Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Many constituents have reached out to express their concerns about proposals to install tolls on Connecticut highways including I-91, I-84 and in some proposed bills, potentially any other “limited access” road such as Rt. 8.

Last week, I attended a regional forum in Enfield featuring Transportation Committee Ranking Members Laura Devlin and Henri Martin to discuss transportation funding, proposed tolls legislation and present an alternative.

The Senate and House Republican proposal will finally receive a public hearing in the Finance Committee this Friday. You can testify, and tell the committee that Connecticut CAN’T AFFORD TOLLS.

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ENFIELD – State Senator John Kissel (R-7) and State Representative Carol Hall (R-59) hosted House and Senate Republican ranking members of the Transportation Committee, State Representative Laura Devlin (R-134) and State Senator Henri Martin (R-31), to discuss legislation proposed by Governor Lamont and legislative Democrats, and to present an alternative transportation funding plan that does not rely on tolls or tax increases.

The event held at JFK Middle School on Tuesday, April 16^th, was co-hosted by State Representatives from across the region; Bill Simanski (R-62), Tami Zawistowski (R-61), Kurt Vail (R-52) and Tom Delnicki (R-14).

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Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Saturday April, 27th is National Drug Take Back Day. The Take Back Day is part of the DEA’s National Take Back Initiative to safely dispose of unwanted medications. There is an opportunity to dispose of your unwanted medications at Granby’s Police Department. Studies have shown that drug abuse often starts with family members having access to unused opioids, inadvertently left in the family’s medicine cabinet. Please check your medicine storage areas to see if there are any unused or no longer necessary medications and avail yourself of this opportunity for safe disposal.

Drug take back day continues to grow, nationwide during the 16th take back day 4,770 police departments participated offering 5,839 sites with over 457 tons collected for proper disposal. Read more HERE.

10am – 2pm

Granby Police Department

15 N. Granby Road

Drug collection boxes are available across the state year-round. Find a full list of locations HERE.

**The service is free and anonymous, no questions will be asked**

No needles or sharps will be accepted.

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Dear Friends and Neighbors

In a recent poll I sent out to constituents, over 70% who responded were opposed to the DOT study proposal which called for 82 tolls. The proposed installation of tolls on Connecticut highways would have a major impact on our community.

All of the proposals that have made it out of the Transportation Committee include tolling on I-91, I-84, I-95 and Rt. 15 and potentially any other “limited access highway.”

Join me for an upcoming regional forum on the plans put forward…

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HARTFORD – State Representatives Bill Simanski (R-62), Tami Zawistowski (R-61) and Carol Hall (R-59) voted against an arbitration award for state Assistant Attorneys General on Wednesday, March 27^th.

“These agreements are putting the cart before the horse and growing our fixed costs before we have passed the budget,” said Rep. Simanski. “We are continuing to struggle with the ripple effects from the 2017 SEBAC agreement and the expansion of bargaining units. We are locked in to these labor agreements until 2027 making the rest of the appropriations process more difficult. Already the Democrat majority has pushed two employee contracts with salary increases and has more contracts to come before we take up the budget.”

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Dear Neighbors,

The legislature’s Transportation Committee on Wednesday (March 6) will hold a public hearing on two different bills that would bring highway tolls back to Connecticut.

The first bill (H.B. 7280) is from legislative Democrats, and the second (H.B. 7202) is from Gov. Ned Lamont.

Late last year, a well-publicized study on highway tolling indicated Connecticut residents could see as many as 82 toll gantries placed on highways throughout the state. Gov. Lamont, through his two-year budget…

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Thank you to everyone who participated in our survey on plans to install tolls on highways across Connecticut. There are alternatives, the House and Senate Republican Caucuses have continued to advocate for the Prioritize Progress Plan to fund our transportation needs. Working families and small businesses can’t afford a costly burden on daily commutes.

GRANBY – State Representative Bill Simanski (R-62) and Granby First Selectman B. Scott Kuhnly held open office hours at the Granby Town Hall on January 22^nd and February 22^nd.

The two officials began hosting the joint office hours as a “one-stop shop” for residents to share their concerns about state and local issues.

“I want to thank everyone who joined us at town hall to share their thoughts,” said Rep. Simanski. “Many shared their serious concerns about the cost of living and the negative impact of increasing taxation. The state budget process is just beginning for the next biennium and as a member of the Appropriations Committee my focus will be on reining in excessive spending and protecting the successful reforms enacted in the previous bi-partisan budget.”

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Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Many constituents have communicated concerns over legislative proposals to force smaller school districts to regionalize into much larger ones.  On Friday, March 1st at 1:00 in Room 2E of the Legislative Office Building, the Education Committee will be holding a public hearing on this topic.

The legislative proposals being heard are:

Senate Bill 457 AN ACT CONCERNING THE SIZE OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS 

Requires any school district with a student population of fewer than two thousand students to join a new or an existing regional school district until that district equals two thousand or more.

Senate Bill 738 AN ACT CONCERNING THE CREATION OF REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS

Requires towns to join state-created regional school districts similar in size to the state’s Probate Districts.

Governor’s Bill SB 874 AN ACT CONCERNING EDUCATION INITIATIVES AND SERVICES IN CONNECTICUT 

Creates a state Commission on Shared School Services for the purpose of developing a statewide plan for the redistricting or consolidation of school services and school districts.

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Dear Friends and Neighbors,

This coming Friday, February 22^nd I will be joining Granby First Selectman B. Scott Kuhnly for a Coffee Hour at Granby Town Hall (15 North Granby Road, Granby) from 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Join us to share your questions, thoughts and concerns about state and local issues.

You can also RSVP on Facebook

Sincerely,

Bill Simanski – 62nd District

Barkhamsted, Granby, Hartland & New Hartford