Posted on June 19, 2017
HARTFORD – With the conclusion of the 2017 regular session, State Representatives Anne Dauphinais (R-44), Kevin Skulczyck (R-45), and Senator Heather Somers held an open forum to provide area residents with the opportunity to discuss all things legislative.
During the discussions, residents expressed an overwhelming concern over Connecticut’s declining economy and the lack of quality jobs within the community, citing the recent influx of businesses and employment opportunities that have packed up and left the area and state. A woman who lives in town mentioned that there were more than 20 homes in her area that were at one time filled with families are now empty and awaiting sale.
“I think I can speak for all three of us and say that we’ve heard our constituents repeat over and over again that they can no longer afford to live,” Rep. Dauphinais said. “The bottom line is that Connecticut doesn’t have an income problem, it has a spending problem, and it is one we are working to fix.”
The Plainfield lawmakers answered questions on the projected budget deficit, tolls, municipalities taking on 1/3 of teacher’s pensions, legalizing recreational marijuana, the possibility adding another casino, and the Educational Cost Sharing (ECS) formula.
Dauphinais, Skulczyck and Somers all agreed that in order for Connecticut to start moving in the right direction and work to erase a $5 billion dollar deficit, several cuts need to be made, some possibly more painful than others,
Rep. Skulczyck believes the belt needs to be tightened on union concessions.
“We don’t feel like the concessions being proposed are quite enough. We have a multi-billion dollar deficit and in order to get Connecticut out of the red and not raise taxes, we are all going to need to make some really tough decisions across the board,” Rep. Skulczyck said.
The topic of crumbling foundations was also discussed and who would ultimately be responsible for paying for the remediation. According to a resident, a home within their town was recently found to a faulty foundation. Currently there are more than 30 municipalities and 500 homes around the state that have been affected by the use of pyrrhotite, an iron sulfide material which has led to foundations falling apart.
“Families and businesses in Connecticut are really struggling right now and that is what I continue to hear across my district,” said Sen. Somers (R-Groton). “As legislators it is imperative that we work together to fix our state and that starts with our state budget, the very foundation of the state’s finances. We can’t continue to adopt a business as usual budget. Working together I am hopeful that we will be able to bring change to the budget and make real, structural changes. I also want to extend a humble thank you to all of the Plainfield residents who came out last night, at the end of the day our state budget is their budget, the taxpayer’s budget.”
