The Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced that there will be temporary traffic shifts on I-84 Eastbound and Westbound – around Exits 9 and 10 in Newtown – to allow for resurfacing and safety improvements to the infrastructure.

Work is scheduled to begin on Monday, February 11th, and to be completed by November 2020.

This project will require multiple stages for construction operations. A majority of traffic impacts will occur during night work operations. The schedule is as follows:

Westbound

Monday – Thursday: 8:00 p.m. – 5:00 a.m.

Friday: 9:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m.

Saturday: 8:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.

Sunday: 10:00 p.m. – 5:00 a.m.

Eastbound

Monday – Wednesday: 9:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m.

Thursday – Friday: 10:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m.

Saturday: 10:00 p.m. – 8:00 a.m.

Sunday: 10:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m.

The construction operations may detour one ramp at a time for either Exit 9 and Exit 10 on-ramps or off-ramps between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., Sunday through Saturday.

Please maintain a safe speed when driving in this vicinity and seek alternate routes if needed.

NEWTOWN – State Representatives J.P. Sredzinski (R-112), Mitch Bolinsky (R-106) and State Senator Tony Hwang (R-28) invite their constituents to attend a forum they will be hosting, alongside the Connecticut Office of the Health Care Advocate (OHCA), on healthcare costs.

When: Monday, March 4, 2019 at 6:30 p.m.

Where: C.H. Booth Library Meeting Room, 25 Main Street, Newtown, CT

The lawmakers and officials will be discussing Connecticut’s rising healthcare costs and the role that the OHCA has in protecting customers’ rights. The forum is free and open to the public. If you are unable to attend but would still like to connect with your legislator on this issue, please contact Rep. Sredzinski and Rep. Bolinsky’s office at (800) 842-1423 or Sen. Hwang’s office at (800) 842-1421.

Proposes New Legislation to the General Assembly

HARTFORD — All proposals for new laws in the State of Connecticut were due to legislative leaders on Friday, January 18^th. State Representative J.P. Sredzinski (R-112) submitted a few bills that would significantly benefit the towns of Monroe and Newtown.

All bill proposals in the General Assembly are considered by legislative committees, and potentially brought to a public hearing, before being raised to the House and Senate for a vote. To read more about the bills that Rep. Sredzinski has proposed or co-sponsored this session, visit his website at www.repsredzinski.com and click on the “Legislation” tab. If you are interested in sharing your opinion on a bill, information on how to testify at a hearing or via email is available at www.cga.ct.gov.

Rep. Sredzinski proposed House Bill (H.B.) 5154, which would promote mental health/wellness training and suicide prevention for police officers. This bill has been referred to the Public Safety and Security Committee, on which Rep. Sredzinski serves as the lead House Republican. Email testimony to pstestimony@cga.ct.gov.

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Receives Committee Leadership Assignment

HARTFORD — State Representative J.P. Sredzinski (R-112) joined legislative colleagues today, on Opening Day of the 2019 Legislative Session, and was sworn in to his third term at the State Capitol. He will serve for two more years as the House Representative for the 112^th General Assembly District of Monroe and Newtown.

To follow Rep. Sredzinski’s proposed and supported legislation, visit his website (www.repsredzinski.com) and click on the “Legislation” tab, or sign up for his email updates. To follow committee meetings and House debates as they unfold live on Connecticut’s public affairs television network, search your TV listings for CT-N, or stream the proceedings online at www.ctn.state.ct.us.

This “long” session allows for bills on a variety of issues to be introduced, debated and voted on in committees and legislative chambers. Most importantly, the General Assembly will be facing significant budget challenges during the 2019 Legislative Session. House and Senate Republican budget priorities for the 2019 session continue to include implementing long-term structural changes to restore sustainability and predictability to the budget, and the “Prioritize Progress” transportation plan to fund and protect transportation dollars without tolls or tax increases.

Rep. Sredzinski has also received his legislative committee assignments for this term. He will serve as a member of the Human Services and Higher Education & Employment Committees, and Ranking Member of the Public Safety and Security Committee.

As the Public Safety Ranking Member, Rep. Sredzinski will lead his caucus members on issues regarding the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection; as well as civil preparedness and homeland security, state police, the state-wide organized crime investigative task force, municipal police training, fire marshals, the fire safety code, the state building code, and legalized gambling.

In addition, the Human Services Committee has cognizance over all matters relating to the Department of Social Services and its institutions, and the Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities and the Department of Rehabilitation Services. The Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee oversees matters relating to public and independent institutions of higher education including UConn, private occupational schools, post‑secondary education, job training institutions and programs, apprenticeship training programs and adult job training programs offered to the public by any state agency or funded in whole or in part by the state.

“I am thrilled to be back in Hartford, starting my third legislative session,” said Rep. Sredzinski. “I thank my constituents for their continued support and for entrusting me to represent their voice at the State Capitol. Reflecting back on why I ran for this position originally, I continue to seek to make our state more affordable and to improve our economy.  I am especially honored to continue as the lead House Republican of the Public Safety and Security Committee. I take this job very seriously and will do my best to make all Connecticut residents as safe as possible.”

Rep. Sredzinski can be reached at JP.Sredzinski@housegop.ct.gov or 800-842-1423. Constituents can also reach him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/repsredzinski.

The 2019 Regular Legislative Session will adjourn at midnight on June 5th.

HARTFORD – State Representative JP Sredzinski (R-112) has recently received his legislative committee assignments from House Republican Leader Themis Klarides.

Sredzinski, re-elected to his third term in November, will also serve on the legislature’s Human Services and Higher Education Committees.

“It’s an honor to once again be appointed as the Ranking Member of the Public Safety and Security Committee for the upcoming two year period. In this position I will continue to serve as the highest ranking House Republican on the committee that oversees police, fire and legalized gambling policies – areas where we will see many proposals this session. I will also begin new roles serving on the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee and the Human Services Committee where I will have a front row seat at protecting some of Connecticut’s most vulnerable populations. I look forward to serving the residents of Monroe and Newtown in this capacity and facing the serious challenges that await our state,” said Rep. Sredzinski.

The legislature’s Human Services Committee which has cognizance of all matters relating to the Department of Social Services and the Department of Children and Families and Higher Education Committee and Employment Advancement Committee oversees job training programs, apprenticeships, institutions of higher education, the Board of Regents and the Office of Higher Education.

His new committee assignments will begin at the start of the 2019 legislative session which will convene on January 9th.

The CT Department of Transportation has announced that the scheduled closure and detour of Rt. 25 in Monroe has been postponed and moved to next weekend.  The closure will be from Aug. 10 to 13, instead of this weekend as originally scheduled.

As required for the project to replace two culverts and raise the roadway along that stretch of Route 25, the project contractor will close the road from 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 10, to 6 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 13.

While traffic will be detoured onto Pepper Street and Old Newtown Road, truck traffic will not be permitted on local roads and instead be detoured to routes 111 and 34. This is the first of three weekend closures planned this year, but those additional dates have not been finalized.

Access to all businesses in that area will remain available during the road closure.

Please don’t hesitate to contact my office if you have further questions about DOT projects or any other state issue.

Rep. Sredzinski Signing Petition to Convene Special Session

HARTFORD – State Representative JP Sredzinski (R-112) signed a petition this week to request a special session for the purpose of prohibiting the expenditure of taxpayer funds to study and evaluate the establishment of tolls in Connecticut.

Last week, Governor Dan Malloy issued an Executive Order directing the state Department of Transportation to prepare a plan implementing tolls and study its impacts. He is requesting to borrow $10 million for the study from the Bond Commission, which he chairs.

The study would explore tolls on all major Connecticut highways, including Interstates 95, 91, and 84, along with the Merritt and Wilbur Cross parkways. This past spring, the legislature refused to consider a similar study costing only $5 million.

“In an effort to prevent expenditure of taxpayer money on something so unnecessary, I am joining my colleagues in attempting legislative action to explicitly prohibit using taxpayer money to study tolls,” said Rep. Sredzinski.  “To proceed with a $10 million toll study when the legislature refused to consider a similar study – that only costed $5 million – this past spring, is to ignore the public opposition against another layer of revenue collection on the people of Connecticut.  While the governor has the power to issue executive orders, as he did to commission the study, the legislature still has the power to block funds in response.  We have to protect taxpayers and commuters from a plan that would make Connecticut even less affordable.”

HARTFORD – State Representative JP Sredzinski (R-112) today urged the State Bond Commission to remove from their agenda an item bonding $10 million to study the impact of electronic tolling on Connecticut highways. The agenda item would borrow money to pay for the study and is a request from Governor Dan Malloy, who chairs the Bond Commission and decides which items are on the agenda.

The study would explore tolls on all major Connecticut highways, including Interstates 95, 91, and 84, along with the Merritt and Wilbur Cross parkways.

Rep. Sredzinski offered the following statement in response to the announcement.

“The governor has again displayed how totally detached he is from Connecticut’s reality and the State Bond Commission must not enable his fantasies. We have seen studies about the impact tolls would have.  We have seen the proposals toll proponents are pushing in order to raise the most amount of money possible.  It is unconscionable to ask Connecticut taxpayers to pay for another study that studies how the state can extract even more money from them.  Ultimately, the study will find that tolls will make life for commuters and their families even less affordable.

“The $10 million price tag on this particular study is suspicious enough – plans I had seen before the legislature costed only $5 million to study tolls. Why is this one so expensive?  Further, asking for millions of borrowed dollars is particularly brazen, considering Governor Malloy and his administration will be gone in January and the legislature could look completely different.

“The state needs to be studying how to lessen the tax burden on our residents, not add an additional fee. If you think that tolls are a magical solution to the deep fiscal hole our state is in, fine!  Show us your proposal and we can debate it.  Don’t ask for $10 million to study it.  However, without decreasing the gas tax and making an honest effort to lower the laundry list of taxes and fees Connecticut taxpayers endure every day, I cannot fathom even exploring the concept of tolls.”

The State Bond Commission is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, July 25.

HARTFORD – State Representative JP Sredzinski (R-112) voted on Monday to override Governor Dan Malloy’s veto of a bill prohibiting future governors from making cuts to education aid in the middle of a fiscal year.

Although there was enough support in the House to override the governor’s veto, the override effort failed to achieve 2/3 support in the Senate and was ultimately unsuccessful, meaning Governor Malloy’s veto will stand.

Public Act 18-35 was legislation intended to impede a Connecticut governor from withdrawing Education Cost Sharing funds already promised to a municipality for the school year. The bill was a key legislative priority for Rep. Sredzinski because Monroe has been targeted for mid-year funding holdbacks by the governor in recent years.

“Our current governor has gotten into a destructive habit of irresponsible spending on pet projects, then withdrawing funding from local school districts to make up the difference for the spending – this new law was intended to put a stop to these unprecedented actions,” said Rep. Sredzinski.  “Making unanticipated mid-year cuts to municipalities causes chaos for town officials who must scramble to plug the holes in their budgets left by the cuts.  This means making cuts to school districts and scaling back core government services that families rely on, and relying on property taxpayers to make up for the rest.

“I am disappointed that there are still legislators who vote in lockstep with Governor Malloy in spite of the impact his cuts have had on schools across the state. Our current governor’s use of his executive powers is irresponsible and without precedent.  The legislature should have acted to take this power away from this governor as well as any future governor,” said Rep. Sredzinski.

The veto was sustained in a special session of the General Assembly after the Senate fell two shorts of the 2/3 support needed to override, although the House override effort successfully passed on a 103-33 margin.