Keeping Local Decisions in Our Hands

Do you think politicians living outside our district should be making local decisions that impact our zoning regulations, schools, and neighborhoods? That’s exactly what legislative Democrats would like to do, based on several proposed bill concepts that have been primarily brought forth by the Planning & Development Committee. If enacted, a variety of these bills would override local planning decisions in several ways such as limiting public participation at planning meetings, dictating structural requirements for certain building developments, and forcing municipalities to build new projects in certain areas.

Throughout the pandemic, the shroud of government action has only grown darker. The legislative branch was never invited to the decision-making table to weigh-in on the actions of the governor and his team. This left thousands of residents and business owners feeling as though they never had an opportunity to be heard. Instead of reversing these practices, now my friends across the aisle would like to make it a law that disallows public input on local zoning projects. Public hearings are important, especially so that all individuals living in Sherman have a chance to speak their mind in pending projects that could impact their daily lives. I will not support legislation that takes this basic right away from you.

There is also a false narrative, purported by legislative Democratic leaders across the state, that claims local zoning regulations have been put in place to keep certain races, creeds, and religions out of certain communities. There is no place in America where it is acceptable to zone out a specific group, or groups of people. I find it disheartening that such a disingenuous argument would be used to force through policy that tells cities and towns what kind of building and housing developments they can make.

Unfortunately, you cannot legislate solutions to every issue, especially one that has plagued our nation for years, and forcing certain types of housing to be constructed is an example of misguided government overreach.

If controlling what we can build in our communities isn’t enough, then there are also new proposals to tax your home. There are proposals to assess a new, state-wide mill rate to homes across Connecticut. This tax has been marketed as simply asking the rich to pay more, but it is completely unjustifiable. The cash collected through this tax will ultimately be funneled to the general fund, which will certainly not be allocated towards effective programs that increase housing options.

However, there are some proposals that do push the issues created by the pandemic to the forefront of creating a solution through sound public policy. My colleagues have put forth a bill, which is headed to the House Floor for further consideration, that would allow municipalities to defer delinquent tax payments – or even waive a property tax fee that is under one hundred dollars. This type of flexibility provides residents and business owners some peace of mind as financial constraints have become tighter since the outbreak of COVID-19.

I will continue to support legislation that supports Connecticut residents and businesses at this trying time. Limiting your voice, asking for more of your hard-earned dollars, and eliminating local control are not policies that will help Connecticut re-open. To continue to follow the actions of the General Assembly, be sure to check my website at RepCallahan.com.

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