In This Issue:
From Paddi's Desk
CT Agency Corner
Municipal Roundup
Inside Scoop
This Day in CT History
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Carbon Paper to Carbon Footprint…..Happy Earth Day
When I started lobbying, believe it or not, amendments were typed on a typewriter, in triplicate – one sent to the committee chair, the second to the appropriate chamber, and the third kept by the Chamber Clerk’s Office. Now, mostly due to the pandemic, we get them digitally through texts/emails.
Given that today is Earth Day, it’s ironic that most people probably don’t ever think of carbon paper, and on the top of their minds is now carbon footprints! Given all the past hoopla over Earth Day, it was surprising that yesterday when both chambers were in session, no one dedicated the day to key environmental issues, though on Wednesday, the House did take up some sort of “horseshoe crab” bill that went on for hours only to be “passed temporarily” (PT) and not brought back up.
In previous years you’d have media conferences, dozens of environmental groups in the halls of the Capitol, and the day’s agenda would have at least one BIG environmental bill. But 2022 is much, much different than previous sessions. It seems at least for now it’s all kinds of mismatched bills being called with loads of debate. Many bills get put on hold, passed unanimously, or the vote goes straight party line. In fact, the huge state employee union bill which adds over $1.6 billion to the state budget took less than 4 hours, with almost all Democrats voting yes and all Republicans voting no. There was little fireworks, lots of questions, but little fanfare.
Today, the House is on the road enjoying a beautiful day (aka not in session), and the Senate is taking up the state employee union bill. The word on the street is that it’s going to be about 4 hours or so and then they will head home for the weekend, with both chambers returning on Tuesday at 11 A.M. We have 8 days to go with a Saturday thrown in to take up the budget that’s not yet been finally negotiated between the governor and the legislature, as well as tons and tons of bills that committee chairs pushed out of their committees. There’s a bond package that will need lots of “air time”, meaning lots of questions and debate, while several must-do bills are kind of hanging around, including some not so business-friendly workplace issues.
Everyone was all over the growing concern over the children’s mental health bill, but that bill as reported out of the Public Health Committee has a hefty fiscal note that’s not included in the state recommended budget from the Appropriations Committee. There is even talk of further cuts of that recommendation, which needs a huge haircut to meet the mandatory spending cap. Budget talks may come down to a game of chicken to see who blinks first. The progressives are possibly hoping that someone will give in on tax increases, especially for the top 5% of income earners in the state. But the governor has been adamant that he will not sign a bill with such bold moves. After all, it is an election year, and despite the angst now about the directions of the state by some, that would be a killer bee move.
So, as we count down the days and keep to the first and second floors of the Capitol, we are slugging out the votes and focusing on that all important “go list” to keep our agendas moving along.
So back to the beginning –what’s a carbon footprint? One definition is – the amount of carbon dioxide and other carbon compounds that are generated by our actions though the consumption or use of fossil fuels by an individual or a group. We are anticipating that with eight days and many hours of debate, CT’s carbon footprint within the walls of the Capitol just might increase, and maybe surpass the state's goals!
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List of Legislators not Seeking Re-Election
We would like to give a huge thanks to the following legislators that will not be seeking re-election this year for all they have done for Connecticut, and we wish them all the best in their future endeavors!
- Rep. Cathy Abercrombie (D)
- Rep. Dave Arconti (D)
- Rep. Whit Betts (R)
- Sen. Dan Champagne (R)
- Rep. Tony D'Amelio (R)
- Rep. Joe De La Cruz (D)
- Sen. Paul Formica (R)
- Sen. Will Haskell (D)
- Rep. Brandon McGee (D)
- Sen. Craig Miner (R)
- Rep. Rosa Rebimbas (R)
- Rep. Brian Smith (D)
- Rep. Dave Wilson (R)
- Sen. Kevin Witkos (R)
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CT Treasurer Candidates Make Their Cases
As you may know, the recent announcement that Treasurer Wooden will not be seeking re-election has caused multiple individuals to throw their hats into the ring for the Treasurer position. Wednesday night, the top three Democratic candidates for the position participated in a candidate forum hosted by New Haven Ward 25, 26, and 27 Democratic committees. The candidates are former investment manager Dita Barghava, Pullman & Comley Attorney Eric Russell, and New Haven Housing Authority leader and chair of the State Board of Education Karen Dubois Walton. Among the common themes presented by each candidate was an agreement that Connecticut's investments need bigger returns.
Barghava argued that the office should be used as a platform to "encourage and force corporations that Connecticut is invested in to exhibit strong corporate governance and social responsibility." According to Barghava, "the primary responsibility of the treasurer is to actively manage $44 billion of Connecticut's most precious assets, and meet our obligations to retirees." She believes she is the best candidate because she has a proven investment track record, and has the ability to " “maximize the returns of the pension portfolio, minimize fees, and ensure that the most amount of resources is going into the home of our retirees.”
Serving as the chief administrative officer and chief of staff under former Mayor John DeStefano, DuBois-Walton said, she learned “firsthand about public finance and bonding and pensions, and so many of the same things that are managed by the State Treasurer.” She said that she took that knowledge to her current role as chief of the housing authority over the past 15 years.
Lastly, Eric Russell, a partner at a law firm where he practices in the public and private finance group, spoke about his experience with government-related debt management. “I’ve been doing this work for about 10 years, largely representing state and local governments in the issuance of debt and debt management,” he said. “So a lot of focus on critical infrastructure in our communities, transportation, infrastructure, housing, health care institutions, child care facilities, clean drinking water, and all of the things that we really take for granted and that we see go up in our communities.
As the race heats up and the election nears, we will be sure to keep you in the loop on this exciting race!
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House Passes Bill Requiring Fair Rent Commissions in Certain Municipalities
Wednesday night, the Connecticut House of Representatives passed a bill which would mandate the implementation of fair rent commissions for all communities with more than 25,000 residents. The bill still has to be passed by the Senate, and signed by the governor before it becomes law. Currently, these types of commissions are voluntary, with only 24 municipalities having them statewide. This bill would expand the number of municipalities with fair rent commissions to 45.
Fair rent commissions have the power to investigate complaints about rents, convene public hearings, issue subpoenas that force people to appear, and can force landlords to lower rents under certain circumstances. Democrats say that the mandatory commissions are needed to help renters around the state at a time when many rents are increasing. Republicans posit that the bill is an unfunded mandate that would generate extra expenses for towns, and place undue burdens on landlords who have struggled to receive rent payments during the pandemic.
The Senate has eight days to vote on the bill. If the bill is not voted on by the end of session on May 4th, it will die. To view this bill, click here.
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The Budget Shot Clock
With many of the committee hearings complete and votes on bills going late into the evening, we are quickly approaching the end of a short session. With that, much of the conversation has now shifted from out-front public discussion to closed-door budget negotiations. If you’ve been following this particular In the Loop segment, you know that since the start of session, we have been discussing the Governor’s budget request and its impact on the state legislature’s money committees, Appropriations and Finance. As we head into the final days of session, there is little to show when it comes to budget negotiations and just like the NBA playoffs, time on the shot clock is running out.
As of yesterday, the state Office of Policy and Management is projecting a $3.9 billion surplus for the 2022 fiscal year that ends June 30. This also includes an anticipated transfer of more than $1.8 billion in income tax receipts to the budget reserve fund. As the days count down to the end of this legislative session, we have not gotten too much further on how to spend our surplus and identifying the best route for cutting taxes. The Governor’s office has indicated that they want to keep spending low, while cutting property and car taxes. The legislature’s Democratic leadership said this week that their priorities continue to focus on support for a child tax credit and pandemic relief. In the building, we have heard that while these priorities remain defined, common ground is hard to come by. There are lots of cooks in the financial kitchen.
Legislators all agree that cutting taxes for low-income families is important, helping small businesses remains a priority, and investing in Connecticut’ families through property and car tax cuts is a huge step forward. Late Wednesday and Thursday night, our team was outside of the caucus rooms as these discussions continued through 11 P.M., and we will continue to monitor these discussions as budget line items get adjusted, we get closer to federal caps around ARPA funding, and key legislators on the financial committees keep conversations close knit. In the final days you’ll see a lot of packed schedules, and for good reason. The legislature has a lot going on and with just a few days left, little to show so far.
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April 22nd: Noah Webster Foresees Life-Changing Environmental Crisis - in 1817!
Today in 1817, Noah Webster’s visionary essay on environmental sustainability, which he modestly titled “Domestic Consumption,” was published on the front page of the Connecticut Courant. Born in what is now West Hartford, and a graduate of Yale, Webster is best known to history as the creator of the first American dictionary in 1806. With the publication of “Domestic Economy,” he also became one of the first Americans to call for environmental conservation to prevent a man-made ecological catastrophe.
Webster’s essay warned against the rapid and continuous deforestation of New England. He called on its inhabitants to reduce the amount of firewood they used and to practice more sustainable forestry management. After praising the beauty and healthfulness of the New England climate at great length, Webster acknowledged that the region’s earliest settlers had made clear-cutting the primeval forests a top priority. He warned, however, that the demand for wood was now outstripping the region’s natural supply:
“In truth, our country cannot sustain the present consumption of wood for a century to come. We must either reduce the annual consumption within the limits of the annual growth, or that time will arrive when we must search the bowels of the earth for fuel. …It is the ordinance of Providence that men should live within their means — we must come to this sooner or later — and adapt our manner of life to our circumstances.”
Webster also framed the need for environmental sustainability as a civic duty:
“We are not to waste and destroy, for the sake of present enjoyment; we must not strip the inheritance of [New England’s] wood and its fences and its timber, and leave it barren and impoverished to the next generation. We must not be so improvident as to render our country uninhabitable.”
In addition to his dire warnings in “Domestic Economy,” Webster also included practical advice on how early 19th-century households could practice long-term fuel economy and sustainable forestry. His suggestions, written just over 200 years ago, sound surprisingly modern:
- Plant more trees: Farmers should plant new trees on their property equal to or greater than the number of trees they consume for fuel annually. Town magistrates should more carefully track and manage the number of trees in their towns, and set aside areas for growing more in the future.
- Reduce domestic fuel consumption: Build more efficient fireplaces; use modern iron stoves over large open kitchen hearths; encourage more efficient house layouts and construction in the future.
- Be smarter in how you use fuel: Never burn green wood, which burns very inefficiently. When felling trees for firewood, split logs to help wood dry faster.
Thankfully, around the same time Webster was fretting over a potential wood shortage, clever Yankees all over New England were discovering the advantages of using natural water power to drive their machines and fledgling factories — utilizing one of the greenest and renewable energies available in the 19th century to move the Industrial Revolution forward. A practical vision for an environmentally friendly future, published long before it was Earth Day, today in Connecticut history.
The original article from the CT Humanities Council can be found here.
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Sullivan & LeShane, Inc.
www.ctlobby.com | (860) 560-0000
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