Protecting Connecticut's Environment for our Families and for Our Future

Update and Schedule for the Smart Growth related bills now in the Legislature March 9, 2004 HB 5044 AAC Plans of Conservation and Development It will be going to the Floor sometime this week. The possible committee ‘route’ is: Committee JF (Joint Favorable) Deadline Transportation March 10th Environment March 17th GAE (possible) March 17th Public Health March 18th Appropriations March 29th HB 39 AAC Community Perservation This bill may have difficulties because there are prices involved and if they can find the sources of the funds needed it will have a good chance. The price tags involved are estimates of 2.3 million dollars for the statewide build-out analysis and $250,000 for the tax incidence study. Committee JF (Joint Favorable) Deadline Transportation March 10th Environment March 17th GAE March 17th Public Health March 18th Appropriations March 30th HB 5046 PILOT Program The PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) has not been fully funded. It is a program that pays municipalities compensation for the taxes they don’t get when they host a state facility like a hospital or university. Right now this bill is still a “work in progress.” It is currently funded at 63 million dollars per year. This represents about 30% of what is actually owed to the towns (about 45% in the case of state forest land). The idea of the bill is to get the funding up to 100% over time, increasing the percentage paid to the municipalities by 5% per year until they reach 100% compensation. This will relieve some of the tax burden towns are under, which is pushing them to expand their tax base by sprawling. The important people to contact in this short session are: Speaker of the House Moira K. Lyons, 240-8500, (D) Moira.Lyons@po.state.ct.us Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney, 240-8643, (D) Looney@senatedems.state.ct.us House Majority Leader James. A. Amann, 240-8500, (D) Jim.Amann@po.state.ct.us Senate Pro Tempore Kevin B. Sullivan, 240-8600, (D) Kevin.B.Sullivan@po.state.ct.us William A. Aniskovich, 240-0596, (R) William.A.Aniskovich@po.state.ct.us Louis C. DeLuca, 240-8865, (R) Louis.Deluca@po.state.ct.us Robert M. Ward, 240-8700, (R) Robert.Ward@housegop.state.ct.us Lawrence F. Cafero Jr., 240-8700, (R) Lawrence.Cafero@housegop.state.ct.us The address for all legislators at the State Capitol is: (Legislator’s Name) Legislative Office Building Hartford, CT 06106-1591   Legislative issues and results are discussed in the articles below; information for contacting your Connecticut legislators follows: SMART GROWTH/ANTI-SPRAWL Two bills from the Planning and Development Committee: An Act Concerning Plans of Conservation and Development and Priority Funding Areas (Raised Bill #5044, February 2004) An Act Concerning Community Preservation (Raised Bill #39, February 2004) A Summary of the Community Preservation Bill (Raised Bill #39) THE SPRAWLBUSTER'S WORKBOOK (PDF file) ENERGY CONSERVATION/GREEN ELECTRICITY ISSUES BOTTLE BILL You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open the Sprawlbuster's Workbook PDF file. If you would like to download the latest version of Acrobat Reader (free), click here. TONGASS NATIONAL FOREST INFORMATION ! For a comprehensive list of all legislative commmittee deadlines through the end of session, please go to: http://www.cga.state.ct.us/html/2004DeadlineDates.htm To visit our lobbyist's website, please go to: M.P. Guinan Associates PAST LEGISLATIVE VICTORIES

 

How to Contact Your Legislators

The Connecticut General Assembly:

You may reach your local (State) legislators at their website at http://www.cga.state.ct.us/maps/townlist.asp
This website will assist you if you are unsure who your legislators are.

Governor John G. Rowland:
E-Mail Address: Governor.Rowland@po.state.ct.us
Mailing Address:
State Capitol
210 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106
Phone: 860-566-4840

To Phone:

For your State Representative - 860-240-8500
For your State Senator - 860-240-8600

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Last Update: February 25, 2004.