Bill Pizzuto

Rep. Pizzuto Hosts CT Department of Banking at Middlebury Senior Center for Financial Fraud Presentation

Middlebury, Conn. — An interactive forum on how to spot financial frauds was hosted at Middlebury Senior Center on Monday by State Representative William Pizzuto (R-71) and an employee of the State Department of Banking. Several residents attended the Financial Fraud Bingo game and forum. “This was a great way to present a very serious topic, which can often be difficult to talk about. This advice was also good for people of all ages as the scammers change with the technology,” said Rep. Pizzuto. “It is especially important though for seniors to protect themselves and be aware of the different types of ways criminals are trying to get their hard earned savings.” Connecticut is the 7th oldest state in terms of median age with the 3rd longest lived constituency. The Coalition for Elder Justice in Connecticut notes that a 2018 Securities and Exchange Commission report estimated that victims of elder financial abuse lose at least $3 billion a year, but because elder abuse of all types is generally under reported, that figure is likely much higher. In Connecticut the top three categories of scam reported are imposter scams, ID theft, and online shopping scams. The Connecticut Department of Banking representative set up Bingo cards and with each number called, offered a different tip or insight on current banking fraud schemes circulating around the country. Among the tips was 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. “One tip I especially appreciated was that if someone claims to be for your doctor’s office and they’re moving records or billing to a different platform, don’t confirm unsolicited information. You don’t give your Medicaid number at the office, you hand it to the receptionist, so don’t give it out over the phone. If you’re unsure if the call is legitimate, tell them you’ll update your information in person at your next appointment,” said Rep. Pizzuto. 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. Scammers may know names, relationships, or other details that they can easily find on social media. To avoid falling victim, Pizzuto suggested calling the family member directly to verify if there’s an actual emergency, or to come up with a password to ask for that only family members would know and to be wary of oversharing on social media.

Rep. Pizzuto Votes to Support Community Hospitals

Hartford, CT – State Representative Bill Pizzuto (R-71) supported final passage of legislation aimed at strengthening oversight of hospital ownership and protecting patient care across Connecticut. The legislation, Senate Bill 196 , establishes new safeguards to ensure that healthcare decisions are driven by patient needs and not outside financial interests. This bill is also aimed at increasing transparency and accountability for hospital systems operating in the state. Rep. Pizzuto said the legislation is important to ensure the turmoil of what happened with Waterbury Hospital doesn’t happen again to others. “Communities need dependable local hospitals,” said Rep. Pizzuto . “After the uncertainty surrounding Waterbury Hospital, it became clear that we need stronger oversight and protections to ensure patient care always comes first. We cannot permit another Prospect Medical situation." Senate Bill 196 places guardrails on certain financial practices, such as sale-leaseback arrangements. It also increases state review of hospital transactions, notably those involving private equity firms. “The goal is to prevent financial instability that could jeopardize staffing, long-term access to care and emergency services and confidence within the community,” added Rep. Pizzuto . The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk for signature.

CT House Republicans Unveil “Pathway to Affordability” Budget Plan

HARTFORD— State Representative Bill Pizzuto (R-71) is supporting the House Republicans budget adjustment plan for the second year of the state budget. This is a series of policies aimed at making Connecticut more affordable, lowering household costs, easing property tax pressures, and addressing the school funding crisis facing communities across the state. The $27.9 billion plan, called “Pathway to Affordability,” is balanced, provides more than $400 million in tax relief, falls $167 million under the state spending cap, and spends less than the governor’s budget proposal and the product advanced by Appropriations Committee Democrats. “Connecticut has become unaffordable for so many residents. One of the biggest burdens is the property tax. By focusing our plan on providing relief to municipalities to cover rising education costs, those cities and towns in turn can provide property tax relief locally," said Rep. Pizzuto . School Taxpayer Relief & Affordability Plan (STRAP) The centerpiece of the House Republican proposal is the School Taxpayer Relief and Affordability Plan, or STRAP—a $365 million investment distributed to every city and town in Connecticut to help offset surging education costs and reduce the burden on local property taxpayers. If adopted, this plan would add $407,937 in aid to Middlebury and $29.8 Million for Waterbury. The “Pathway to Affordability” plan includes a broad range of tax and fee relief: Increase the state’s maximum property tax credit to $650 and expand income eligibility, extending relief to 800,000 filers Curb healthcare costs by reducing a state levy on insurance companies ($20 million) that has been passed on to consumers in their monthly premiums Eliminate income tax on all Social Security benefits Eliminate the sales tax on children’s clothing Enact a “no tax on tips” exemption Reduce the sales tax on vehicles priced between $50,000 and $75,000 from 7.75% to 6.35%--because the cost of vehicles has risen sharply in recent years, and what once seemed like a luxury price point now covers everyday family minivans and work trucks Eliminate fees on certain occupational licenses Remove the “Passport to Parks” fee from motor vehicle registrations Ease local tax burden by providing $2.5 million to help municipalities cover early voting costs The plan is funded through new revenue and spending discipline, including: Recover $340 million by challenging New York’s “convenience of employer” rule, which forces roughly 80,000 Connecticut residents who work remotely for New York employers and pay income taxes to New York at rates higher (10.9% top rate) than they would pay here at home (6.99% top rate). The plan includes $1 million to help these workers file legal challenges against New York’s policy. Save $153 million by budgeting state employee positions based on realistic hiring trends rather than funding all vacancies at once Save $61 million by eliminating state-funded health insurance for undocumented immigrants, who retain access to care through Federally Qualified Health Centers Removes 25% of double-funding of ECS grants to municipalities, saving $29 million Save $12 million by reducing legislative earmarks Save $3.5 million by eliminating inmate text messaging Among our targeted investments in public safety and human services: $3.2 million to expand the CRISIS program helping police respond to and de-escalate situations involving individuals experiencing mental health or substance abuse crises $1.5 million for domestic violence shelters Provides funding to hire investigators for Medicaid Fraud Control $2.4 million to increase provider rates for Birth-to-Three child development services Creates an income tax deduction (up to $2k) for volunteer firefighter and EMS personnel

Rep. Pizzuto Calls for Restoration of Mashantucket Pequot/Mohegan Fund to Municipalities

Rep. Pizzuto Calls for Return of Mashantucket Pequot/Mohegan Fund Dollars to Municipalities Hartford, CT. – Legislators and municipal leaders joined together at the State Capitol to call for restoration of the Mashantucket Pequot/Mohegan Fund to its originally codified level. State Representative Bill Pizzuto (R-71), who represents Middlebury and Waterbury, was among those co-sponsoring legislation to ensure predictable and equitable funding moving forward. "The legislature should be doing everything it can to help municipalities bring down property tax levels, and one way we can do that is by restoring this funding stream to the statutory level," said Rep. Pizzuto. For 25 years, starting in 1993, every Connecticut municipality received annual grants from the Mashantucket Pequot Mohegan Fund. Since 2019, 44 towns, including Middlebury, have received nothing due to a state legislative override of the statutory formula, and other cities and towns saw their funding reduced. "In the Fund’s first year, the State collected approximately $88 million and distributed the entire amount to local governments. Today, the State receives approximately $139 million annually from the Tribal Nations. Despite this increase in revenue, the Governor’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year Ending 2027 allocates only $54,072,789 to municipalities, which is less than half of the revenue received," noted Rep. Pizzuto. The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities asked Rep. Pizzuto to deliver remarks during an April 8, 2026, press conference on this issue. CCM noted that these funds were swept into the State’s General Fund to offset repeated budget deficits. "Connecticut has enjoyed several years of surpluses, in part because of the fiscal guardrails reining in spending, so the funding streams promised to municipalities should be sent to those cities and towns. They need predictability from Hartford, especially when they are working to craft their own budgets," said Rep. Pizzuto. Senate Bill 388 would set a fixed annual distribution of approximately $152 million that would be divided among all 169 municipalities.

CT DOT to Perform Maintenance Work on I-84 Ramps

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is performing wrong way driver detection maintenance and recertification on I-84 westbound in Waterbury on Monday, March 30, 2026 | 7:00 p.m. – 5:00 a.m. • I-84 Westbound at Exit 17 in Waterbury • I-84 Westbound at Exit 22 in Waterbury • I-84 Westbound at Exit 25 in Waterbury Traffic will follow posted detours and drivers are advised to seek alternate routes during the ramp closures listed above. Modifications or extensions to this schedule may become necessary due to weather delays or other unforeseen conditions. Motorists are advised to maintain a safe speed when driving in this area. The DOT is performing similar work throughout the region over the next two weeks. Monday, March 23, 2026 | 7:00 p.m. – 5:00 a.m. • I-84 East and Westbound at Exit 4 in Danbury • I-84 Westbound at Exit 5 in Danbury • I-84 Eastbound at Exit 2 in Danbury Wednesday, March 25, 2026 | 7:00 p.m. – 5:00 a.m. • I-84 West and Eastbound at Exit 10 in Newtown • I-84 West and Eastbound at Exit 11 in Newtown • I-84 Westbound at Exit 9 in Newtown Thursday, March 26, 2026 | 7:00 p.m. – 5:00 a.m. • I-84 Eastbound, Exit 14 in Southbury • I-84 Eastbound, Exit 16 in Southbury • I-84 Westbound, Exit 15 in Southbury