Case Visits Winsted Senior Center

WINSTED – State Rep. Jay Case recently visited the Winsted Senior Center to discuss legislation, approved earlier in the year, affecting seniors. Case discussed a range of topics, including action the legislature is taking to minimize fraud, increasing transportation options for Medicare patients, and the impact of a new tax structure being imposed on delivery trucks.

“Hosting these types of community updates is important so that residents can understand what’s going on in Hartford. The decisions we make as law makers have a true impact on each of our communities. Many of the initiatives we work on are beneficial, like ensuring seniors have access to the workplace and increasing the required level of patient-care throughout Connecticut’s nursing homes,” said Rep. Case.

Case, however, did warn of potentially damaging partisan public policy that was approved by the legislature’s majority party, and later approved by the governor. Specifically, Case’s comments focused on the implementation of a big truck tax, which will undoubtedly cause the costs of any items delivered to retailers by a truck to rise. For those living on a fixed income, the more expensive the grocery bill is, the tougher it is to make ends meet.

“It’s a difficult balancing act – we want to make Connecticut a better place to work, live and retire to, but I think we are outpacing ourselves by providing new programs without thinking of how they will be funded long-term. The budget was balanced heavily on one-time relief funding from Washington D.C., and it’s important to consider that these dollars will not be replenished as we make our budget adjustments this coming session,” explained Case.

Case is worried that the state’s growing pension debt liabilities, if unaddressed, will be exacerbated by new programs implemented in this year’s budget. When there are no more federal resources to fund these newly enacted state programs and initiatives, it will be even harder to pay down the state’s outstanding debt obligations.

Looking ahead to the 2022 legislative session, Case will continue his advocacy work on behalf of Winsted’s seniors. He will continue to fight any policies that increase the general cost of living, while looking at creative ways to address the needs of those living in the Northwest Corner – such as licensing qualified veterans to drive area seniors to and from medical appointments.

###