GREENWICH-State Representatives Livvy Floren (149), Lile Gibbons (150) and Fred Camillo (151), today reminded consumers that Connecticut’s “sales tax-free holiday” will take place shortly. From Sunday, August 15th through Saturday, August 21st, all clothing and footwear under $300 will be exempt from the state’s six percent sales tax.

 
Examples of clothing exempted during the sales tax-free holiday are jeans, dresses, blouses, shirts, shoes, sneakers, scarves, gloves, and belts. Non-apparel items, such as jewelry, wallets, and luggage are not included in the exemption.

  “Not only do lower Fairfield County residents send far more tax payments to Hartford than we receive back in state services, but we are by several computations, the most highly taxed state in the country,” said Rep. Camillo.

Rep. Floren said, “It is unfortunate that we can only give our hard-working taxpayers this once a year benefit, so we urge you to take advantage of it as much as possible!”

“This concept was first introduced in August 1999 – modeled after a successful New York program – as a way of providing additional relief to Connecticut families while boosting the state’s economic competitiveness among neighboring states,” Rep. Gibbons.

Consumers seeking more information on the state’s “sales tax-free week” can visit the Department of Revenue Services’ website at: www.ct.gov/drs

HARTFORD – Last night, April 27^th, legislation to have cell towers not be sited within 750 feet of a school unless the Siting Council finds that there are no economically feasible alternative sites within the municipality passed the House of Representatives according to State Reps. Livvy Floren (R-149), Lile Gibbons (R-150), Fred Camillo (R-151). 

“This cell tower language seeks to put added focus on the safety of children, students, and adults who work in schools first when siting cell towers in the vicinity of these venues,” said Rep. Camillo, a member of the Environment Committee.

Rep. Livvy Floren added, “This bill is a first step and takes into account local input regarding health and safety concerns about placing cell towers near schools.”

Rep. Lile Gibbons said, “Although not an outright ban of siting a cell tower within 750 feet of a school, the bill does require the Siting Council to acknowledge the proximity of a school as well as safety standards, neighborhood concerns and the latest transmission technologies in rendering its decision.”

The vote was unanimous in the House of Representatives 139-0. The bill now heads to the State Senate.

Securitization is process under which the state sells bonds backed by a future revenue stream in exchange for an immediate lump sum cash payment. The legislature’s securitization bill, would sell that future revenue at a discount to raise $1.3 billion in 2010-11. 

The billing surcharges currently reimburse the state’s two major utility companies for costs they incurred 12 years ago as part of a sweeping industry deregulation. The charges are slated to come off most Connecticut consumers’ electric bills over the next decade. NU is scheduled to be fully repaid by December, and UI by 2013. 

Rep. Gibbons, ranking member on the legislature’s Human Services committee said, “I do not support securitization as it is just another form of borrowing. This surcharge was due to expire. It should and the state should get its financial house in order without resorting to budgetary gimmicks.” 

Under the bill, municipal electric companies would not be required to participate in this “tax” only customers of UI and CL&P. 

“The revenue diversion merely creates a new, hidden tax on the customers of Connecticut Light & Power and United Illuminating without calling it a tax. The new tax would be borne by 94% of Connecticut’s residents, determined not by their ability to pay, but only based on the town in which they reside,” added Rep. Floren, lead Republican on the Legislature’s Bonding Subcommittee.  

“Consumers have been paying these charges for the last 10 years, and they expect the charges to expire soon, as promised. We should keep our word with area ratepayers and not increase their tax liability,” concluded Rep. Fred Camillo, member of the Environment Committee.

Erases $736 Million 2011 Deficit – No Taxes, Smaller Gov’t -$74 Million to Create Jobs 

HARTFORD – Today being Tax Day, April 15^th, the last day Connecticut residents have to mail in their tax bills, State Reps. Livvy Floren, Lile Gibbons and Fred Camillo along with the rest of the House Republican caucus unveiled their 2011 budget that erases the $736 million deficit for 2011 without raising taxes by consolidating government agencies, and shrinking the public workforce and commits $74 million to stimulate job growth. 

The balanced plan preserves municipal and school aid, and sets aside $74.5 million to stimulate job growth. Companies that hire the unemployed can earn $17.5 million in tax credits, and the plan establishes a $25 million small business revolving loan fund, and eliminates the Business Entity Tax.

 “This proposal is fair and balanced. We eliminate the budget hole without raising taxes and without gutting social service programs. Every household in Connecticut has faced difficult financial choices and has made the tough decisions we are confronting today,’’ said Rep. Lile Gibbons, lead republican on the Human Services Committee.

“We cannot leave for the session in May knowing there is a $736 million deficit for next fiscal year which begins on July 1^st. If we ignore the problems now, they will become insurmountable. It would unconscionable to leave this looming problem until after the November elections,’’ Rep. Fred Camillo, member of the Appropriations Committee said.

The Common Sense plan offers a flexible menu of choices to create savings from concessions that have all been validated by the non-partisan Office of Fiscal Analysis.

The hallmarks of the savings:

• $58 million in line item cuts to 2009 levels;
• $64 million in early retirement for state workers;
• $10 million in state agency consolidations;
• $6.4 million to shed state office leases; 
• $20 million in privatization of state functions;
• $150 million in state worker concessions, including wage freezes, furlough days and health care;
• $3.8 million in legislative pay cuts, elimination of franked mail and travel.

 The budget also makes significant investments in job creation and retirement security:

• $200 million will be paid into the state employee pensions;
• The Business Entity Tax is eliminated to save companies $32 million;
• A Small Business Revolving Loan Fund of $25 million is created;
• Tax credits of up to $17.5 million will be available to companies that hire off unemployment rolls.

Rep. Livvy Floren added, “This Common Sense plan achieves the common sense ideals we have advocated for since the beginning of the year. The mantras of “Not spending more than you have” and “only borrowing what you can afford to pay back” need to be set in stone when it comes to crafting a budget.” 

The House Republicans along with the Greenwich Delegation have called upon the Democratic supermajority to immediately come together as they did on April 13 and work toward a reasonable solution.

The budget, which was voted out of the Appropriations Committee on a party-line vote, would increase spending by $331 million for human services – the largest single jump in the proposal. The plan would increase spending in the judicial and corrections departments by $3.3 million over Governor’s Rell’s plan and by $1.64 million to restore legislative commissions that Rell had sought to eliminate.

The Democrats are relying on a new hospital tax and hoping for additional federal revenue instead of any new spending reductions. According to the plan, there is approximately $91 million in federal funds gained unfortunately it costs $331 million in new spending to achieve that savings.

Rep. Camillo, a member of the Appropriations Committee said, “At a time when the state is facing deficits of more than $350 million in the current fiscal year and an estimated $700 million in the next fiscal year the supermajority party has decided to actually increase spending.”

“Greenwich Hospital would be penalized under this new hospital tax. I will not support a proposal that adversely affects Greenwich residents,” said Rep. Floren, a member of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee.

Rep. Lile Gibbons, also a member of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee added, “We have repeatedly put forth alternative budgets to consolidate state agencies, eliminate waste and reduce costs and the size of the government workforce. Meanwhile, nearly 100,000 private sector jobs have been lost and state government grows larger. It’s time to focus on the real problems of Connecticut faces.”

Rep. Lile Gibbons and Rep. Livvy Floren meeting with the Greenwich Realtors on Realtor’s Day at the State Capitol in Hartford.

State Rep. Lile Gibbons talking to the Greenwich Chamber of Commerce about nursing home care.

HARTFORD – Today, legislation to have cell towers not be sited within 750 feet of a school had a public hearing at the State Capitol according to State Reps. Livvy Floren (R-149), Lile Gibbons (R-150), Fred Camillo (R-151).

The bill, House Bill 5504, An Act Concerning Siting Of Cell Phone Towers Near Schools received a public hearing on Thursday March 18th in front of the legislature’s Energy and Technology Committee.

The bill provides that cell towers not be sited within 750 feet of schools. Camillo would also like to include day care centers into the bill.

In submitted written and oral testimony, Rep. Fred Camillo said, “This issue, however, is one which makes me subscribe to the old adage about being safe rather than sorry. No one can legitimately and reasonably fault this committee or the state legislature for erring on the side of caution. Waiting 20 years for a study to be published linking illness to these cell towers is too much of a risk to take at this time, or at any time.”

“This bill only seeks to put added focus on the safety of children, students, and adults who work in schools and day care centers first when siting cell towers in the vicinity of these venues, Camillo, a member of the Environment Committee, added, “please keep in mind that decades ago we also didn’t have the data or evidence when we were told the same thing by the tobacco industry.”

I urge the committee to discuss the negative health effects with the Connecticut Siting Council and, if necessary, mandate the Council to disallow a cell tower to be sited next to a school or day care center,” added Rep. Gibbons, in her written testimony.

Rep. Livvy Floren also submitted written testimony in which she stated, “The bill offers a viable, fair, reasonable and cautious compromise.”

Also submitting testimony at the public hearing were Greenwich residents Christopher von Keyserling, Janet Lynn De Luca and Gregory W. Schulte.

In testimony, Mr. Keyserling said, “This Bill would not only be fair to the greatest part of your constituency; Safeguard our children and their educational system; Stabilized real estate values and local tax base; It helps the Connecticut Siting Council by removing one of the main and unnecessary areas of contention from their table.

Janet Lynn De Luca wrote that, “This bill strikes a balance between the needs of local wireless users and the interests of residents. It will benefit not only our efforts in Greenwich, but also our neighboring communities state-wide.”

In written testimony Mr. Schulte wrote, “It is incredulous to most if not all of us that this tower can be located so close to a school despite the spirited disapproval of the community, Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission, Connecticut State Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General and Greenwich First Selectman.”

Read the Common Sense Commitment to Connecticut.