Joe Polletta

Rep. Polletta Receives 100% Voting Record for 2026 Legislative Session

"I am proud to have received a 100% voting record this session, casting all 316 votes on the House floor," Rep. Polletta said. "Every vote is an opportunity to ensure your voices are heard in the legislative process and this commitment to you and our district is one I take very seriously."

Rep. Polletta Calls For Transparency On Proposed State Investment In Connecticut Sun

<p>HARTFORD – State Rep. Joe Polletta <strong>(R-Watertown)</strong> joined House and Senate Republicans at a Capitol press conference on Thursday calling for more transparency from the Lamont administration regarding the details of the proposed use of the state employee pension fund to purchase a stake in the WNBA&#8217;s Connecticut Sun basketball franchise.</p> <p>&#8220;Any use of taxpayer money, let alone state employee pension funds, deserves and requires the highest level of scrutiny and transparency,&#8221; said Rep. Polletta, who serves as the House Ranking Member of the Finance Committee. &#8220;Rather than looking for ways to take part in an exercise in venture capitalism, the state should be looking at less-risky, best practices to maximize returns on pension fund investments for the benefit of taxpayers and pensioners. &#8221;</p> <p>Rep. Polletta added that while keeping the WNBA franchise in Connecticut has its plusses, any proposal to do so using state pension funds, or any other public monies, must be vetted and fully transparent for all to see and consider.</p> <p>&#8220;Right now, we don&#8217;t have any details on how purchasing a minority stake in the Sun would work, or the potential risks or rewards of doing so. My hope is we will see much more information coming forth very soon. The residents of Connecticut serve nothing less,&#8221; added Rep. Polletta.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Polletta earns perfect voting record for 2025 legislative session

<p>State Rep. Joe Polletta (<strong>R-Watertown</strong>) has achieved a perfect, 100 percent voting record for the 2025 regular legislative session. Rep. Polletta was one of only approximately one-third of the House membership to vote on all matters that came before the State House of Representatives during the 2025 regularly scheduled legislative session.</p> <p>“Representing the people of the 68^th District in Hartford is a responsibility I take very seriously. It is an honor and privilege to fight for my constituents and to work toward making our state more affordable for all of the families and businesses that call our district home. Being present and participating in the legislative process is critical to achieving a better state for everyone,” said Rep. Polletta.</p> <p>The legislature stands adjourned for the year, pending an anticipated special legislative session sometime this Fall.</p>

Rep. Polletta Applauds $2 Million State Investment for Senior Housing

<p>HARTFORD –<strong> Watertown lawmakers State Sen. Eric Berthel </strong>and<strong> State Rep. Joe Polletta </strong>today applauded state grant funding to be released to Watertown – Country Ridge to modernize and rehabilitate the senior housing complex.</p> <p>The town will receive $2 million to renovate the complex through<span style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"> roof material replacement, installation of new Energy Star-rated triple pane windows, and installation of new entry doors and storm doors. These renovations aim to improve the long-term sustainability and independence of the property.</span></p> <p><strong>Sen. Berthel said, </strong><span style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">“</span>This funding is key to ensuring that Watertown’s senior housing is modernized for safety and energy efficiency. These are significant quality-of-life issues for seniors in our town. Thank you to the Governor and Department of Housing for making Watertown a priority.&#8221;</p> <p>&#8220;Housing for our seniors is crucial and with a shortage around Connecticut, the need for improvements is urgent. These facility renovations will benefit local seniors and their families, improve their quality of life, and help them continue to make Watertown their home,&#8221; <strong>Rep. Polletta said.</strong></p> <p>The grant is part of the <a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fportal.ct.gov%2Fdoh%2Fdoh%2Fprograms%2Fsmall-cities-program&amp;data=05%7C02%7CAndrew.Tammaro%40cga.ct.gov%7C0caec47c5ff2457f158508dd4c6d69ae%7C3ec76714b1b4418a883232c46ec84226%7C0%7C0%7C638750754986725152%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=GJLf%2B%2BBBugK%2BVqxJPH7qEGzkmuXIbv0fu%2BQM1GG3W3g%3D&amp;reserved=0" data-auth="Verified" data-linkindex="0"><strong>Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Small Cities program</strong></a>, which is administered by the Connecticut Department of Housing with funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Eligible projects are required to be in a municipality with a population of fewer than 50,000 residents. A total of eight municipalities statewide will receive $12.8 million in funding for similar projects.</p> <p><em><span style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">For more information, visit </span></em><a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fportal.ct.gov%2Fdoh%2Fdoh%2Fprograms%2Fsmall-cities-program&amp;data=05%7C02%7CAndrew.Tammaro%40cga.ct.gov%7C0caec47c5ff2457f158508dd4c6d69ae%7C3ec76714b1b4418a883232c46ec84226%7C0%7C0%7C638750754986748445%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=adQlm0ZtpM%2Fi1DyIfbm5e0zSZPwDN4kvWRXWE%2FYiWUU%3D&amp;reserved=0" data-auth="Verified" data-linkindex="1"><em>portal.ct.gov/doh/doh/programs/small-cities-program</em></a><em><span style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">.</span></em></p> <p>###</p>

Rep. Polletta, CT Republicans Offer Ideas to Provide Consumers Relief on Electric Bills

<p>As Connecticut residents are opening up their January electricity bills, Connecticut Republicans today unveiled <strong>a detailed six-point plan to bring about stability and relief for consumers.</strong></p> <p>“Electricity rates are a sustained scourge on taxpayers in Connecticut as the rising cost of energy continues to weigh them down. When residents look to their state leaders for solutions, they will see Republicans renewed their call for an approach to energy policy that prioritizes affordability and sustainability – lowering the burden on taxpayers and on the state’s electric grid,” <strong>Rep. Joe Polletta (R-68)</strong> said. “Now it’s up to Democrats in the supermajority to engage with our proposals and come to the table for this crucial discussion to lower the cost of energy.”</p> <p>“It’s time for majority party Democrats who control the energy agenda to acknowledge what utility ratepayers and analysts have made clear: their entire approach to energy policy, rooted in flawed priorities and misguided philosophy, has failed everyone,”<strong> House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora</strong> said. “This session is an opportunity to shift toward affordability, and unfortunately their recent news conference made it clear they’re out of ideas. We urge Democrats to adopt our proposals as the foundation for the action residents want and deserve.”</p> <p><strong>The Republicans’ plan would:</strong></p> <p>1) <strong>remove Public Benefits Charges from electric bills</strong></p> <p>2) prohibit agreements that buy electricity at 150 % above the wholesale price</p> <p>3) redefine &#8220;Class I renewable energy source&#8221; to include any</p> <p>electricity generated from a hydropower or nuclear power generating facility</p> <p>4) separate PURA from DEEP</p> <p>5) eliminate any incentive program that increases electric demand, including, any electric vehicle rebate program</p> <p>6) study ways to increase the supply of natural gas</p>