reps. Bill Hamzy, a Plymouth Republican whose district includes northwestern Bristol; Betty Boukus, a Plainville Democrat whose district includes a piece of Forestville; and Frank Nicastro, a Bristol Democrat.
Hamzy said the measure “did more than just codify” the ruling last fall that mandated recognition of gay marriages in the state.
He said that “phones were literally ringing off the hooks” from constituents urging him to vote against the measure because it went too far.
Hamzy, who has represented the 78th District since 1994, said he wanted the bill to include a provision to let parents have their children opt out of any school discussions of gay marriage, as they can with sex education now.
He also said the wording of the final version “left an open door to litigation” that could have been closed with more careful writing of ambiguous language.
Moreover, Hamzy said, he didn’t appreciate that the Democratic majority gave him only 15 minutes warning that the much-debated proposal would be dealt with Wednesday evening.
Colapietro’s 31st District includes Bristol, Plymouth, Plainville and part of Harwinton.
From this legislative web page, you can read the text of the bill and who voted for what.
I wasn't able to reach any of the legislators except for Hamzy. That's my fault, though, since I was at City Hall and unreachable so they couldn't call me back. Hamzy, fortunately, was at his desk when I phoned.

Note: This piece is updated to reflect that Nicastro voted NO, not YES, I originally thought.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Legislative forum at City Hall next Thursday

State Sen. Tom Colapietro, a Bristol Democrat who represents the 31st District, sent this out a few minutes ago:

SENATOR COLAPIETRO AND AREA LEGISLATORS TO TAKE PART IN TOWN HALL FORUM MARCH 26^th IN BRISTOL ON BUDGET AND OTHER KEY ISSUES

Hartford – The co-chair of the General Assembly’s General Law Committee, Senator Thomas Colapietro (D-Bristol) will be holding a Town Hall Forum to provide an overview on Connecticut’s budget and give an update on the issues considered by the General Law Committee during the current legislative session. Representatives Betty Boukus (D-Plainville), Frank Nicastro (D-Bristol) and Christopher Wright (D-Bristol) are also planning to attend.

The Town Hall Forum will be held Thursday, March 26^th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at Bristol City Hall, 111 North Main Street, Bristol.

The forum will provide constituents will a chance to gain insight into the state budget and legislative process. There will be a brief presentation and time for the public to ask questions and give feedback to the members of the Bristol legislative delegation.

“The first part of the forum will be to talk about the budget and to take any ideas our constituents may have back to our leadership,” said Senator Colapietro. “This is my 17^th session in the legislature and this is the most difficult budget process I’ve ever seen. Hopefully, the public will provide us with some ideas. I also have to praise my leadership for trying to get a fair budget for everybody.”

“I also want people to better understand the role of the General Law Committee and how important it is to them,” said Senator Colapietro. “Our committee has everything to do with consumers. We can draw that fine line and protect the consumers and the businesses as well.”

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Catholics angry over measure that would change church governance

The Roman Catholic Church is livid about a proposed bill that would change the governance structure of its parish churches.
The proposed bill "directly attacks the Roman Catholic Church and our faith," according to Archbishop Henry Mansell in Hartford.
He said it would force "a radical reorganization of the legal, financial and administrative structures of our parishes."
In Bristol on Sunday, and maybe all over the state, priests read a letter from Archbishop Henry Mansell calling for opposition to the move. Buses are set to roll to Hartford on Wednesday to bring a crowd to beat down Senate Bill 1098.
Here's an example of the angry opposition that's flared up.
Connecticut Local Politics has the story. So does The Connecticut Post and The New Haven Register. It's an important one.


Update at 11:40 a.m. --
State Republican Chairman Chris Healy just sent this:

Lawlor's Holy Way Against Catholics HARTFORD - Legislation proposed by the Democratic chairmen of the Judiciary Committee is a brazen affront to the Roman Catholic Church and speaks to their desire to have the state dictate policy and procedure to people of faith, according to Republican State Party Chairman Chris Healy Monday. "Democrats have crossed the line between church and state," said Healy. " Mike Lawlor and Andrew McDonald are now saying that the state knows best when it comes to being church member and ever citizen of Connecticut, no matter what faith, should be frightened by this legislation. Committee bill 1098, which will be heard at a public hearing on Wednesday, would require that each Roman Catholic church's governing body be comprised of between seven and 13 lay people and that the Archdiocese would have an solely advisory role. These lay councils would have complete control over the operations of each church or organization. "Many people throughout Connecticut, including those who are not of the Catholic faith should be very concerned at this power play by the Democrats," said Healy. "There seems to be no limit to the arrogance of power by the Democrats. Now, with a $6 billion short fall, with people losing their jobs and homes, Rep. Lawlor wants to take over the Catholic Church over the management of a parish's money. How can anyone who has spent the state of Connecticut near bankruptcy now support fiscal control over religious institutions?" Healy said many people might think the legislative proposal is a mistake or simply a result of a request from a legislator who is doing it as a request from the constituent. "This bill is a committee bill and would only see the light of day with the support and blessing of its leadership," said Healy. "Now, it seems clear that Democratic Party in Connecticut believes the state of Connecticut should be deciding how are churches are run." Update at 3 p.m. -- STATEMENT OF JUDICIARY COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRMEN SENATOR ANDREW J. MCDONALD (D-STAMFORD) AND REPRESENTATIVE MIKE LAWLOR (D-EAST HAVEN) REGARDING PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE RELIGIOUS CORPORATIONS ACT: “It has been incorrectly characterized that this legislation originated from the two of us as an attack on the church and freedom of religion. That is not the truth, and the facts do not support such a claim. “In reality, this bill was proposed and written by a group of faithful Catholic parishioners from Fairfield County who asked the Judiciary Committee to consider giving the subject a public hearing. Especially considering the fact that one of the large-scale embezzlements which gave rise to this proposal originated from a parish corporation in Darien, a town that Senator McDonald represents, we decided to give these parishioners a chance to present to the Judiciary Committee a case for their proposed revisions to existing corporate law. “A lot of misinformation has been spread about this proposal, and we ourselves are still learning exactly what its impact would be. We are keeping an open mind to what these parishioners have to say about their church, and we respectfully ask that others give them the courtesy of listening to their proposed changes in the existing state law governing Roman Catholic corporations. “We ourselves are questioning certain aspects of their proposal and even the constitutionality of the current law. Despite what has been portrayed, we have not endorsed nor are advocating for this proposal.” The following link contains the current state laws governing religious corporations, which includes individual provisions relating to the Protestant Episcopal Church, Methodist Church, Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lutheran Church in America, and the Roman Catholic Church: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2009/pub/chap598.htm.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

GOP lawmakers cost taxpayers extra, Wright charges

Are Republican state lawmakers are gouging the taxpayers?

The General Assembly staff serving the Republicans is disproportionately high, a Democratic legislator from Bristol charges.

Freshman state Rep. Chris Wright, who serves the 77th District, said GOP staff costs per legislator are significantly higher than they are for Democrats.

Wright said the Republican caucus in the state House spends about $70,000 for each of the lawmakers it serves.

The Democratic caucus costs about $43,000 per lawmaker, Wright said.

In the state Senate, the staff costs per Democrat total a little more than $100,000, he said, while Republican senators' staff cost come to about $140,000 per GOP senator.

"People have a right to know how much they're spending on their legislators," Wright said.

Most lawmakers have an aide who works for several other legislators as well, along with a portion of a press aide's time. More senior politicians have larger staffs.

The staffs get pretty big.

Wright said the House Republicans have more staff members than lawmakers. That's also true for state senators on both sides of the aisle, he said.

Only the House Democrats outnumber their staff, Wright said.

Wright said he finds it interesting that the GOP in the legislature is so keen to cut programs for the poor, the elderly and others who need help but "they won't want to cut their own staff."

Wright said the Republicans can prove so obstructive that one Democratic legislator couldn't even have an office until a month into the term because a GOP lawyer wouldn't move his desk to make room.

Instead of making the move, he said, the General Assembly had to construct a new office for the new Democrat.

There are 36 Republicans and 114 Democrats in the state House. The Democrats control 24 of 36 state Senate seats. The Democrats' advantage has grown over the past decade as support for the GOP has dwindled.

Wright is seeking legislation to limit the number of employees the General Assembly can hire.

He said that having staff numbers proportional to the number of members in each caucus is "only fair" and the current imbalance in favor of the Republicans should be changed.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Wright seeks to rein in legislative hiring

State Rep. Chris Wright, a 77th District Democrat, is seeking legislation to limit the number of employees the General Assembly can hire.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Wright backs deficit reduction measure

Press release from state Rep. Chris Wright, a 77th District Democrat from northeastern Bristol:

REP. WRIGHT VOTES FOR DEFICIT

REDUCTION BILL

Deficit package maintains critical investments in economy

State Representative Christopher Wright (D-Bristol) joined a majority of legislators Wednesday night in voting for a second deficit mitigation package that cuts $131.6 million from the state’s budget deficit for the current fiscal year, while maintaining critical investments in Connecticut’s economy.

Even though this is the second of two packages to address this year’s deficit, Rep. Wright said that further reductions are more than likely to come as additional revenue figures become available in the weeks ahead.

“While we will continue to be challenged with balancing the budget and dealing with a growing deficit, we must also maintain critical investments in Connecticut’s economy,” Rep. Wright said. “As the global economy continues its impact on our state, revenue continues to decrease. We must tackle the deficit with a prudent, practical approach so that we can protect critical services that benefit our citizens, especially in these challenging economic times when they are needed most.”

The legislature adopted about 90% of the recommendations proposed by the governor with differences related to continuing investments in jobs, public health, energy efficiency, the environment and funding for municipalities.

The legislature’s budget committees will proceed with several hearings in the coming weeks to continue addressing the budget deficit. The governor is scheduled to deliver her budget proposal for 2009-2011 to the General Assembly on February 4.

The legislation, House bill 5095, passed in the House of Representatives 111 to 35 and in the Senate 24 to 12. It now goes to the Governor, who said she will sign the budget package into law. The previous mitigation package was approved in November and cut $71.8 million.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com