REP. RYAN MOVES PAID SICK DAYS BILL THROUGH HOUSE

State Representative Kevin Ryan (D-Montville), the House Chair of the legislature’s Labor and Public Employees Committee, announced that paid sick leave legislation passed the Connecticut House of Representatives this evening by a vote of 88 to 58. House Bill 6187, An Act Mandating Employers Provide Paid Sick Leave to Employees, establishes paid sick leave for employees at organizations with 50 or more employees.

“Paid sick days make it easier for working families to survive and protect the public health at the same time,” said Rep. Ryan. “When sick people go to work or send children to school sick, they risk transmitting a disease to co-workers or students.”

Many workers in industries that require constant contact with the public lack paid sick days — 78 percent of food-service workers, 57 percent of workers in the retail industry and 29 percent of health care and social assistance workers do not have any paid sick days according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research.

“With the recent outbreak of swine flu, folks were encouraged by everyone including Governor Rell and President Obama to stay home if they were feeling ill,” said Rep. Ryan. “Unfortunately that is not an option for many Connecticut workers, because people can’t risk losing their jobs or a few days pay because they have an illness. About 40% of Connecticut workers don’t get a single paid sick day all year long.“

According to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, 18% of office employees will catch the flu from a sick coworker.
Rep. Ryan added “This bill also helps Connecticut’s businesses. Employers will save money in the long run by offering paid sick days through reduced turnover.”

House Bill 6187 would allow covered employees to accrue up to 5 days of paid sick time per year. The bill will now go to the state senate for consideration.

Kevin Ryan represents the towns of Bozrah, Franklin, Lebanon and Montville in the 139th Assembly District.

WYMAN SAYS DEFICIT DROPS BELOW $1 BILLION

According to State Comptroller Nancy Wyman,  a rise in income tax collections combined with concessions by state employees and a deficit-mitigation plan enacted by the General Assembly have reduced the projected 2009 budget deficit to $914 million.

It is the first time since February that the estimated deficit dipped below $1 billion.

“While it is encouraging that the deficit is moving in the right direction, there is much work to be done to put Connecticut back on the road to fiscal stability,” Wyman said.

Receipts of the income tax rose 1 percent in April, after declining an average of 8 percent in the first three months of the calendar year. The increase came despite the loss of nearly 12,000 jobs in April, bringing total job losses for the fiscal year to 65,000.

Wyman said the income tax improvement in April may be at least partly due to a quirk in the timing of some income tax payments when comparing this fiscal year to last.

Also cutting into the deficit since last month is:

• $75 million in concessions made by state employees – mainly by deferring the state’s required contributions into the funds that pay for retirees’ pensions and medical benefits.

• $153.8 million in deficit-mitigation steps taken by the General Assembly.

Wyman’s deficit estimate is $100 million higher than that of the governor’s budget office, due to the Comptroller’s less-optimistic forecast of income tax and sales tax receipts.

PERILLO BILL GOES TO GOVERNOR

Representative Jason Perillo who represents Shelton’s 113th State House District  has sponsored a successful measure to prevent School fires. A bill that would help prevent fires and enhance safety at public schools in Shelton and elsewhere in Connecticut received final legislative approval by the state House of Representatives today. The measure, Senate Bill 850, was sent to Governor M. Jodi Rell to be signed into law. The legislation, which requires local fire marshals to submit reports on their inspections of school buildings to local boards of education, passed the state Senate May 27th, said Representative Perillo, who cosponsored the bill. Perillo drafted the legislation based upon concepts developed in consultation with the State Fire Marshal’s Association and the state Department of Public Safety since January. Perillo introduced the bill following the December fire at Shelton High School in the hope it will ensure safer schools in Shelton and throughout the state. The bill now awaits the Governor’s signature. Perillo said that because the bill closes a major gap in state law, he is “confident Governor Rell will sign it.”

DELAURO ANNOUNCES FUNDS TO COMBAT VIOLENCE

Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn. -3), who represents the Valley and metro New Haven,  announced that the State of Connecticut will receive $1.82 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to aid efforts to prevent violence against women. These funds will allow the state to hire and retain criminal justice and victim services personnel who respond to violent crimes against women, as well as support other strategies that create and preserve jobs and promote economic growth while improving responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.

HIMES ANNOUNCES TAX CREDIT

Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) has announced an $85 million tax credit for GE Capital through the New Market Tax Credit (NMTC) Program.  The credits will allow the Norwalk-based company to invest and attract capital to make loans to businesses within distressed communities. The company plans to focus their efforts in the areas of sustainable forest products and renewable energy projects across the country.

With resources made possible through the Recovery Act, the NMTC Program injects private-sector capital investment into communities to create jobs, stimulate economic growth, and jumpstart the lending necessary for financial stability.

“Making credit available to businesses throughout the country is a critical piece of getting our economy moving again,” said Congressman Himes. “This tax credit will help GE keep and create financial services jobs in Norwalk while doing important work to help businesses throughout the country thrive.”

The NMTC Program permits individual and corporate taxpayers to receive a credit against federal income taxes for making qualified equity investments in investment vehicles known as Community Development Entities (CDEs). A majority of the taxpayer’s investment must, in turn, be used by the CDE to make qualified investments in low-income communities.

“We’re very pleased to be chosen to participate in this program,” said Tom Quindlen, CEO, GE Capital, Corporate Finance.  “These tax credits are a key enabler for financing businesses in economically depressed, rural areas that will add jobs and provide other support to the local community.”

To date, close to $12 billion of private-sector capital has been invested through the NMTC Program into urban and rural communities throughout the country. Data reported through 2007 shows that $9 billion dollars of NMTC capital has been invested into approximately 2,000 businesses and real estate developments – helping to develop or rehabilitate over 68 million square feet of real estate, create 210,000 construction jobs, and create or maintain 45,000 full time equivalent jobs at businesses in low-income communities.

Additional information on the NMTC Program can be found on the CDFI Fund’s web site at: www.cdfifund.gov.

DEMOCRATS OPPOSE KRAWIECKI

In Bristol Democrats are opposed to hiring Ed Krawiecki Jr. to fill one of the part-time city attorney jobs. Both slots were recently vacated by Dale Clift and Jeff Steeg in a dispute over healthcare benefits.

HOUSE PASSES DAIRY BILL

The Connecticut House of Representatives passed legislation to provide about $10 million over the next two years under the state’s Community Investment Account (CIA) directly to dairy farmers to help them stay in business. The federal government sets milk prices and Connecticut farmers are now losing as much as a dollar a gallon based on fast rising production costs, leaving them at a severe disadvantage to out of state agribusinesses. There are currently 151 dairy farms in the state, down from 210 in 2007 and 500 in 1990. According to a University of Connecticut report, the dairy industry supports about 4,200 jobs and generates over $1 billion in sales. The CIA is funded by a $40 fee for the recording of municipal land documents and under the bill will allocate 20 percent each among three state agencies for heritage preservation, affordable housing, and municipal open space, with the remaining 40 percent committed for direct aid to dairy farmers.

WOOD PLEASED THAT SAFE RIDES IS SAVED

State Rep. Terrie Wood (R-141) who represents Norwalk and Darien announced that legislation to save the Connecticut Safe Rides program cleared its last legislative hurdle and now heads to Governor M. Jodi Rell for her signature. The annual omnibus Department of Motor Vehicles bill SB-1081, included the Safe Rides exemption among many other DMV legislative proposals passed both the House of Representatives and the State Senate unanimously. The Designated Driver and Safe Ride Program promotes communities to provide a free, safe and confidential ride home to any driver who is not in a condition to drive home safely or to any person who wants to avoid being a passenger in an unsafe situation. The Designated Driver and Safe Ride Program also holds the potential for changing attitudes about driving while drinking; a person’s concern for another’s safety should lead to greater appreciation of both the risks and responsibilities associated with driving while impaired.

BLUMENTHAL WANTS DECISION REVERSED

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and Consumer Counsel Mary Healey said today they will fight to reverse a draft Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) decision letting AT&T off the hook for failing since 2001 to meet minimum state requirements for phone repair. Communications Workers of America Local 1298 President Bill Henderson joined Blumenthal and Healey in condemning the decision and calling for its reversal.The DPUC requires AT&T to fix 90 percent of out-of-service phones within 24 hours, a standard that the company has failed since 2001 to meet. Blumenthal and Henderson, who both blames repeated layoffs for the company’s failure to meet the standard, called on the DPUC to enforce the standard and fine the company up to millions of dollars.

In a draft decision, the DPUC agreed that AT&T has failed to meet its requirements, but concluded that the standards are outmoded and declined to enforce them or impose a significant fine.

Blumenthal said, “This decision is a barely slap on the wrist to AT&T — more like a pat on the head — and a stinging whack at consumers. I will fight this deeply disappointing draft decision, which gives AT&T a pass on compliance with state service standards. I will file strong exceptions seeking reconsideration and reversal.

“The DPUC agreed with my office that AT&T has failed since 2001 to meet the most important service standard — requiring timely repair of nonworking phones — but then inexplicably and illogically let the company off the hook with barely a rebuke. Faced with massive failure to follow its rules, the DPUC’s reaction appears to be stunning indifference. The penalty is in name only.

“AT&T’s failure to follow the rules — requiring that 90 percent of phones of out-of-service phones be fixed within 24 hours — endangers the public, especially seniors and handicapped dependent on landlines for necessities and emergencies. Live phone lines are vital lifelines that AT&T is failing to fix, leaving our most vulnerable citizens isolated and endangered.

“This failure to meet state repair standards is directly attributable to AT&T’s repeated layoffs — 1,300 jobs over recent years — starving the company of workers needed to maintain its system. DPUC’s draft decision unjustly rewards AT&T’s pernicious policy of sacrificing service for profits.

“I will fight to undo this tentative decision and compel the company to meet its service obligations, as well as impose serious and significant fines for its years long flouting of DPUC rules,” Blumenthal added.

Healey said, “The combination of the Office of Consumer Counsel (OCC) representing ratepayers, the Attorney General representing all citizens of this state, and the CWA representing the heart and soul of AT&T should have had the desired effect: to prompt the DPUC to act pursuant to its statutory authority and obligation to force AT&T to comply with the express standards of performance that have been on the books for a decade or more. AT&T has failed to meet the most basic standard of customer service, keeping people’s phones operating, for over 8 years now. AT&T’s failure to meet that standard is completely unacceptable, and the DPUC’s failure to enforce that standard for 8 years is equally unacceptable. For the DPUC to now indicate that it is leaning toward accepting AT&T’s claim that it shouldn’t be penalized because that standard is too high is indefensible under law.

“The OCC petitioned the DPUC to open this docket nearly a year ago out of frustration and anger over the lack of attention to the failure of the largest utility in Connecticut, indeed one of the largest corporations in the world, to fix ratepayer’s phones with 24 hours. The draft decision just issued by the DPUC similarly fails the interests of ratepayers and public policy in general.

“The standard requiring customers’ phones to be fixed within 24 hours is not too high. AT&T’s performance is too poor. The DPUC has an obligation to the people of this state to assure ratepayers that their hard-earned dollars do not merely fill the coffers of AT&T, but that the service quality they expect is delivered, fairly and consistently,” Healey added.

Henderson said, “The DPUC’s recent decision borders on scandalous and absurd. AT&T has failed to meet the service requirements for the state of Connecticut for 90 consecutive months and at the same time has reduced its workforce by over 1,300 jobs. Connecticut jobs have been and are being shipped out of state to the Philippines, Canada, Ohio, Texas and Tennessee. You can’t provide good service from the Philippines to our customers in Connecticut. It’s time for the DPUC to step up and take charge and make AT&T provide good service to the people of Connecticut.”

Healey thanked the craftspeople of the Communications Workers of America for standing with us in fighting back against the poor service quality provided by AT&T. The craftspeople clearly take pride in their work and are of course ready to provide customer satisfaction at the highest standard possible. Additionally, we want to thank the attorney general for lending his eloquence and authority to this battle from the start.

WILLIS AND COOK HONORED

State Representative Roberta Willis (D-64th District) and State Representative Michelle Cook (D-Torrington) were both honored as a “Children’s Champion” by members of the Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance for their commitment to early childhood issues in their districts and at the state Capitol. They were recognized by the group at a ceremony held Thursday at the State Capitol.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank the Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance for this honor,” Rep. Willis said. “Members of the organization deserve great credit for their work in behalf of children. We must continue to implement and expand programs that prepare our children for early education and nurture their appetite for learning as they grow older.”

“This ceremony doesn’t signal a shift from our focus on children ” Rep. Cook said. “I’m glad to receive this honor and I look forward to working on many more pieces of legislation that make quality education and care available to many more children in Connecticut.”

 Representative Willis and Representative Cook have been active in the Torrington Early Childhood Collaborative (TECC), a group of passionate individuals who foster a tradition of coming together for the benefit of children. Through a variety of small work groups comprised of parents, educators, healthcare providers, state and local government, business, faith-based and other community providers, TECC strives to increase awareness of, and involvement in, the many opportunities for preparing children to enter school as health, eager learners.

Shaun McNally, CT  Early Childhood Executive Director, praised both lawmakers “for their commitment to early childhood development and support of organizations that improve the lives of Connecticut’s children.”

The Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance is a group of organizations and individuals committed to improving developmental outcomes in the areas of learning, health, safety and economic security for children ages birth to eight. Over 4,000 individuals in Connecticut support the Alliance as Friends. The member organizations employ over 3,000 Connecticut residents and provide care and education for nearly 20,000 children.