Governor Dannel Malloy on Saturday issued his proposal for “modernizing Connecticut’s liquor laws.” See details of his package presented to the state legislature that goes into session next month here.
Malloy news release:
GOV. MALLOY: UPDATING “BLUE LAWS” WILL MAKE CONNECTICUT MORE COMPETITIVE AND BENEFIT CONSUMERS
Proposals to Allow Sunday Sales and Other Changes Bring Connecticut in Line With Neighboring States
(HARTFORD, CT) – In order to help Connecticut stay competitive with neighboring states and give consumers a break, Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced he intends to introduce legislation in the upcoming session to update state laws–some of which date back to Prohibition–regulating the sale of alcohol. The package’s most recognizable proposal would allow the sale of alcohol on Sundays, certain holidays, and on Mondays that come after Sunday holidays. Other provisions, which Governor Malloy said are “consumer-friendly,” would eliminate minimum pricing to lower costs for consumers.
“These laws are outdated and they artificially increase the price of alcohol to Connecticut consumers,” Governor Malloy said. “By allowing Sunday sales, by removing distribution and sale restrictions and by amending permit regulations, we’re going to help Connecticut regain its competitive edge in this industry, and we’re going to give consumers a break.”
Governor Malloy explained that the goal of these statute updates is to keep Connecticut competitive, not only with our neighboring states, but also with the rest of the country. Connecticut and Indiana are the only states in the nation that ban the sale of alcohol on Sundays.
“As the years go by and other states modify their laws to reflect modern-day realities, our statutes have collected dust and it has resulted in consumers shopping in bordering states, causing Connecticut retailers to lose $570 million in sales each year to surrounding states by some industry estimates,” Governor Malloy said. “This proposal is pro-consumer, pro-‘mom and pop’ and pro-dollars being spent within Connecticut.”
Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman stated, “A major focus of our administration is to make Connecticut more competitive with other states on many different levels, and this is another way we can do that. We believe it is time to end the long Connecticut tradition of spending money across the border because of antiquated laws that arbitrarily prohibit liquor sales during certain hours and on certain days. That is a tradition that has not only meant inconvenience for our residents, but has meant lost revenue for many of our businesses. It is also time to allow businesses more flexibility to decide if they want to sell these products, and how late they want to keep their doors open to do so.”
Adults, warm up and relax with a dry martini. Kids are nurtured with toasty jammies and a good book. The BOE Pajama Program provides both to children waiting to be adopted. Donations can be dropped off at 45 Lyon Terrace until March 30th.
www .bridgeportedu.net/docs/2011-2012/PajamaProgram2011%282%29.pdf
P.S. Everyone at every age needs to be soothed.
Off-topic comment:
Before the Justin Thompson tragedy begins to fade off the news cycle, though I hope it doesn’t, I want to share the following comments and observations. I went to the rally at the step-off site in the East End after a home visit with a child client a few blocks up Stratford Ave. last Wednesday night … greeted Ernie and his sister, Maria Valle, Mayor Finch, Lydia Martinez and Ted Meekins … they’re the ones I recognized … a huge crowd … I’ve never seen so many Bridgeporters/friends of Bpt assembled in one place in the East End in 10 years of Bridgeport residency … could not go to city hall as my schedule required another child-client visit in Hamden before going home … saw the YouTube clips of Mayor Finch and Chief Gaudett on Friday … then called Scott Hughes, Bpt City Librarian and asked him if the East End Library (Newfield Branch) had enough books to be checked out for reading to the children at night as per Mayor Finch’s speech … he said there are plenty of books in the system to allow every Bridgeport student to check out one book per week. Hmmm?
Earlier today, I attended the community meeting at the Sylvan Avenue BPD police station with Leonardo in tow. A strong crowd of about 60-70 people. LT Daniels and a man named Kingsley (spelling?) from CT Against Violence and Ernie Newton appeared to be the co-hosts. LT Daniels asked the attendees to identify themselves and put their “gifts” on the table to stem the tide of violence in Bridgeport.
As Leo was getting antsy, I shot up my hand as quickly as possible and began my introduction, I’m so and so, a lawyer and a candidate for US Senate (oooh! the political candidate reference did not go over well, ouch! … okay, retrograde, as the Army guys say, back up … I stuck to laying down my first “gift” of throwing Scott Hughes and the Bpt Library on the table and said, “I’ll volunteer to work with Scott to try to get all the Bridgeport Libraries to stay open longer, get more staff and security (with no guns) to extend library hours, especially after school and at night and on the weekends.
The Bridgeport voters voted to fund the library from about .6 mil to a full 1.0 mil or about $6 million per year … so why not spend every penny of that funding to reach Mayor Finch’s goal of “reading to every child at night and hugging them and telling them how much we love them?”
Here’s an idea and a goal in Justin’s memory … can every Bridgeport student be encouraged, coached, mentored to go to their local branch library for the rest of the school year and try to reach a record of checking out one book per week for the rest of the school year? Who’s in? We can check in with Scott on a monthly basis to see if there’s any movement in book-borrowing statistics.
On the violence issue, again I will not belabor the point, but some attendees had some very insightful observations and comments that tell me illicit drugs (which of course should be legalized) and the drug trade in Bpt is still a substantial issue that keeps getting ignored or avoided, but I will leave it, for now, to the CT US Senate campaign trail. But my offer still stands to take “point” if anyone is interested … it could save a lot of police overtime and perhaps save more money to dedicate to library and after school (violence prevention) programs. Just my two cents.
To Sue’s post above, thank you … I didn’t know that … I will report to Lissette Colón on Tuesday with some books and jammies, plus volunteer reading time anywhere, anytime.
Mr. Salcedo,
Ms. Vicki Egri, Bridgeport’s Director of Reading, would be the person to contact about the library connection.
Young Author’s Conference is coming up, and every student is encouraged to write a book. If you would like to volunteer for early literacy, please consider helping students author, as well as accessing books for reading.