Posted on September 13, 2019 by admin
HARTFORD – The Department of Revenue Services issued a clarifying statement regarding the new “meal tax” this week. State Representative Terrie Wood (R-141) expressed opposition the measure, saying it will hurt Connecticut families who already struggle to make ends meet, pay ever-increasing food costs, and ever-increasing taxes.
Part of the Democrat state budget set to go into effect October 1, 2019, the “meal tax” adds an additional 1% to the cost of many items already taxed at 6.35%, but the DRS statement clarifies that the new 7.35% tax will also apply to many food items that have not previously been taxed when sold in grocery stores. The policy also results in a tax increase on all food items sold by restaurants and eating establishments.
Posted on September 5, 2019 by admin
Nearly 3,000 people – comprising of citizens from 78 different countries around the world – were killed in New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania during the September 11th terrorist attacks in 2001. In 2009, Congress named this day a National Day of Service and Remembrance.
Please find a list below of local 9/11 remembrance events, which are great opportunities for our communities to come together, honor and remember these victims as we continue to combat terrorism and secure freedom for our…
Posted on August 30, 2019 by admin
With the start of another school year upon us, I felt that this was a good time to let you know about an opportunity to take a Mental Health First Aid course in Darien on Friday, September 27th at Darien EMS. This course is designed for the general public, as well as those involved in any of the healthcare and first responder fields. I’ve taken the course myself twice and found it to be both informative and helpful. The instructor, Dawn Roy, is widely well-regarded and an excellent teacher.
This…
Posted on June 4, 2019 by admin
HARTFORD – State Representatives Terrie Wood (R-141), Gail Lavielle (R-143), and fellow House Republican members celebrated the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote in the United States.
The Republican Party played a leading role in the Women’s Suffrage Movement. In 1878, Senator Aaron Sargent (R-California) introduced language in Congress that would become the 19th Amendment. Sargent’s proposal was not successful in the beginning, but following four decades of rejection by the legislature, the U.S. House of Representative finally passed the resolution on May 21st, 1919, followed by the U.S. Senate two weeks later on June 4th – 100 years ago today. It was ratified on August 18th, 1920 once Tennessee became the 36th state to sign on. Over 70 percent of the states to ratify the amendment were led by Republican legislatures. Of those states, twelve had already given women the right to vote before the amendment went into effect.
Republicans were also the first major party to advocate for pay equity – a torch carried by Connecticut House Republicans to this very day.
Today, at the state Capitol as the 2019 session draws to an end, women on both sides of the political aisle commemorated this historical day by wearing white.
“Today marks the 100th Anniversary of the Women’s right to vote,” said Rep. Wood. “For decades thousands of women and men fought courageously for this right for all women in our country. I’m grateful to my mother, grandmother and father for keeping this history and privilege alive while stressing the importance of participating in our democracy by always voting. Today, I remember with respect and gratitude all who advocated for this right that we enjoy today.”
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Posted on June 4, 2019 by admin
As the mother of three children, I know the time and energy that parenthood demands. I’ve also cared for aging family members and understand the emotional and physical toll it takes. For those working a full-time job, the stress can be overwhelming. While navigating the responsibilities of taking care of children, looking after an ailing family member, or both, we’ve all asked ourselves: How do I balance it all?
Paid family and medical leave (PFML) is a viable solution to this dilemma. Republicans in the House and Senate recently proposed an efficient, sustainable and equitable PFML solution. Unlike the costly state-run program proposed by the Democratic majority (Senate Bill 1), this program would not have involved a 0.5% payroll tax on Connecticut’s workforce.
Employees would have had the option to purchase private sector family and medical leave insurance through new insurance regulations. They would have been able to choose a plan with the appropriate coverage, price and duration that they need. Coverage would be available for caring for grandparents, grandchildren, sibling and spousal-type relationships.
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![May 29, 2019.](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47966172491_e7c30b92b8.jpg "Rep. Wood recieves "Caregiving Champion" award from CT AARP Volunteers Peter and Kathy Eder of Darien")
