Weekly round-up of campaign announcements and the latest news from our local, state, and federal elected officials.

LOCAL UPDATES

March for Our Lives

Thousands turned out nationwide in rallies on June 11th to mourn the lives senselessly lost to gun violence and demand that our government act to protect communities. Several hundred gathered in Stamford to express their support. Watch a News12 clip about the Stamford rally.

Representative Matt Blumenthal, Senator Rick Blumenthal, candidates Hector Arzeno and Trevor Crow, Representative Steve Meskers, Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons and candidate Ceci Maher join the March for our Lives rally.

Click here to learn more about our endorsed candidates

Candidates Representative Steve Meskers, Trevor Crow and Hector Arzeno.

Pride Flag Raising

Happy Pride Month! Throughout the month of June, we honor and celebrate generations of LGBTQ+ individuals who fought for a more inclusive society. We've made many strides toward this goal but still have a lot of work ahead.

Last Sunday, Greenwich officials and community leaders gathered outside Town Hall to raise the Pride flag in honor of Pride Month.

STATE UPDATES

Governor Lamont Signs First-in-the-nation

Reproductive Rights Legislation

Governor Ned Lamont signed Public Act 22-19, a first-in-the-nation law that will protect medical providers and patients seeking abortion care in Connecticut who may be traveling from other states that have outlawed abortion. Additionally, the law expands abortion access in CT by removing restrictions on the types of qualified practitioners who may perform abortion-related care.

State Attorney General William Tong

Urges Adoption of Federal Legislation to Protect Reproductive Healthcare

Attorney General William Tong joined 19 state attorneys general

in a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer proposing a series of actions to protect access to reproductive health care in the wake of the leaked SCOTUS opinion on overturning Roe v. Wade. Read the letter here.

“We must be prepared to respond to the devastating impact that the Dobbs decision will likely have on the rights and safety of women and patients nationwide.

This is just the beginning of what we know will be a coordinated right-wing campaign to systematically dismantle well-established rights and criminalize the personal and professional decisions of women and doctors.

We must be clear-eyed and realistic about how bad this will be, and what it will take to defend and rebuild the protections that Americans have taken for granted for generations,” said Attorney General Tong.

Budget Passes With $600 Million

in Tax Cuts—the Largest Tax Reduction in Connecticut’s History

This year's budget provides significant tax relief for Connecticut’s working people, middle class, and retirees.

Tax cuts in the package include suspending Connecticut’s excise tax on gasoline; enacting a $250 per-child tax credit for lower and middle-earning families; funding payments for earned income tax credit eligible households; increasing the property tax credit from $200 to $300; and speeding up a plan to eliminate taxes on pensions and annuities.

In addition, bus fares on all public buses statewide will continue to be suspended until December. It also reduces property taxes on motor vehicles by capping mill rates at 32.46 and reimbursing the municipalities for the lost revenue.

Additionally, the budget makes a historic contribution of $3.3 billion towards paying down our long-term unfunded pension liabilities. The budget was approved with bipartisan support of legislators.

Application for CT Child Tax Rebate

“In addition to making groundbreaking investments in childcare, crime prevention, environmental protection, and caring for our most vulnerable, the budget that we just enacted provides relief specifically targeted for lower and middle-income families with children.”

– Governor Ned Lamont

This year’s budget gives eligible families up to $250 per child for

a maximum of three children. To apply, applicants should visit

portal.ct.gov/DRS and click the icon that says, “2022 CT Child Tax Rebate.”

FEDERAL UPDATE

Senator Blumenthal Introduces Big Oil Windfall Profit Tax

As gas prices in Connecticut hit $5 a gallon, Senotor Blumenthal targeted oil companies’ billion-dollar profits. Blumenthal introduced a big oil windfall profit tax and a price gouging prevention act to protect consumers. Read about it here.

Editorials that Caught Our Eye

When it’s a matter of safety and security,

trust Democrats

State Senate President Martin Looney and Majority Leader Bob Duff write, “We looked back over 15 years of firearms legislation in Connecticut and found that, on eight important bills, 93 percent of Democrats on average voted to support those bills (a grade of A-) while only 38 percent of Republicans did (an F). Republicans also repeatedly voted against bills that local police departments said they needed to protect police officers and the public.” Full editorial here.

A chilling message from the Greenwich RTC

Dana Gordon reacts to the incendiary letter sent by the new leadership of the Republican Town Committee to its subscribers, attacking transgender rights, reproductive rights, and calling the violent insurrection at the US Capital an act of patriotism. Read her editorial.

David Snyder calls out Representative Kimberly Fiorello’s framing of issues as a crusade for freedom, such as her denunciation of the Governor’s State of Emergency during the COVID pandemic, an act that allowed struggling families to receive an additional $95/month in supplemental nutritional assistance. You can read it here.