Martin Foncello

Newtown Legislators, CT Banking Host Financial Fraud Bingo

NEWTOWN -On Monday, an interactive forum on how to spot and avoid financial exploitation was hosted at Newtown Senior Center by State Representatives Mitch Bolinsky (R-106) and Martin Foncello (R-107), along with the Connecticut Department of Banking “Bingo master”. The Department offers a Financial Fraud Bingo program as part of its educational outreach. Dozens of residents attended, participated and took away prizes, while sharing important information at the Financial Fraud Bingo game and forum. The Connecticut Department of Banking provided Bingo cards, markers and, with each number called, revealed tip after tip or insights on current banking fraud schemes circulating around the country. In Connecticut, the top three categories of scams reported are imposter scams, ID theft, and online shopping scams. There is no shame in being targeted by a scam—the shame belongs to the person trying to steal from you. "Never feel embarrassed about your suspicions, ask questions of your banking and financial experts, report crimes and don’t blame yourself if you do fall victim. Scammers are getting better each year at defrauding people, no matter the victim’s age. The rise in AI technology is making the scam harder to detect,” said Rep. Foncello. Among the tips were to not answer calls from unknown phone numbers, have direct deposit for Social Security or similar income so a paper check isn’t stolen out of a mailbox, and to never click a link included in a text message from an unknown number asking to verify information. “If your doctor’s office needs to confirm your identity and asks for your birthday, you should write it down and pass the note to the receptionist because other people around might hear that information and it’s one of the keyways to confirm an identity,” noted Rep. Foncello. Seniors are often the targets of family emergency scams, nicknamed “the grandparent scam,” and seniors were reminded to act with their heads and not just their hearts. If someone instructs you to wire or transfer money, the State Department of Banking representative noted that the scammer might instruct you to say to the teller that the money is for construction because the banks are training employees to spot ‘grandparent scams’ if the money is needed for a grandchild. “Financial scams have become more sophisticated, and unfortunately, our seniors are too often targeted because scammers know they may have savings, retirement income, and other readily accessed resources to go after,” said Rep. Bolinsky. “That’s why education and always reminding folks about what to look and listen for is so important. I think this program was a blast and thank our partners at the Banking Department for sharing this fun, action-packed hour with us! It’s not often you can have a little fun and pick up practical tools to recognize a scam before it becomes a costly mistake.” Rep. Bolinsky shared information about how the Aging Committee led the way on a bill to have banks and credit unions become mandated reporters and protect folks from uncharacteristic activity by verifying suspicious withdrawals and other banking transactions before releasing funds. “My House Co-Chair on the state’s Aging Committee, and I have worked with great success to strengthen protections for seniors by making sure financial institutions have the knowledge, tools and responsibility to help identify suspicious transactions and protect their customers,” Bolinsky continued. “We want Newtown residents to know that if something doesn’t feel right, stop, ask questions and don’t be afraid to report it. Scammers may know names, relationships, or other details that they can easily find on social media. To avoid falling victim, Foncello suggested calling the family member directly to verify if there’s an actual emergency, or to come up with a password to ask for only family members would know and to be wary of oversharing on social media. One of the other tips many participants found helpful was to scroll down below AI powered suggestions in search engines because they are not often correct. Another was to double check the email address of the sender if a message looks questionable.

Rep. Foncello Highlights New School Bus Safety Law

Students in Brookfield, Bethel and Newtown are starting a new school year this week! That means buses will be back on the roads and children waiting at the end of their driveways or on the side of a road for the bus. I co-sponsored a bill this session , which was signed into law, requiring a mandatory six-month suspension of a license of any driver who, a third or subsequent time, is caught violating the state law on stopping for school buses. Under existing law, drivers must stop their vehicles generally at least ten feet from the front or rear of a school bus that is displaying its flashing red signal lights and remain there until the bus no longer displays lights. Any person who violates this law faces a $450 fine for the first offense and a fine of $500 to $1,000, up to 30 days in prison, or both for a subsequent offense. I wanted to remind everyone to be careful on our public roadways when school is in session, especially near bus stops, schools, playgrounds, and athletic fields. Safety tips for drivers: State law prohibits passing a school bus with its lights flashing. Some school buses are equipped with cameras to record passing drivers. Observe the no-passing law and expect the unexpected when traveling near school buses in school driveways. Watch for children, especially when driving in neighborhoods with school zones. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks in the neighborhood. Safety tips for parents and children: Be waiting at your bus stop 5 minutes ahead of the scheduled pick up. Wait 10 feet back from the road and wear visible clothing. Always wait for the bus driver's head nod before boarding the bus or crossing the street. They're watching out for you! Avoid distracting the bus driver for anything other than an emergency.

Reps. Foncello & Bolinsky Food Drive Collects Generous Donations for FAITH Food Pantry

NEWTOWN, CT – State Representatives Mitch Bolinsky and Martin Foncello are hailing the success of a recent community food drive benefiting the FAITH Food Pantry, thanking the residents of Newtown for coming together to support neighbors in need. The food drive generated a substantial collection of nonperishable food items, diapers, personal care items and cleaning supplies for the pantry's community, along with nearly $150 in cash donations and $50 in Big Y gift cards. The monetary donations will help FAITH Food Pantry staff purchase additional supplies of the most needed goods for local families facing food insecurity. “This was exactly what we hoped would happen when we organized this food drive – neighbors helping neighbors,” said Rep. Mitch Bolinsky. “The generosity of the Newtown community was tremendous. People stopped by, donated what they could, and took the time to thank us for giving them an opportunity to help. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who contributed.” Foncello echoed Bolinsky’s appreciation for the community response. “Marty and I wanted to put together something simple that could make a real difference for people in our community,” said Bolinsky. “The response showed once again that when Newtown comes together, we can accomplish a lot.” Foncello said the success of the food drive demonstrated the strength of the Newtown community. “We are extremely proud of the response,” said Foncello. “The food, cash and gift-card donations will go directly toward helping people in our community. Most importantly, it showed what can happen when people come together with a common goal.” Bolinsky and Foncello thanked everyone who donated, volunteered, or stopped by the food drive, as well as FAITH Food Pantry for its continued work helping local families. After the event, the donations were delivered down the street to FAITH Food Pantry. “We are grateful to everyone who helped make this food drive such a success, and we hope we can continue finding ways to give back to the community we are proud to call home,” said Rep. Bolinsky

Rep. Foncello Celebrates Newtown’s Designation as Connecticut’s 17th Cultural District

NEWTOWN, CT — State Representative Martin Foncello (R-107) is celebrating the Connecticut Office of the Arts’ approval of Newtown’s application to establish a state-recognized Cultural District, making Newtown the 17th community in Connecticut to receive the designation. "Newtown become the 17th community in our state to receive this designation,” said Rep. Foncello. “It's recognition of the history, character and potential of Newtown. The three distinct subdistricts — the Borough, Sandy Hook and Fairfield Hills — each represent an important part of the community’s identity and future." The Borough represents Newtown's past, with its historic buildings and character. Sandy Hook represents the town's present — a vibrant community that continues to thrive and grow. Fairfield Hills represents the future, with potential for what that property can become. Newtown, the largest geographic town in Fairfield County, has a unique combination of historic character, vibrant village centers and opportunities for future economic and cultural development. “This designation gives the town an opportunity to showcase Newtown's history during this 250th anniversary of America, while also showing off the current tourism features. Lastly, it's a chance to show that the best is yet to come,” said Foncello. The Connecticut Office of the Arts, part of the Department of Economic and Community Development, announced the approval Monday. Newtown now becomes the 17th state-recognized Cultural District in Connecticut.

Reps. Foncello, Bolinsky Hold Community Office Hours in Sandy Hook

NEWTOWN, CT – On a steamy August morning, State Representatives Mitch Bolinsky (R-106) and Martin Foncello (R-107) held community office hours Friday, in the comfort of Ralph’s Sandy Hook Cafe, giving Newtown residents an opportunity to discuss the issues that matter most to them. The Newtown representatives thanked everyone who attended the event. Residents brought a wide range of questions and concerns, including about Connecticut’s fiscal health, electric rates, veterans’ property tax relief, election security and the use of various types of public-facing law-enforcement cameras. “Showing up, being accessible, and listening to the folks we represent is one of the most important parts of this job,” said Rep. Mitch Bolinsky. “ Our thanks to Ralph and crew for the hospitality of their casual, cozy cafe to hear directly from residents, our neighbors, about their concerns, including the cost of electricity, property taxes, public safety and election security, to name a few.” Foncello also emphasized the need to take a hard look at public benefits charges that are passed along to ratepayers. “Families should not be treated like an unlimited ATM every time the state wants to fund another program,” said Foncello. “We need greater transparency and accountability in our energy system, and we need to focus on lowering the bills that residents are paying every month.” Veterans’ property tax relief was also discussed. Both representatives said they remain committed to finding additional ways to reduce the tax burden on Connecticut veterans. Electric rates were another major topic of discussion. Residents expressed frustration with the high cost of electricity and the various charges included on their monthly bills. “People are more than a little fed up with opening their electric bills and seeing rising costs they have little control over,” said Bolinsky. “They deserve to know where that money is going, including executive compensation and other expenditures, while looking for real ways to bring energy costs down for Connecticut families. I’m most alarmed by all the hidden costs being approved without transparency and stashed in Public Benefits. by ”We need to keep asking tough questions and shining the light of transparency on all the charges in our electric bills that don’t power our homes and businesses. When public benefits rise meteorically because our state leaders choose to defer payment of pandemic-era, executive-order driven moratoria on four-years of unpaid bill forbearance, or for deferred line maintenance and storm damage charges, this indebtedness accumulates. It’s time for Connecticut to pay as it goes and see to it that the Public Benefit explosion of August 2024 does not become a regular occurrence, although PURA has already approved an 11% increase for January 1, 2027, and the latest deferral of line maintenance and storm damage repair is coming, and could impact our electric bills again around August 2027. Stay tuned…” Election security and voter identification were also raised by residents. Foncello, who serves on the General Administration and Elections Committee, discussed the importance of maintaining accurate voter rolls and ensuring that Connecticut’s elections remain secure and reliable. Residents also raised questions about cameras, including school bus cameras, speed cameras and Flock cameras. The representatives discussed the different purposes and concerns surrounding each technology, including questions about how surveillance information is used and who ultimately has access to it. “Technology can have a role in improving public safety, but we also have to make sure there are appropriate safeguards and accountability,” said Bolinsky. “Residents are asking legitimate questions about how these cameras are being used, how information is stored and whether they are being used for their intended purpose. Those concerns deserve serious consideration, and until get answers from, and set parameters on the companies being paid to administer them, we need to slow it all down .” The representatives also heard from residents about what they would like to see prioritized by their legislators moving forward. “We appreciate everyone who took the time to come out and speak with us,” said Foncello. “Whether it was about the cost of living, taxes, public safety or the way our state government operates, these conversations matter. Our job is to listen, bring those concerns back to Hartford and continue working to make Connecticut a more affordable place to live.” Bolinsky and Foncello encouraged residents to continue reaching out to their offices with questions, concerns or ideas for improving the community.