Photo by Jo-Ann Iannotti

GOSHEN – State lawmakers, including State Rep. Karen Reddington-Hughes (R-66), took the opportunity on Saturday morning to meet with members of the public and engage in a policy discussion at Camp Cochipianee. The event was hosted and facilitated by the League of Women Voters of Litchfield.

According to Reddington-Hughes, the panelists talked about many topics that are currently under consideration in the Capitol’s Gold Dome. These include the state’s fiscal guardrails, which…

Hartford – Republicans unveiled several ways in which the state can begin to address the rate hike adjustment proposals that have recently been requested by Connecticut’s energy utilities. These rate hikes come at time when residents and businesses are facing record-setting levels of inflation.

You can watch the news conference by clicking here.

The proposals aim to:

• limit all future Power Purchase Agreements so that no contract can be for more than 100% over the wholesale electric market price

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Hartford – State Representative Karen Reddington-Hughes welcomed Region 14 and Region 6 VoAg students to the State Capitol and Legislative Office Building. The students were at the LOB for an Education news conference and hearings on funding. “It was a pleasure to see the students who certainly exemplify the success of this extremely important program. Their participation in the state government process is key. Policies are best-shaped by the testimony of the individuals it will ultimately impact…

Before we start our legislative business for the year, I’d like to hear from you. Understanding your opinion on many of the main subjects that will likely come up for consideration is critical to representing you in Hartford.

When you have a few minutes, please answer the survey below. Your individual answers will be confidential, but I will provide some aggregated data after our survey is complete. I have also provided a comment section if you’d like to add any detail to your responses.

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As we welcome the New Year, many new state laws will become effective on Monday, January 1^st. These include tax cuts, which were approved in the 2023 budget agreement, (1) to adjust the tax schedule impacting retirees living on fixed incomes, (2) create eligibility for an Earned Income Tax Credit, and (3) decrease certain income tax rates.

The changes enacted for 2024 will decrease the two lowest income tax rates:

• The 3% rate on the first $10,000 earned by single filers and the first $20,000 by…
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Connecticut’s Dept. of Emergency Services and Public Protection has launched the “Bring Me Back Home” program. This initiative encourages those to sign-up to a registry, which can be easily accessed by local law enforcement. The provided information and photo, accessible through the COLLECT criminal justice and safety system, helps first responders and families reunite with individuals living with cognitive challenges, such as Dementia or Autism.

To learn more about the program or to sign-up, click…

The Dept. of Agriculture is currently accepting applications for its Farm Transition Grant program, a competitive matching grant program for Connecticut farmers and agricultural cooperatives to support the diversification of existing farm operations, transitioning to value-added agricultural production and sales, and other venues in which most products sold are grown in the state.

You can view the program guidelines here.

Applications are due to the department by Wednesday, January 10, 2024.

Click…

The CT DOL is alerting residents of a new fraud scam targeting job seekers. Criminals are soliciting banking and other information by calling residents and claiming to be an employer registered with CTHires, the state’s job bank.  The attempts to steal personal data through this scam include callers asking for Social Security, bank account, and credit card numbers as well as telling residents they must pay a fee to have their application reviewed for employment. The agency recommends that all unemployment…

Now that the 2023 municipal elections are over it’s time for the public, pundits, and prognosticators to take over to break down what they believe happened, and what they think will happen during the next election cycle. Of course, trying to assign logic and reason to local political races is either masochistic or Sisyphean, your choice.

Still, regardless of where “your” candidate or political party finished, following any election it’s important that we come together for the betterment of our communities…