Posted on July 8, 2019 by jdooley
SOUTHINGTON- State Representatives John Fusco (R-81) and Gale Mastrofrancesco (R-80), and State Senator Rob Sampson (R-16), recently hosted a Town Hall Forum at the Southington Municipal Center.
More than 30 concerned residents came out to discuss important topics relating to Southington and the state, including the state budget all three Southington lawmakers opposed due to its many taxes, almost $2 Billion and a refusal to have a debate on reducing our state spending.
All three legislators declared…
Posted on July 3, 2019 by jdooley
WOLCOTT – Over the past month to coincide with Flag Day which is celebrated on June 14th, State Representative Gale Mastrofrancesco (R-80) and Robert Sampson (R-16) sponsored a worn, tattered, torn, or otherwise unusable U.S. Flags collection in Wolcott.
According to United States Code, Title 4, Chapter 1, Section 8, “The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”
The Wolcott legislators placed…
Posted on June 27, 2019 by jdooley
The 2019 session has now been completed, and as a first-year legislator, I am quite disappointed at the results. Sadly, there was no real goal or vision for Connecticut. I was hoping the legislature would have focused on fiscal restraint, lower taxes and a business-friendly environment. Instead, we got more taxes on families and a continued appetite for finding revenue and spending more of your tax dollars. Any significant initiatives by Republicans to reduce spending and trim the size or scope of government were summarily dismissed in favor of progressive economic policies.
The majority Democrats in the legislature and the new Governor worked overtime to push through every proposal possible that would harm the working families of Connecticut and businesses that provide thousands of jobs in our state.
Watching the session unfold one comes to realize how beholden the Democrats are to the government sector unions. The unions and their leadership seem to hold all the cards getting most of their big-government, anti-business proposals through the legislature.
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Posted on June 26, 2019 by jdooley
Every year, the Office of Legislative Research (OLR), the Office of Fiscal Analysis (OFA), and the Legislative Commissioners’ Office (LCO) compile a report of the major issues passed during the 2019 Legislative Session.
Also included is a budget summary with details on the many taxes that were approved in the state budget.
OLR provides brief descriptions on a number of issues in this report including legislation on opioid drugs, education, transportation and the state’s business climate, among…
Posted on June 12, 2019 by jdooley
Asks Governor to Veto Detrimental Budget Provision
HARTFORD- State Rep. Gale Mastrofrancesco (R-80) stood with representatives of the Coalition to Make Homecare Better to call on Gov. Ned Lamont to correct a budget provision in the state budget that would endanger the homecare industry.
“We don’t need the heavy hand of government getting in the way of a working successful home care model. The current model protects the client and the workers. The governor needs to veto this provision that could put clients in danger,” said, Rep. Mastrofrancesco. “Let’s stop making it harder to do business in Connecticut.” …
Posted on June 4, 2019 by jdooley
HARTFORD – State Rep. Gale Mastrofrancesco (R-80) voted against a state-run family medical leave program that will be funded by the working people of Connecticut.
Rep. Mastrofrancesco along with her fellow Connecticut General Assembly Conservative Caucus members proposed, on behalf of the entire Republican caucus, an alternative that would provide important medical leave coverage for families without burdening individual taxpayers with a mandatory new payroll tax.
Unfortunately, the measure was defeated…
Posted on May 31, 2019 by jdooley
HARTFORD- State Rep. Gale Mastrofrancesco (R-80) opposed a proposal which essentially makes Connecticut a ‘sanctuary state’ for illegal immigrants.
SB-992 would prohibit local law enforcement from serving a civil detainer on any undocumented immigrant being released from custody or parole — no matter what the underlying crime might have been or undocumented aliens who are also criminals wanted by the federal immigration authorities.
“We have a legal process of entering the United States as an immigrant and this bill would let people break federal law,” said Mastrofrancesco. “We have laws on the books to protect and keep our citizens safe, by overlooking suspicious or dangerous activity Connecticut in effect is encouraging illegal activity. This is the worst and most dangerous pieces of legislation passed and puts the safety of all state residents at risk.”…
Posted on May 24, 2019 by jdooley
Mastrofrancesco Votes for Stricter Laws on Fentanyl Dealers
Will give law enforcement more teeth
HARTFORD- A new proposal to amend the definition of “narcotic substance” to add fentanyl and fentanyl derivatives was strongly supported by State Rep. Gale Mastrofrancesco (R-80) in the House of Representatives as a way to get tougher on fentanyl dealers and manufacturers.
“Connecticut is in the midst of an opioid epidemic and we must show these dealers we are serious. If you sell fentanyl you will go to prison for a long time,” said Rep. Mastrofrancesco. “This legislation will permit for stricter penalties for dealing and manufacturing fentanyl substances which will reduce the use of opioids in Connecticut, and possibly save lives.”…
Posted on May 9, 2019 by jdooley
HARTFORD—After a long 14 hour debate in the House of Representatives, State Rep. Gale Mastrofrancesco (R-80) on Wednesday said the state’s business community can’t afford the crush of anti-employer policies pushed by Democrats and voted against an economically harmful proposal to increase the state’s minimum wage to $15.
For the past decade, the Democrats’ only solution to fixing our state’s fiscal climate has been to increase spending and taxes, which has failed. At the same time Democrats propose to raise the minimum wage they are also looking to make families pay more with additional taxes and the imposition of tolls on our state highways,” said Rep. Mastrofrancesco. “The state business community has repeatedly said Connecticut must get its fiscal house in order, yet we see lawmakers focusing on proposals such as this.”
Mastrofrancesco along with the House Republicans proposed an amendment that would have eliminated the cost associated with an increase in the minimum wage to our local municipalities and tax dollars.…
Posted on May 6, 2019 by jdooley
We are half way through the legislative session and I wanted to give you an update on some of the major pieces of legislation that concern me and have made it through the committee process.
Tolls
In the Transportation Committee, three toll proposals were voted out of committee. The proposals approved lacked specific details and frankly didn’t address many questions raised by the people I represent. Questions raised that have yet to be answered included, how much would the average citizen be expected…
