Editorial: A Reason to Always be Grateful

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The holiday season is upon us, and I am so excited to celebrate faith and family in a time of gratitude and giving! Between my family and health, there are so many things to be grateful for; and as I enter a new Legislative Session, I am most especially grateful for you.

Recently, I joined the General Assembly to convene for a Special Session to discuss House Bill 6001. This bill consisted of an extension of the Gas Tax Holiday, additional funding to the Hero’s Pay Program, the Low-Income Housing Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Operation Fuel, as well as free public bus fares and changing some bottle-deposit requirements.

I was grateful for the responsibility and ability to come together and provide necessary financial relief to Connecticut families and residents during these challenging times. Despite its success, what many voters need to understand is that H.B. 6001 failed to incorporate permanent solutions and the interests of other in-need groups, such as first responders and the middle-class.

For example, the extension of the Gas Tax Holiday was a success for short-term relief, however total elimination of the Gas Tax would have produced long-term relief as my Republican colleagues and I had argued. Our attempt for a stable solution in an unaffordable state was quickly rejected by the Democrat majority.

Furthermore, the allocation of additional funds for LIHEAP will serve as immediate aid in heating costs for low-income families and residents. Although beneficial, Democrats once again missed the opportunity to support Republican-led amendments that expanded the income requirements and overall accessibility of LIHEAP to also assist the middle-class.

The third most significant tier of H.B. 6001 concerned the Hero’s Pay Program, related to pandemic relief. Agreeing on bolstering the program with more funding was met with bipartisan support, however the most essential members of our community, police, firemen, and several other first responders, were sadly left out of the program’s benefits.

Following a 134-7 final vote tally in the House, the bill passed without any conversation about the Highway Use Tax increase which goes into effect on January 1, 2023, serving only to make Connecticut more unaffordable.

What is important to understand is that H.B. 6001 did include some successes, yet at the cost of not giving attention to our middle-class and first responders; whom I am most thankful for this time of year. My gratitude for the responsibility to voice your concerns and ask the necessary questions to establish long-lasting success is what motivates me as I prepare myself for the upcoming 2023 Legislative Session.

There is always work to be done and you have once again entrusted me to make your interests a priority. That is why I encourage you to call upon your government, especially those in the majority party, to better integrate stability in our solutions as we continue to experience constant financial burdens from inflation and unnecessary taxes.

As always, please contact me should you have any questions about this important issue or concerns on any other topics relating to state government at Kathy.Kennedy@housegop.ct.gov or at 800-842-1423. My heart and wishes go out to all my constituents during the holiday season and the New Year! Thank you for always being a reason for me to be grateful in my daily life. Happy Holidays!