State Representative Craig Fishbein donned an apron for an hour on Wednesday, September 19, and bagged groceries for charity at the Wallingford ShopRite.

ShopRite’s annual Partners in Caring Help Bag Hunger Day takes place on the third Wednesday of September to bring awareness to the issue of hunger in local communities. Elected officials and community leaders spend part of their day bagging groceries for customers, discussing hunger and working to increase awareness while Shop Rite accepts donations for local charities.

“Hunger and food instability affect every community in our state and country and I’m happy to lend a hand and bring awareness to these important issues locally,” Rep. Fishbein said. “I want to thank ShopRite for always being supportive of our community and allowing me to play a small role in their charitable giving campaigns.”

According to the company website, Shop Rite, with stores in six Northeast states, has donated more than $3 million annually to qualified charitable agencies, and $48 million to more than 2,100 charities since its inception in 1999. ShopRite Partners In Caring supports emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, child care centers, battered women’s shelters, senior citizen programs, drug rehab centers, programs for the mentally and physically disabled, after-school programs and other organizations that aid those in need.

For more information please visit www.shopritepartnersincaring.org.

On Friday, September 21st, the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs will be hosting the 2018 Stand Down event at the Rocky Hill Veterans’ Home from 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Connecticut’s veterans deserve the services that they have earned.

Many community providers will have booths set up at the event with specialists to help veterans receive and learn about their earned service benefits, employment opportunities, medical screenings, and legal services.

Additional details are below:

• Gates open at 8:00 a.m. Please arrive no later than 12:00 p.m.
• No pre-registration required! Attendees are encouraged to bring documentation verifying military service
• Recovery Based Services
• Medical Screenings, Dental Services, Eye Care
• Veteran Benefit Information (State and Federal)
• Legal and Motor Vehicle Assistance
• Employment and Educational Assistance
• Housing Resources and Information
• Free Bus Transportation provided at designated areas
• Go to www.portal.ct.gov/DVA and click on “Stand Down 2018” or call 860-616-3803 for general information and the transportation schedule

State Representative Craig Fishbein (R-90) will put down his suit jacket and don an apron for an hour on Wednesday, September 19, when he bag groceries for charity at the Wallingford ShopRite from 3 to 4 p.m.

ShopRite’s annual Partners in Caring Help Bag Hunger Day takes place on the third Wednesday of September to bring awareness to the issue of hunger in local communities. Elected officials and community leaders spend part of their day bagging groceries for customers, discussing hunger and working to increase awareness while Shop Rite accepts donations for local charities.

“Hunger and food instability affect every community in our state and country and I’m happy to lend a hand and bring awareness to these important issues locally,” Rep. Fishbein said. “I want to thank ShopRite for always being supportive of our community and allowing me to play a small role in their charitable giving campaigns.”

According to the company website, Shop Rite, with stores in six Northeast states, has donated more than $3 million annually to qualified charitable agencies, and $43 million to more than 2,100 charities since its inception in 1999. ShopRite Partners In Caring supports emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, child care centers, battered women’s shelters, senior citizen programs, drug rehab centers, programs for the mentally and physically disabled, after-school programs and other organizations that aid those in need.

For more information please visit www.shopritepartnersincaring.org.

State Representatives Craig Fishbein (R-90) and Lezlye Zupkus (R-89) will co-host a coffee hour and legislative update for constituents on Wednesday, September 26, 2018 from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Residents and constituents are welcome to stop in and learn about the recently ended, regular 2018 legislative session, and to ask questions or discuss policies and legislation regarding the upcoming 2019 legislative session.

What: Coffee hour and legislative update

When: Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Time: 10:00 p.m. -11:00 p.m.

Where: Cheshire Senior Center, 240 Cheshire Ave. Cheshire

With the start of school just around the corner, I want to remind you to take advantage of the upcoming “Tax Free Week” which runs from Sunday, August 19 through Saturday, August 25.

This one-week event eliminates Connecticut’s 6.35 percent sales tax on clothing and footwear costing less than $100 per item.

Since sales tax is calculated after the use of any coupons or discounts, if the final price per item is less than $100, the sale is exempt from taxes. Clothing or footwear under $100 put on layaway is also tax-free.

Tax Free Week was first enacted in 2000, and applies to most clothing and footwear purchases intended for everyday use.

Goods not covered under the program include, but are not limited to:

• Clothing or footwear specifically designed for athletic activities: football cleats, specialty boots for fishing, hiking, skiing and other activities, as well as wet suits, helmets and headbands, etc.
• Accessories: jewelry, handbags, luggage, umbrellas, wallets, watches, etc.

Please consult with your local retailer, or contact the Department of Revenue Services for a list of qualifying and non-qualifying items.

State Representative Craig Fishbein (R-90) today joined his Republican colleagues and signed a petition calling for a special session to deal with Governor Malloy’s latest proposal to spend $10 million to study implementing tolls on Connecticut highways.

In a letter to the Governor last Wednesday, House Republican Leader Themis Klarides and Representative Christopher Davis, Ranking Member of the Finance Revenue and Bonding Committee, urged him to “reconsider your proposal to seek a $10 million bond allocation for a study of tolls at the next State Bond Commission meeting.”  The letter also pointed out that his proposal to spend “taxpayer money on a study of tolls without approval from the legislature is a blatant circumvention of our democratic process.”

Unfortunately, that request was ignored and the bond commission passed the measure at their meeting on Wednesday, July 25.     

“Once again the governor refuses to abide by the will of the people and their elected representatives in the legislature and plans to push another $10 million expense onto the taxpayers,” Rep. Fishbein said. “With only a few months left in his term, and after previously suspending transportation-related projects due to a lack of funding, the governor now decides to waste millions to study an issue that has been soundly rejected by the people of the state.  It doesn’t make sense.”

Over the last several years Republican lawmakers have proposed viable alternatives to fund infrastructure in a sustainable way, including plans to require the state to use a set amount of General Obligation Bonds solely for transportation priorities, preserving Special Tax Obligation bonds for transportation projects and re-establishing the Transportation Strategy Board (TSB) to assess proposed projects and identify community needs, Rep. Fishbein said.

“We can work together to fund important projects without adding even more pressure on taxpayers,” Rep. Fishbein said.

The petition signed today states that signatories deem it necessary to hold a special session to prohibit the “expenditure of taxpayer funds to study and evaluate the establishment of tolls on Connecticut highways.”

“No one knows what the future makeup of the legislature will be, or who will occupy the governor’s seat, but from my perspective it doesn’t matter because at this point tolls are not a viable option or priority,” Rep. Fishbein said. “The state has already wasted far too much time, resources and money in an effort to implement a system of taxation the people have said they do not want.”