From Governor Ned Lamont
Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed into law House Bill 6001, a comprehensive bill that was approved by both chambers of the Connecticut General Assembly in special session yesterday and extends several cost-saving measures first approved this spring that will provide financial benefits and savings to state residents in the coming months.
“I thank the legislature for their prompt support on a bipartisan basis for this bill that is focused on helping to make Connecticut more affordable for our residents,” Governor Lamont said. “We’re extending the gas tax holiday a little bit longer, providing energy assistance for those in need, and increasing the amount of funding available for the pandemic pay program for the essential workers who’ve showed up to work every day throughout the pandemic. During the upcoming regular session, it is my goal to continue advancing more policy changes like these that will make a difference in the lives of the people who live here.”
The legislation takes the following actions:
— Gas tax cuts: Extends through December 31, 2022, the ongoing suspension of the state’s 25 cent-per-gallon excise tax on gasoline. Beginning January 1, 2023, the tax will be phased back in over a period of five months at five cents per month. (Connecticut is one of only three states in the country that currently have a gas tax suspension in effect.)
— Fare-free bus service: Extends through March 31, 2023, the ongoing suspension of the collection of fares on public transit buses statewide. (This is the maximum date that complies with 12-month length-of-time federal restrictions for temporary public transit pilot programs.)
— Increased energy assistance: Supplements this year’s $98.5 million of federal Low-Income Household Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) funding with an additional $30 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to the Connecticut Department of Social Services. This additional state-directed funding substantially mitigates the impact of unusually high energy prices and will help ensure that funding for the state’s energy assistance program (the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program or CEAP) is available to low-income households.
— Increased funding for the Premium Pay Program: Supplements the $30 million for the Premium Pay Program, which is providing payments to essential workers for their service during the COVID-19 pandemic, with an additional $75 million, bringing it to a total of $105 million.
— Updates to the bottle bill: Pushes out the effective date of recent changes to sections in the beverage container redemption program, commonly known as the bottle bill, to allow retailers, especially small retailers, to continue selling off their existing inventory without being in violation of the changes that are scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2023.
BPD is supposed to have 425 but have only about 285 with only 6 in the academy. Doing it local named quite a few BPD officers leaving for other PD’s. (Where’s that story Lennie?)
I think Bridgeport has more serious issues than having politicians think they are doing people a favor by giving a false sense of “helping” them with energy assistance. For every $1.00 they don’t collect from taxpayers now, they’ll get at least $1.15 in some other shape or form later.
‘We’re from the government and we’re here to help”. 🤣 sure.
Keep voting for it, get more if it.
Cheers!!!
RA,
Because of your public safety experience when you speak of “BPD is supposed to have only 425 but have only 285” current trained public safety officers available for duty. Is that correct? Are all 285 assigned to duties in a car, on the street, or to be seen by public other than behind a desk? How many of the number are on disability of any type, restricted duty of any type and how many expected to return with six current trainees (assuming that all will become certified and look to Bridgeport for employment?
With numbers of available officers, how many regular hours of public safety employment does that represent based on current contract terms? What does a full complement of 425 officers look like when making the same calculation? What is the actual shortfall that a new Chief is facing and must make up with overtime assignments? What are the numbers of EXTERNAL OVERTIME relative to the significant INTERNAL OVERTIME expense incurred in recent years?
Your advise to Chief Porter on December 1, 2022 at 5:30 PM? Hope that I have not raised too many issues or asked too many questions. Time will tell.