For modem version of Legislative Meeting of Southwestern CT officials, click here.
Watch Senator Boucher on YouTube here.

C O N N E C T I C U T    S T A T E    S E N A T E    2 6 T H    D I S T R I C T
Connecticut State Senator Toni Boucher represents the 26th District communities of Bethel, Ridgefield, Redding, Wilton, New Canaan, Weston and Westport.  She can be reached at her legislative office in Hartford at 1-800-842-1421, or via e-mail to Toni.Boucher@cga.ct.gov.  For more information, please visit: www.SenatorBoucher.cga.ct.gov



HOUSING MARKET NEWS!

Norwalk, CT, August 18, 2010 – The ownership team and construction managers of Norwalk’s first-of-its-kind townhouse-style apartments, Summerview Square will hold a Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony on Wednesday, August 18 at 3:00 p.m., at 4 Summer Street to officially open the first phase of the 63-unit high-end rental community. A tour of the community for the media will be held in advance of the ceremony at 2:30 p.m.

The community is managed by Summerview Development Group, LLC, a Wilton real estate development and building company representing the property owners, Summerview Square, LLC of Westchester County, New York.

Summerview Square, which received unanimous approval from the Norwalk Planning and Zoning Commission, is being built in four phases in the neighborhood surrounding West Main Street, Summer Street and Jefferson Street. The first phase is made up of 13 units of one and two-bedroom apartments. Many associated with the project, including the builders, sub-contractors, and service providers are members of the Home Builders and Remodelers Association (HBRA) of Fairfield County, part of the National Association of Home Builders.

Stated Norwalk Mayor Richard A. Moccia:  “Summerview Square demonstrates not only a smart and attractive residential addition to our city, but respect for and cooperation with an established neighborhood of citizens eager to see their environs developed in a beautiful and sustainable manner.  The design of Ray Sullivan and the expertise of the development group accomplished all that in a way that makes Norwalk proud.”

Norwalk architect Raymond Sullivan designed the community to preserve its historic look and feel, where each apartment home has a front porch and a sidewalk that links the neighborhood together. The development team has worked closely with The West Main Street Neighborhood Association that has supported the project from its inception.

“Working in collaboration with the property owners, the City of Norwalk, building officials, and the West Main Street Neighborhood Association has been one of the most pleasurable and professional experiences for my team,” says Andrew J. LaSala, Jr., a partner of Summerview Development Group.”

Located conveniently near I-95, the Merritt Parkway and train stations, Summerview Square is a combination of one- and two-bedroom Shingle, Colonial and Victorian-style townhomes with two floors and multi-unit apartment-style flats. All the units have their own attached, one- and two-car garages and private entrances from secure common hallways.

Each comes equipped with Energy efficient GE appliances, Central A/C and heating, Hardwood floors, Walk-In closets, ample storage space, washer-dryers, and at least two bathrooms in the two-bedroom units. Elevators have been installed in some of the multi-level homes that are handicap and wheelchair accessible.
Weston State Senator Toni Boucher is honored
Weston FORUM
Written by Jeanette Ross
Tuesday, 03 August 2010 15:18

Noting her continuing efforts at “putting education first and foremost,” Alex Johnston, chief executive officer of the Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now (Conn CAN), presented Sen. Toni Boucher (R-26) with the first ConnCan Tip of the Cap Award on Monday, July 26, at Wilton High School. The name of the award refers to a “tip of the graduation cap,” Mr. Johnston said.

The award “recognizes Connecticut state legislators who fight in pursuit of great public schools for every Connecticut child.” In presenting the award to Ms. Boucher, Mr. Johnston said, “She has been a strong leader on education reform, and always goes the extra mile to make sure we are focusing on what will best serve Connecticut’s children.” Regarding issues like Race to the Top, he said, “she led her colleagues in a forthright discussion of education legislation.”

Ms. Boucher, who began her public career as a member and chair of the Wilton Board of Education said, “It is so fitting that we are standing in front of one of our region’s best high schools under a sign that reads: Striving for Excellence.

“I began my journey in public service wanting to ‘make a difference.’ What I have learned over the years is that the too-often cited noble goal of making a difference is extremely elusive. Very few endeavors even come close to making a true difference in this world. There are only two places where we have a real fighting chance to make a lasting, life-altering difference — in the home and in the classroom.

“And if a home fails a child, there is only one place left with any hope of success: his or her school.”

Among those attending the award presentation was Gil Bray, chairman of Wilton’s Board of Education. He said that while serving on Wilton’s Board of Education, Ms. Boucher “always focused on the students” and “has been able to continue that passion at the state level.”

“I so strongly believe that ensuring a good quality education is a moral obligation we have to all of Connecticut’s children, and the key to a bright future for our state,” said Ms. Boucher, who is a minority member of the Education Committee in the state senate.

Ms. Boucher praised the efforts of ConnCAN, founded in 2005, which runs results-oriented issues campaigns on education and has worked to address the issue of failing Hartford schools. “They tackled Connecticut’s achievement gap head-on,” she said. “They focused a spotlight and energy on Connecticut’s educational system that was — and still is — desperately needed.

“We need to remember that Connecticut’s education system — once number one in the United States — is the only reason we are not at the complete bottom when it comes to job creation and the ability to attract business ... We are not just in a national race but also in a global race to the top.

“As the stakes rise in this global competition, we must raise our own expectations about what our schools can and should accomplish ... By rewarding high performing schools, we encourage a culture of excellence in education.”


"Tax Policy, Business Costs and Ease of Commute Critical to Job Growth:  The Third Leg of the Economic Stool is Transportation"
July 8, 2010
by State Senator Toni BoucherI have written extensively regarding Connecticut’s need to reform its tax policy and reduce business costs to promote job growth. The third leg of the economic stool is transportation.

The need for lower taxes and business costs continues to assert itself. An article published on June 30th in U.S. News and World Report names Connecticut as one of the states with the highest tax increases in the nation, amounting to $221 per person for this biennium. Most of these new taxes are being charged to medium and larger businesses, effectively driving up their costs.

In light of these problems, it is heartening that Connecticut has made genuine progress in improving its transportation system. Mass transit and other transportation issues have been some of my top priorities since I became involved in state government, particularly as a new ranking member of the legislature’s Transportation Committee.

This interest dates back to my first month as a state representative over a decade ago. As a newly elected legislator, I not only prevailed in a fight with a former governor to save our Norwalk to Danbury rail line from closing, but also to prevent the construction of a superhighway across our district’s historic towns and wetlands. The widening of Route 7 in Wilton, now nearing completion, was the compromise negotiated after that battle. Had the highway been built, both our environment and area residents’ quality of life would have suffered. Preserving the Branch line was only half the battle, however, since it had not been modernized in over 50 years.

Fortunately, our governor has taken encouraging steps to improve mass transit. Three hundred new rail cars will start to appear on our main line this fall and through 2012. In addition, $30 million has been dedicated to modernizing the Norwalk to Danbury rail system’s antiquated signaling operation. This change is necessary for future improvements, and will allow for new trains and better schedules. There is also a proposal under consideration to electrify the rail line which, if implemented, could reduce commute time by 20 minutes.

Regardless of any administrative changes that may occur at the state Department of Transportation under our next Governor, it is important that Connecticut continue to improve its mass transit system. Our future prosperity depends on how easily commuters get to work, how effectively businesses transport goods, and how environmentally responsible we are in developing our transportation systems.

Recently, I joined our Governor, the U.S. Transportation Secretary, state transportation officials, and members of the state’s congressional delegation to discuss high-speed rail in the northeast, and promote improvements to commuter rail service between Connecticut’s cities and neighboring states.

A regional approach to mass transit will keep Connecticut at the top of the federal priorities list. Updating Connecticut’s railroad and bus systems is the key to fostering a healthy regional economy that will attract new businesses and create jobs. Fortunately, our state and national leaders understand this – and we are all committed to working together to build on our progress. 

I encourage readers interested transportation issues to contact my office at (860) 240-0465 or at Toni.Boucher@cga.ct.gov. Readers interested in learning more about the projects mentioned above may visit www.danburybranchstudy.com for information on the Danbury Branch Line and www.route7study.org for information on the Route 7 corridor.

Published in the Weston FORUM July 8, 2010
The Folly Of "Kicking The Can Down The Road" As A State Budget Strategy
By State Senator Toni Boucher
June 22, 2010

When confronted with the staggering problems affecting Connecticut's economy, I am incredulous. As our economy struggles, state officials seem even more determined to continue on the destructive path that brought us to this point.

The state budget that takes effect on July 1st relies on habitual shortcuts of borrowing and increasing taxes to avoid making necessary spending cuts. This places a burden on Connecticut's businesses and families. Rather than confronting our financial problems, they merely delay the hard choices we must make.

The gross mismanagement of our state's finances cannot be ignored. The recent, predictable, downgrading of state bonds by one of the nation's top rating agencies affirms our financial predicament. As Connecticut prepares to borrow money to cover its budget deficit again, Fitch analysts note, “the state relies on borrowing to address its ongoing fiscal challenges in the context of already high liabilities and large projected structural gaps." Analysts for Moody's reported, “Connecticut has the highest net tax-supported debt among the 50 states." Furthermore, “Connecticut is more dependent than most states on high-income earners." Our per capita tax rate is 64% higher than the national average. Interestingly, Maine and Rhode Island have moved to reduce taxes for high earning residents. Legislative leaders in Rhode Island are correct when they state, “lowering the marginal tax rate (to 5.9% versus Connecticut's 6.5%) will help make Rhode Island more appealing to companies looking to come into the state". Meanwhile, Connecticut continues to discourage its most productive residents by laying the cost of financial profligacy at their feet.

Consequently, our business climate has soured. CEO Magazine stated that businesses view the northeast as “very expensive, with some of the highest wages, taxes, regulations and cost of facilities in the nation." Sadly, Connecticut has offered no challenge to this perception. In fact, within just the last five years we have fallen to 45th place as a state most conducive to business. Connecticut must halt this decline to regain its former status as the best state in which to live, work, raise a family and retire.

Enormous challenges remain. Connecticut faces deficits of more than $3 billion in 2012 and 2013. Union leaders while controlling the Connecticut House of Representatives continue to push through higher salaries and benefits. Connecticut also faces $43 billion in unfunded pension and retirement liabilities. Instead of cutting back on wage increases, state union leaders successfully fought to underfund state pensions by $100 million this budget cycle. Some conclude that state government borrowing makes tax hikes inevitable. Not true; it is this type of thinking that has fed Connecticut's insatiable appetite for spending and has made us the state with the highest tax burden in the country. Increasing taxes is not the answer; fiscal austerity is.

Reinventing state government will take political courage. As noted by Institutional Investor, March 2010, “The bad news is that solutions require steely will on the part of politicians faced with determined and organized public employee unions. Such courage is a rarity in the world of realpolitik". Until now, Connecticut's politicians have kicked the proverbial can down the road. Their lack of courage has led to a public outcry for fiscal responsibility that has gone unanswered.

State budget problems we now face are monumental. We cannot continue to pretend the situation will improve without a dramatic change in direction. Connecticut's taxpayers are now demanding more than fiscal responsibility – they are demanding accountability.
Connecticut's Great Budget Saga Continues: Mounting Deficits Through 2014
By State Senator Toni Boucher
April 1, 2010

Joe McGee of the Business Council of Fairfield County recently stated, "What the recession has done is unmask a structural imbalance in Connecticut’s fiscal policies that has been building for years." It has been clear to employers, taxpayers and a few elected officials for some time that our state has been heading for financial ruin due to the inaction by the General Assembly to confront reality. Our current budget deficit per person is nearly twice that of any other state, $1,700.00 (Nonprofit Quarterly, February 2010.)  And, deficits continue to mount: $518 million by June 30, 2010, nearly $1 billion in 2011 and $4 billion in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

For a time, the legislative majority leadership’s reluctance to confront reality could have been attributed to their belief that the financial crisis was just a momentary blip from which we would quickly recover. Today, there is no excuse for their denial. We must stop spending money we do not have because our beleaguered taxpayers and the bedrock of our state, our remaining employers, cannot afford it. Connecticut already carries the heaviest per capita tax burden of $5,464.00 (Forbes, March 12, 2010) in the contiguous United States, along with the heaviest per capita state debt of $4,490.00 (Forbes, January 20, 2010.)

What has become apparent is a desire on the part of some in the legislature’s majority to protect state unions at the expense of private sector jobs. Their agenda calls for further increasing taxes on businesses, individual citizens and private sector bonuses. Yet longevity payments, which are state employee bonuses based on years worked rather than productivity, have been a longstanding practice. No wonder our state’s business climate is seen as unfriendly, to the extent that management for United Technologies recently voiced a desire to go "any place but Connecticut."
 
Recent events at the State Capitol highlight the need to make the difficult, responsible decisions necessary to end this fiscal crisis – regardless of how politically unpopular some of those decisions are. The latest chapter in the state budget impasse saga occurred last weekend when the Senate majority pushed through a so-called deficit mitigation plan calling for raising taxes by $180 million, but cutting spending by only $65 million. Keep in mind that the Senate passed this plan 21-15 shortly before 5:30 a.m. on Saturday after defeating plans offered by Governor Rell and the Senate Republicans, both of whom called for deeper spending cuts. Later in the day, the House decided against meeting in session to take up the Senate majority’s deficit mitigation plan. Why? It became clear that the House would not be able to marshal enough votes to override Governor Rell’s promise to veto the Senate majority’s woefully inadequate deficit mitigation plan.

Remember that there are enough members of the majority in both the Senate and the House to override any gubernatorial veto and pass a budget of their own.
 
So, where do we stand?  So far, the only proposals taken seriously by the General Assembly’s majority leadership call for tax increases, instead of significant spending cuts. If we cannot work together to address the state’s existing $500 million deficit, how can we hope to pass a responsible, balanced budget for next year and head off the $11.4 billion deficit projected over the next three years?  Democrats and Republicans must come together to resolve Connecticut’s ongoing, dangerous, fiscal crisis. At least half of the details included in our various plans are the same. Let’s agree to meet on common ground, and build from there.
 
Our state has lost 101,000 jobs between January of last year and January of this year. Unemployment is at 9.1 percent; the last time it was this high was 1976. State government is the largest employer in Connecticut, and our state workers are among the highest paid government employees in the nation. It should be noted that for every one dollar in private pay and benefits a private employee earned, a state or local government worker received one dollar and forty-five cents and that salaries were 30% and benefits 70% higher than private workers were. (Wall Street Journal, March 26, 2010.)

The bottom line is that Connecticut citizens are calling for immediate responsible action, but too many legislators are not listening. So let me repeat what you have been writing to me. You are saying you want an end to tax increases.  You want the state to cut spending!  You want the legislature to pass a deficit mitigation plan and a new state budget that does not further burden taxpayers and cost Connecticut more private sector jobs.

It is my fervent hope to report soon that Hartford has heard you, that common sense has returned to Connecticut and that taxpayers can look forward to better times ahead.

No Way To Run A Business, A Household, Or The State Of Connecticut
By State Senator Toni Boucher
December 16, 2009

     Rarely has Connecticut's legislature convened as many times as it has this year just to discuss the state budget.  Here's what happened at our eighth budget session: The legislators who control 70 percent of the vote, the budget process, and the legislative agenda walked into the State Capitol, opened the session, banged the gavel, and left without doing anything to address our dire fiscal situation. I was incredulous.

 
Despite the majority's passage of a "balanced budget", our state still has a substantial deficit
 
     The General Assembly’s majority legislators continue to put their heads in the sand and pretend that somehow, some way, the state’s ongoing fiscal crisis will just go away. Rather than heed Governor M. Jodi Rell’s call for a special session to address our $466.5 million deficit, they chose to ignore the flood tide of red ink drowning our state.

     It seems to me that the strategy at the State Capitol is to keep state employment, wages, and benefits high and immune to any meaningful cuts, while turning a deaf ear to the massive layoffs, wage cuts, house foreclosures, and business closings that have become commonplace in the private sector. The legislature’s continued resistance to taking meaningful action simply prolongs the state’s fiscal problems and greatly lessens our chances for a robust recovery.

     Governor Rell’s response to the Democrats’ lack of decision-making ability was right on target and reflected what so many Republican legislators have been predicting for the past year. Three months ago, I voted against the budget that is now in deficit because, rather than shrink state government, it called for spending even more than last year, raising taxes and fees, borrowing, draining the Raining Day Fund, and using one-time revenues to cover operating expenses. As I anticipated, passing this budget put our towns and cities in a precarious situation and further threatened our already beleaguered state economy. It now looks like the majority will propose further raising taxes, and perhaps even more borrowing, to close the deficit.

     As Governor Rell said in response to legislative leaders’ recent refusal to heed her call to hold a special deficit mitigation session: “The new taxes and fee increases contained in the current budget are not generating the levels of revenue they were predicted to bring in, so why would even higher taxes be the answer now? And, the payments on the debt we are incurring will add to the burden on future generations. If we borrow more, we jeopardize our credit rating, making it more expensive to pay for important projects in the future. In fact, the state Treasurer estimates a lowered bond rating could cost the state as much as $80 million a year.”

     To underscore the Governor’s concerns, Moody’s and Fitch’s investor services have already revised their outlook on Connecticut’s general obligation bonds from stable to negative. This clearly reflects the legislative majority’s lack of political will to cut spending in the face of declining revenues – unlike nearly every other state legislature.

     This is no way to run a business, household, or our state. The citizens of Connecticut do not deserve this, and neither do the municipal government leaders who have already set their budgets for the year. This recession has forced so many families, businesses, non-profit organizations, and others in Connecticut to do more with a lot less. Those in Hartford, who are insulated from the reality of what is happening, do not understand that in economic crises, many small business owners go without pay, put their families at risk and sacrifice, so that their businesses and employees can survive. They have the right to expect their state government to do the same.  So far, they have been sorely disappointed.
A Connecticut Worth Fighting For
August 10, 2009

Concerned citizens ask if we finally have a state budget deal. My answer is no. I remind them that, although the Governor proposes a budget, it is the legislature's responsibility to enact it. The Democratic majority's most recently proposed budget calls for significant tax increases that are not acceptable to the Governor or to Republican legislators. Negotiations continue.

Even with a veto-proof majority, the Democrats have not yet been able to secure enough votes to pass a budget. This puts the state at risk for having its bond rating downgraded, and increases the likelihood we will be forced to drain the Rainy Day Fund to retire last year's $1 billion deficit. Downgrading the state's bond rating means it will cost more to borrow money. Spending the Rainy Day Fund now means we won't have that money to offset our projected two-year $8 billion deficit.

What is most appalling is that Connecticut is now the last state without a budget. Even California has finally acted, responding to their fiscal problems by reducing government spending to 2005 levels. Here in Connecticut, Republican legislators have offered budget proposals to push government spending back to 2007 levels. We Republicans believe that the responsible thing to do is reinvent state government so that it is smaller, less expensive, and more efficient. Our budget proposals reflect that goal, which we can achieve by controlling both taxes and spending.

From my point of view, the Democrats seem more concerned about protecting state employees than about stemming the loss of private sector jobs. This attitude will not help revitalize our economy. A leader in analysis and forecasting, IHS Global Insight, predicts that Connecticut will join Michigan, Ohio and Indiana in being among the last states to emerge from the recession sometime after 2015.

Employers do not need professional research to tell them how Connecticut's current fiscal climate is affecting them. Recently, I met with an employer of seven who told me that when the legislature's Democratic leaders talk about wanting to tax the wealthy, they are talking about him. Also, I heard from the executive director of one of the nation's largest associations of investment companies who is wondering if relocating from Fairfield County to New Hampshire, where there is no state income or estate taxes, might be in his members' best interest.

Raising taxes on the so-called wealthy is tantamount to chasing employers out of state. Driving out the wealthy creates a domino effect. The businesses they operate will close, leaving their employees without jobs. Unemployed people do not buy cars, eat at restaurants, or shop for new clothes leading to more failed businesses.

The state budget we pass now will determine the quality of life in Connecticut for years to come.  The incentive to create and excel once propelled our state to prosperity and made Connecticut the land of innovation, home of Yankee ingenuity. That is the Connecticut worth fighting for.

Wearing red shoes, (not in photo) Senator Boucher in white coat and blue top; First Selectman Woody Bliss (l.)
and Acting Commissioner Amey Marella of CTDEP (r.) at Sherwood Island Nature Center official ribbon cutting ceremony!

 Testimony of Senator Toni Boucher In Support of Proposed Senate Bill 3, An Act Redefining Terms Concerning The Spending Cap and Proposed House Bill 5073, An Act Concerning The Constitutional Spending Cap.
March 5, 2010

Chairwoman Harp, Chairman Geragosian, Ranking Member Debicella, Ranking Member Minor and other distinguished members of the Appropriations Committee, today I testify in support of Proposed Senate Bill 3, An Act Redefining Terms Concerning The Spending Cap and Proposed House Bill 5073, An Act Concerning The Constitutional Spending Cap.
                                 
Almost 18 years ago the residents of Connecticut spoke clearly and overwhelmingly when they ratified an amendment to our state Constitution establishing a cap on state government spending. Unfortunately, the Legislature has not done its job by properly implementing this constitutional amendment. In order for the constitutional cap on spending to be fully implemented the General Assembly must vote by a three-fifths majority to approve the definitions of the cap.

The spending cap is designed to control the growth of state spending to the level of growth in either personal income or inflation. Thus, government spending will grow at the same rate as the economy and, more importantly, at a rate the taxpayers can afford. For the last 18 years, the legislature has been operating under a statutory spending cap, a good measure, but one that does not carry the weight of a fully implemented constitutional amendment. In fact, the legislature has often ignored this statutory cap and voted to exceed this cap for various purposes. This was not the will of the voters then or now.

Article Third, Section 18 of the Constitution of the State of Connecticut clearly states that enactment of the spending cap would require a three-fifths vote on the definition of three terms. Those terms are “increase in personal income,” “increase in inflation,” and “general budget expenditures.” This action by the General Assembly has never occurred.

During the 1991 budget crisis, the legislature established a state Personal Income Tax. To assuage fears that a new income tax would lead to out of control spending the income tax was enacted with the caveat that a permanent spending cap would be put in place to prevent government from irresponsibly increasing taxes. This pledge, I believe, has been broken again and again and the will of the voters, over 80 percent of our citizens who voted for the cap has been disregarded.  It is possible that, if the legislature had enacted the constitutional spending cap when required, our spending would be more in-line with the state’s flat employment and population growth.  Instead, we now have a structural deficit that is unsustainable.   

The General Assembly can no longer afford to ignore the will of people, and the time to fully implement the constitutional cap is now. The public outcry on excessive spending at all levels of government is unprecedented.  Our citizens expect, and even demand, that we address this critical issue to ensure that the welfare of future generations will not be compromised.   

Proposed Senate Bill 3 and Proposed House Bill 5073 include the language necessary to make this happen. I hope we can move forward with these proposals and fully implement Connecticut’s constitutional spending cap. Thank you for your consideration of these measures

Sincerely,

Toni Boucher
State Senator

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you would like to weigh in on this important issue, you may contact the co-chairs of the General Assembly’s Appropriations Committee:

Senator Toni Harp (D-10) at 1-800-842-1420 or Harp@senatedems.ct.gov 
Representative John Geragosian (D-25) at 1.800.842.8267 or John.Geragosian@cga.ct.gov

As always, please feel free to contact me at my legislative office at 1-800-842-1421 or via e-mail to Toni.Boucher@cga.ct.gov.

Democratic Majority’s State Budget Plan Moves Connecticut in the Wrong Direction
By Senator Toni Boucher
June 30, 2009

When she announced she would veto the budget passed last Friday by the General Assembly's Democratic majority, Governor M. Jodi Rell called it "exactly the wrong budget at exactly the wrong time".  She was right.  Instead of helping families and businesses survive during these tough times and positioning the state to prosper in the future, this budget sets the stage for further deficits and steers Connecticut down a path that will make it increasingly uncompetitive.

Although the Governor and the Republican minority introduced several budget proposals this year, the Democratic majority, which commands enough votes to pass a budget at any time, could not produce a budget its members would support during the General Assembly's regular session.  The Democratic majority introduced last week's budget nearly a month after the session's end.  Despite the extra time, it is unbalanced, unaffordable, and does not clearly explain how the state will close its gaping deficit. As a matter of fact, information provided by the legislature’s nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis indicates that this two-year budget is likely to be in deficit by $263 million.

Sadly, the centerpiece of the Democratic majority’s budget plan is tax increases – tax increases on the so-called wealthy, a 25% tax increase on businesses, 30% increase on estate taxes, along with a variety of other tax and fee increases that would result in higher costs for everyone living and doing business in our state. Furthermore, as Governor Rell explained in expressing her decision to veto it, the so-called savings and cuts proposed in this budget are “largely unachievable”. And, finally, this budget does not include transportation funding – a significant part of any state budget.
              
The majority’s budget was so inadequate that its leaders knew they could not rally enough votes among their own members to overturn a veto. Why did they waste everyone's time with special session days that cost taxpayers $11,000 a shot? 

With a looming deficit of more than $8 billion, this is no time to play politics.  It is time to be responsible and look to our future. We still have a golden opportunity to move in the right direction – to reshape and reduce the size of state government.

The State of Maine has done just that - abolished its graduated tax structure and replaced it with a flat rate for nearly everyone. Also, the State of Main cut government spending in order to promote growth, and attract jobs.  The state’s Democratic Governor was asked how he withstood the outcry of giving tax cuts for the rich, and he replied that: "Without employers, you don't have employees,” adding that "The best social services program is a job."

The State of Maryland, on the other hand, introduced a millionaires' tax last year, and the number of residents with more than $1 million in taxable income who filed taxes fell by one-third.
   
We must not bite the hand that feeds us.  We cannot continue to drive away the people and businesses that are the backbone of our state's economy.  If we hold the line on spending now, and spare our taxpayers the pain of further sacrifices they cannot afford, we can position Connecticut to move forward when the economy improves.  We can still move in the right direction.  The opportunity is there.  Squandering it is not an option.

R E A D Y ,   S E T   G O ! ! !
The Long Session is getting going and our new Senator is hard at work for you!  Selected releases from Sen. Boucher below.
Senator Boucher's bills here!  And while she's at it, her actions on some others...

Senate approves 'block the box' bill.  Law would allow police to ticket drivers who stop in intersections
Stamford ADVOCATE
By Brian Lockhart, Staff Writer
Posted: 05/23/2009 10:33:10 PM EDT
Updated: 05/24/2009 12:32:06 AM EDT

HARTFORD -- A bill aimed at allowing police in cities such as Stamford and Norwalk to fine motorists who stop in intersections, "blocking the box," cleared the state Senate last week.

But an amendment could lead the House of Representatives to scuttle the legislation.

Submitted by Stamford lawmakers at the request of the city's Board of Representatives, the bill would let municipalities adopt ordinances that would empower police officers to issue citations to drivers who attempt to squeeze through a green light and wind up blocking oncoming traffic.

Any municipality can implement the policy now, but state law currently does not allow police to penalize drivers.  With fines and fees combined, drivers could wind up paying $100 to $300.  Tractor-trailers and cars entering an intersection to make a turn would be excluded.  The legislation is modeled after "don't block the box" laws in New York City.  State Sen. Gary LeBeau, D-East Hartford, said during Thursday's debate of the bill that he has seen motorists impede traffic as they try to make a green light.

"Everybody's looking out for themselves," LeBeau said.

But other supporters -- including state Sens. Antonietta "Toni" Boucher, R-Wilton, and Kevin Witkos, R-Canton -- urged that the bill be amended.

As submitted, the legislation applied to municipalities with more than 50,000 residents.

Witkos, a police sergeant, said the proposal would be a good tool for police but said there are busy intersections in smaller cities and towns where it could be applied.  Boucher agreed, saying she would like to see the law, if passed, adopted in towns within her district, which are along the congested Route 7.  State Sen. Andrew McDonald, D-Stamford, a sponsor of the bill, said that in previous years, the bill was defeated in the House of Representatives because it included all cities and towns.

"I think Sen. Witkos is correct. It could be useful for smaller towns with large traffic volume," McDonald told his colleagues. "But that was the basis of this legislation being defeated last time."

Ultimately, the legislation was successfully amended, and the bill was unanimously passed by the Senate and went to the House.  Witkos and Boucher, both former members of the House of Representatives, said they would seek to lobby their former colleagues to ensure the bill is passed and sent to Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell for her signature.


Read the official report from the CPTC here...

Commuters call for action, not more studies
Norwalk HOUR
By ROBERT KOCH
Posted on 05/19/2009

Commuters, their advocates and elected officials told the Connecticut Public Transportation Commission at Norwalk City Hall on Tuesday night to speed along commuter rail improvement projects and other alternatives to automobiles.

"We need a sense of enormous emergency. We don't have 10 years," said Harold E. Clark, a Wilton resident. "Provide public transportation. I don't care if it's more buses, until you can build the trains."

Michael Perrella, also of Wilton, said he has seen incremental improvement in train service but added, "in real terms, very little has been done."

The comments came after Peter A. Richter of the state Department of Transportation gave an update on the State Rail Plan, which will lay out rail policy, priorities and strategies to channel state and federal funding.

"You're going to see this railroad get ... better," said Richter, who pointed to improvements while acknowledging their slow pace.

"Continue to hammer away," said Thomas A. Cheeseman, transportation commission chairman. "Something will get done."

About three dozen people attended the hearing, including state Sen. Toni Boucher, R-26; Weston First Selectman Woody Bliss; and Wilton First Selectman William F. Brennan, who complimented the DOT for widening Route 7.

"Unfortunately, I cannot say the same things about the rail line and some of their facilities. The Wilton train station has been locked up tight for over three and a half years," Brennan said. "Get this train station open."

Boucher said upgrading the Norwalk-Danbury line has been her priority and is now advancing after being ignored for years.

Jim Cameron, Connecticut Metro North Commuter Rail Council chairman, said he's pleased that more than 300 new rail cars are slated for delivery. But he added that nothing has been done to boost parking at train stations. Cameron took aim at the state Transportation Strategy Board and asked the transportation commission to be more aggressive.

"Something has to come out of this other than a written report that doesn't get acted on," Cameron said. "Take what you hear tonight, put it in front of Gov. Rell."

Tuesday night's hearing was one of seven such hearings the transportation commission will hold this year prior to submitting its annual report to Gov. M. Jodi Rell, the DOT and the General Assembly's Transportation Committee.

"It is very important that what you say here doesn't disappear into this room," said Gail Lavielle, transportation commission member from Wilton. "We will be following up."

Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi pleaded with the transportation commission to speed DOT projects.

"The DOT has lost its credibility with the taxpayers. We have no faith with the DOT's projects," Marconi said. "When are we going to see something happen?"

Senator Boucher Says “No” To Proposed Legislation; That Would Stop Grass-Roots Efforts To Ban Plastic Bags
April 28, 2009
 
Senator Toni Boucher (R-26) said she will continue to fight proposed legislation that would prevent municipalities from banning the local use of paper and plastic shopping bags, while at the same time taxing those who choose to use disposable bags.

“Passing this legislation, House Bill 5215, An Act Promoting Reusable Shopping Bags, would move the state backwards. Westport already has a ban on plastic bags, and the four members of the Westport Representative Town Meeting who led the fight for this local ban received the 2009 EPA Environmental Merit Award. Yet, we are seriously considering legislation that would prevent all other towns from doing the same, and calling it a good thing for the environment,” said Senator Boucher, adding that the proposed legislation would not affect the existing Westport ordinance banning plastic bags.

The proposed legislation has been approved by the General Assembly’s Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee by a narrow margin of 28-22, and is now subject to further legislative action. Before voting against the bill as a member of the committee, Senator Boucher tried, unsuccessfully, to amend it to restore the right of local communities to impose their own bans on plastic and paper bags.

In addition to forbidding towns to regulate the local use of plastic and paper bags beginning in October, the proposed legislation requires retailers, other than restaurants, to charge shoppers five cents per disposable bag beginning January 1, 2010. A portion of the proceeds would be used for one-time grants to municipalities to promote recycling programs...full story here.

“Is this bill intended to promote green behavior, or is it just another way for the state to raise money? Charging five cents for each paper and plastic bag is not enough to change individual behavior, but it would certainly burden retailers with expensive oversight and administrative costs, infringe on home rule and impose a regressive tax that could really hurt people who are already struggling to pay for food,” said Senator Boucher.

Senator Boucher said she knows of several other communities that have expressed an interest in imposing an outright ban on disposable shopping bags, including Ridgefield, Fairfield, Wilton, Darien, East Haddam and Windham.

“People all across our state understand the issue, and are willing to do their part to protect the environment by giving up the convenience of plastic and paper shopping bags. That is why so many retailers, without any prodding from the state, already make reusable shopping bags available to their customers. And, that is why there is an active grass-roots efforts in so many towns to follow Westport’s good example and impose their own bans on disposable shopping bags,” said Senator Boucher.

“This proposed legislation is misguided at best, and potentially very harmful. I will do everything I can to convince my colleagues in the General Assembly to defeat it,” added Senator Boucher.
 
Does Light Rail Make Sense For Connecticut?
By State Senator Toni Boucher
April 23, 2009

In a rare moment outside the halls of the Capitol building, I was provided an opportunity to experience a relatively new light rail system during a recent business trip to Charlotte, North Carolina.

For those of you who have not experienced this type of transportation, light rail is a continuously running electric railway system that takes advantage of rails at street level, underground and overhead. While visiting Charlotte, I paid $3 to take the 14 mile light rail round trip between the suburbs and downtown. These trains make frequent stops at the convention center, basketball arena, hotels, and retail and corporate centers. This smart, clean and convenient ride is extremely popular, and the voters overwhelmingly approved the plans now underway to double the size and reach of their light rail system.

I am cautiously optimistic about the potential benefits of developing light rail in Connecticut. As the sponsor of proposed legislation calling for the State Department of Transportation to determine which regions of our state could benefit from light rail service, it was valuable to see a successful operation in action. According to Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Joseph Marie, this type of mass transit is successful in other states and a feasibility study may show Stamford to be a good candidate for light rail service because of its high density and traffic volume.

A thorough study would include a look at successful light rail systems like the one in Charlotte to determine what aspects of these successful systems would work well in Connecticut. Before making a huge financial commitment to light rail anywhere in our state, we need a great deal of information, including whether it would appeal to commuters and if such a mass transit system would promote economic growth.

We can draw certain parallels between our areas. Charlotte is the epicenter of American banking, home to Bank of America, Wachovia and Wells Fargo. Business and government leaders in Charlotte are working hard to diversify from the finance sector into biotechnology, healthcare, energy and logistics. Here in Connecticut, our state’s dismal fiscal situation and government budget deficit can be linked to a lack of economic diversification, punitive tax policies, and unbridled state spending. Like Charlotte, Connecticut must take a close look at what we do right, and what we do wrong, with an eye to reinventing state government to promote strong economic growth.

As an added benefit, the Charlotte light rail system has encouraged smart land use policies. For example, high quality development has sprung up near the new stations established to accommodate light rail commuters. Could developing light rail in certain, carefully chosen, regions of Connecticut promote diverse economic growth here? A well designed feasibility study could answer that question, and provide other information we need in order to proceed intelligently. Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Marie told legislators he has seen 17 out of 18 light rail systems succeed throughout the nation. In his experience, density is the number one issue and a study may show Stamford to have the right attributes for success.

Connecticut cannot presently afford to make a huge financial commitment to light rail. However, our state will eventually emerge from this recession, and it is in our best interests to spend this time looking into how we can promote economic growth when the time is right. Regardless of what form it takes, faster, more convenient, and environmentally-friendly mass transit will play a key role in the future success of our state. Light rail may be an option worth exploring.

Sen. Boucher Supports Funding For Local Train Station Improvements:  Wilton & Cannondale Station Upgrades Included In Proposed Legislation     
April 17, 2009

Senator Toni Boucher (R-26) recently voted as a member of the Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee in favor of legislation that includes funding for improvements to the Wilton and Cannondale train stations.

The proposed legislation includes $150,000 that would be used for upgrades to the   Wilton Train Station and the Cannondale Train Station. Senate Bill 834, An Act Concerning The Authorization Of Special Tax Obligation Bonds Of The State For Certain Transportation Purposes, is now subject to further legislative action.

 “I am a strong advocate for mass transit, and for making necessary improvements and upgrades to our train stations. Approving this funding for upgrades to the Wilton and Cannondale train stations would be an excellent investment in our ongoing efforts to encourage train ridership. Commuters would certainly appreciate the improvements,” said Senator Boucher, who also serves as the leading Republican Senator, Ranking Member, of the Transportation Committee.

Senator Boucher expressed gratitude to the co-chairs and ranking members of the Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee and Transportation Committee for working with her to include funding for improvements to these two train stations in this proposed bonding bill.

 “I submitted legislation to the Transportation Committee earlier this year calling for much needed improvements to the Wilton and Cannondale Train Stations and, as a result, the funding was included in this bonding bill. Right now, one of the stations has a long platform with absolutely no seating, and the other desperately needs some fixing,” said Senator Boucher.

Senator Boucher said that, even during tough economic times, the state should make an effort to keep the train stations in good repair.

 “Even small improvements go a long way to creating a commuter-friendly experience for those making the often difficult trip to work, are greatly appreciated,” said Senator Boucher.  

Senator Boucher Supports Proposed Legislation To Expand General Assembly’s Economic Forecasting Efforts
March 20, 2009
 
Senator Toni Boucher (R-26) recently called on the Appropriations Committee to support proposed legislation that would expand the role of the General Assembly’s nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis (OFA) in projecting the long-term fiscal impact of state government spending and taxing.

Senator Boucher submitted testimony to the committee in support of Senate Bill 49, An Act Concerning An Annual Summary Of The Long-Term Fiscal Condition Of The State.

“In light of our state’s current economic situation, new policies must be implemented to better educate and inform our state legislators in an effort to craft better economic policy which recreates an environment where businesses can grow and families can prosper. This report would give a three-year look back on Connecticut’s fiscal climate and a five year forward looking view of the state’s economic trends and prospects. This information is critical as we face a severe budget gap in each of the next three years. The General Assembly must expand its analysis and vision to comprehend where Connecticut has been and where it is going, both economically and on a budgetary basis,” said Senator Boucher, a member of the legislature’s Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee.

Senator Boucher noted that both the state’s Office of Policy and Management (OPM) and OFA currently submit budgetary information each year to the Finance, Revenue & Bonding and Appropriations committees. Under SB 49, more information would be made available to the entire General Assembly.

Senator Boucher said the proposed legislation would require OFA to submit annual reports that include: a summary of the state’s financial climate; information on state expenditures and revenues over the previous three fiscal years; projected expenditures and revenues for the upcoming fiscal years; information regarding specific tax and economic trends in the state and region; data on the largest cost drivers within the state budget; and growth of long-term state debt, including bonding and unfunded pensions.

“Passing this bill would provide the General Assembly with a valuable tool for developing future legislation and state policies for revitalizing Connecticut’s economy,” said Senator Boucher.

The primary sponsor of the proposed legislation is Senator L. Scott Frantz (R-36). 


Senator Boucher Applauds Fairfield County Support For Proposed Improvement Of Norwalk/Danbury Train Line
 
Senator Toni Boucher (R-26) applauded the show of regional support before the General Assembly’s Transportation Committee for her proposed legislation to make improvements to the Norwalk/Danbury Train Line.

Senator Boucher’s proposed legislation, SB 425, An Act Concerning The Improvement Of The Norwalk/Danbury Train, was a subject of a recent public hearing. Senator Boucher is the leading Republican Senator, or ranking member, of the Transportation Committee.

“As a long time advocate for the Norwalk/Danbury train line, I found it extremely important and timely to have so many leaders and organizations from our region stand up and speak out in favor of making necessary improvements. Their overwhelming support for implementing the recommendations of the Norwalk/Danbury Branch Line Improvement Plan is critical and will go a long way in convincing the state to continue its investment in improving mass transit in Fairfield County. Their abundant support was noted by the entire committee and by the DOT. I thank all who took the time to make the long journey to Hartford to testify, or submit written testimony, and assure them that I will continue working with my legislative colleagues to move this important initiative forward,” said Senator Boucher.

Those who expressed support for the proposed legislation include: Weston First Selectman Woody Bliss who also chairs the South Western Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (SWRMPO); Wilton First Selectman William F. Brennan, member of SWRMPO; Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi; Gail Lavielle of Wilton and member of the Connecticut Public Transportation Commission; Tim Beeble of Bethel; Jonathan Chew, Executive Director of Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials; and Molly McKay, CT Sierra Club Transportation Committee Chair, and Martin Mador, CT Sierra Club Legislative Chair.
Senator Boucher said that much of the testimony in favor of her proposed legislation pointed out the need to complete the CTC signal upgrade, which is the key to making other necessary improvements. She said that supporters of her proposed legislation agreed that making additional, necessary, improvements to the train line must be the focus of the state Department of Transportation. Also, she said there was much support for extending the train line to New Milford and, eventually, electrification of the train line.

“Decades of regional and state long range transportation plans and studies have led to implementation of some projects that improve highway operations and safety in the Route 7 corridor. On the rail side, little progress has been made. Even though the regional long range transportation plans of the South Western Region and the Housatonic Valley Region have designated Danbury Branch Line improvements as a priority, few improvements have been implemented,” said Weston First Selectman and SWRMPO Chair Woody Bliss.

“First, there is good news. The Route 7 widening project in Wilton will be fully completed in approximately one year. This is offset by the not-so-good news that rail improvements to the Danbury Branch have not progressed beyond maintenance activities. Needed infrastructure and state upgrades are long overdue . . . Improvements to the Danbury Branch centralized traffic control (CTC) system have made little progress for more than a decade. This is an essential safety and operations project that will upgrade the manual block traffic control system to a safety-compliant and state of the art system,” said Wilton First Selectman William F. Brennan.

“This is perhaps the most difficult year for budgeting in recent memory, and I am not envious of what lies ahead for all of you. There will be some very difficult decisions we all need to make both here at the state level and for all CEOs at the local level. Unquestionably, there will be programs and projects that will not be supported. But when you consider this bill, SB 425, I ask that you keep in mind one very important consideration. When the dust has settled and the air clears and we have begun our upward climb out of this severe recession, we must be sure that our actions now result in projects that will advance our state and regions to be more efficient, environmentally sensitive, and proactive in leading Connecticut into the future. SB 425 begins this journey,” said Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi.

Gail Lavielle of Wilton, testifying as a private citizen and former commuter and not as a member of the Connecticut Public Transportation Commission, said that a recent increase in train service improvements to the Wilton train stations and initial funding for a new centralized traffic control system augurs well for the branch line, but more improvements are needed.

“Western Connecticut is one of our state’s key economic engines, and mass transit is necessary to keep it going. Businesses can’t run and families can’t survive if people can’t get to work. Connecticut needs its people in this part of the state to stay in Connecticut and to contribute to its economy. But they must have conditions that allow them to thrive: efficient mass transit, less congested roadways, and property values that are enhanced by easy access to major metropolitan areas.” said Gail Lavielle.

“Please support SB 425 directing the state Department of Transportation to implement the recommendations of the Norwalk/Danbury Branch Line Improvement Plan, including electrification. Currently diesel locomotives pull the trains up and down the line. Electrification would reduce air and noise pollution, as well as substantially increase the speed of the trains,” said Tim Beeble.

“Greater Danbury’s growth is fueled by the fact that it is a rapidly growing commuter shed for the Norwalk and Stamford areas. Many Stamford workers have sought housing in Greater Danbury, way out of proportion to population growth rates in Greater Danbury. This market is key for north to south rail passenger service,” said Jonathan Chew, Executive Director of the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials.

“Transportation needs to be planned as a system, not separate, competing modes. We have over invested in roads for so many decades that in order to integrate highways, rails, buses, bicycles, air travel and walking, we need to greatly expand our funding for rail and transit and use highway money to fix what we have built because it is crumbling,” said Molly McKay and Martin Mador, officials of the CT Sierra Club.

Boucher Seeks Reform of State Affordable Housing Law
WestportNow
February 18, 2009

Senator Toni Boucher (R-26) today asked the General Assembly’s Housing Committee to support her legislative proposals to give municipalities more control over their efforts to provide affordable housing, and to credit towns and cities for the affordable housing they already provide.
Toni Boucher: “Clearly, we need to make some changes.” Contributed photo

“The state’s affordable housing law is responsible for historic changes in how the courts review municipal zoning decisions concerning affordable housing,” she said. “Since its enactment, many affordable dwellings have been created. However, some bad practices and unintended consequences have also occurred.”

Boucher said developers can use the law to essentially override municipal planning and zoning laws if less than 10 percent of a town’s housing stock is deemed affordable.

“Developers can appeal a denial by the local authorities to the courts and, unfortunately, many use the law as a way to build costly dense housing wherever they want, without regard to the local development plan.” she said.

Boucher said numerous environmental groups and municipal planning and zoning commissions in her district, which includes Westport, had contacted her to support her affordable housing proposals.

“Clearly, we need to make some changes,” she said.

Boucher said under proposed SB 206, An Act Concerning Moratoriums On Affordable Housing Applications, the existing affordable housing law would be amended to award one-housing equivalent point to elderly housing units, and to use local median income in designating local housing as affordable under state law.

Under SB 208, An Act Concerning The Determination Of The Number Of Affordable Housing Units In A Municipality, municipalities could include existing affordable apartments and accessory apartments to meet the state threshold for affordable housing units.

“Crediting municipalities for the affordable dwellings they already have would give them more control future building, allowing local officials to make sure that construction conforms to the plan of development,” Boucher said.

“Many communities have made great progress in meeting the high demand for affordable elderly housing, and their efforts have made it possible for low-income seniors to stay in the towns where they raised their families and contributed their time and money. These towns’ efforts ought to be taken into account when calculating their contribution to the state’s affordable housing stock.”

In addition, Boucher is a co-sponsor of HB 5597, An Act Concerning An Application For Affordable Housing Developments, which she said calls for “financial compensation to be given to towns for traffic mitigation plans needed as a result of the dense development adding to traffic congestion.“

She said that the Westport Planning and Zoning Commission, along with other towns in the 26th Senatorial District, submitted testimony in support of the three bills.

Boucher said that testimony submitted by the Westport Planning & Zoning Commission is representative of the experience of many area communities.

That testimony stated: “In Westport, any attempt through planning to require affordable and market rate units in the same project to be comparable in size and/or quality of construction is virtually impossible.  To be able to rent or sell the affordable units based on income as a percentage of the area median income would help allow comparable units to be built, a goal of this commission.”

Boucher said she agreed and that she testified before the Housing Committee to support both her own legislative proposals and the need for reform as expressed by local officials in her district.

“The rules under which affordable housing is developed have to be fair to everyone involved, residents who need the housing, developers who provide it, and the communities in which it is located,” she said.

“The General Assembly has an opportunity this year to pass legislation that would responsible address these issues. I look forward to working with my legislative colleagues in a bipartisan manner to pass such legislation.”


Tough Times Call for Tough Measures
February 10, 2009
By State Senator Toni Boucher (R-26)

Governor M. Jodi Rell is calling for a $38.4 billion two-year state budget that aggressively addresses the state’s dire fiscal problems and positions the state for a speedy recovery when the recession ends. Clearly, she has been paying close attention to what our beleaguered municipal officials, taxpayers and small business owners have been saying.

First, the Governor’s budget proposal does not call for tax increases – and maintains existing funding levels for towns. This is important because reducing state aid to municipalities could lead to local property tax increases. Secondly, Governor Rell is calling for streamlining government to make it more effective, efficient and affordable for the taxpayers who support it.  

Governor Rell understands that the challenges posed by our current fiscal problems present state government with a rare opportunity to make changes designed to benefit taxpayers far into the future. The Governor is offering a budget plan that calls for no spending increases next year. Her plan also calls for eliminating and consolidating state agencies and commissions; cancelling a significant amount of pending state bonding; seeking concessions from state employee unions; eliminating many existing and vacant state employee positions; and creating an office to detect and abolish waste, fraud and abuse throughout state government.  

The Governor is looking to the future by calling for the merger of the state’s vo-tech and community college systems to create a Middle College System that would help students bridge the gap between high school and higher education. She is responding to employment needs by calling for the creation of a Connecticut Conservation Corps to provide work to the newly unemployed, and maintain our public parks, trails and beaches at the same time.   

The needs of our cities and towns are prominently featured in Governor Rell’s budget proposal. For example, she wants to provide financial incentives to towns that voluntarily regionalize services and purchases when doing so is feasible. She is proposing to suspend binding arbitration for two years, and restrict the binding arbitration process to cover only wages and benefits, not other workplace issues.  

More importantly, Governor Rell is responding to local government officials’ desperate pleas for relief from unfunded state mandates. Her proposed budget includes a provision requiring a two-thirds vote to impose any new expensive mandates. Furthermore, she wants to delay the implementation of two costly mandates – requiring in-school suspension and treating 16- and 17-year old violent offenders as juveniles.  

No doubt, many aspects of Governor Rell’s budget proposal are viewed by some as controversial and will certainly generate a great deal of vigorous debate. As a member of the General Assembly’s Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee, I am looking forward to the opportunity to work with fellow legislators in a bipartisan manner to do what is best for our state.  

It is clear that Governor Rell is responding to the public’s call for austerity and accountability. Like her, I believe that these tough times call for the courage to make the tough decisions that will keep our state moving forward.
The Hard, Cold Fact About Connecticut’s State Budget
By Senator Toni Boucher
February 3, 2009

The facts about Connecticut’s state budget situation reflect a reality that some are still reluctant to accept.

The legislature’s nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis (OFA) released updated figures projecting the deficit for this fiscal year at $1.35 billion, at $3.97 billion for Fiscal Year 2010, and at $4.71 billion for Fiscal Year 2011. That translates to 7.9 % of the state’s general fund budget for this fiscal year, 21.4 % for the next fiscal year, and 24.2 % the following fiscal year. Keep in mind that there is only $1.38 billion in the state’s Rainy Day Fund.

The situation is dire and unlikely to improve in the near future. According to OFA, our tax revenues for this year are falling short: personal income tax revenues by $1 billion; sales and use tax by $368 million; corporation tax by $207 million; real estate conveyance tax by $109 million; gross receipts tax from oil companies by $63 million; and casino revenues by $74 million.

Clearly the General Assembly has to get serious about addressing our state government’s fiscal problems.

So far, I am not convinced that Democrat majority leadership – which controls both chambers of the legislature by a veto proof margin – understands the need to make painful, politically unpopular decisions. In mid January, the legislature adopted a mitigation plan that reduces our budget deficit by only $124 million. Not only is this not good enough, it actually includes additional funding for contributions to a healthcare plan for employees of a business that won the low bid on a state contract. I opposed this on the Senate floor as a questionable, expensive precedent that does not recognize the state’s fiscal crisis. Check to see how your legislators voted.

The fact is that Connecticut’s households and businesses are far ahead of the General Assembly in terms of recognizing the state’s fiscal problems. Our state has a 7.1 percent unemployment rate. Connecticut lost a total of 21,300 jobs last November and December. Businesses are closing. Most towns are scrutinizing every line item in their budgets for cutbacks and asking the state for relief from unfunded mandates.

My constituents understand the situation, including one whose business recently laid off two valued employees, froze the salaries of the workers left, and required senior management to take a 35-50 percent salary cut. Sad stories like this are all too common, and many of us fear that things are going to get much worse before they get better.

As I write this, Governor Rell is preparing to give her budget address to the General Assembly. Certainly, her budget proposal will call for sacrifices beyond what any of us wants to contemplate.

I want to assure you that I stand firm with those who are serious about solving our fiscal problems. When the legislature met in January to adopt a budget deficit mitigation plan, some of us proposed cutting the salaries and benefits of legislators and state officials. It is important to demonstrate that we are willing to join our constituents in making the sacrifices that will be demanded of all of us. Sadly, this proposal was rejected.

It could be that too many members of the General Assembly are still in denial about the dismal state of Connecticut’s economy and feel that in just a few short months there will be a reversal. Various committee chairs are looking at raising fees and eliminating certain tax exemptions. One so-called cost savings proposal being offered calls for decriminalizing the possession of small of amounts of marijuana by requiring offenders to just pay a fine as a revenue source. At best, that is an irresponsible unhealthy suggestion that I will certainly oppose if it ever comes to a vote.

As a member of the General Assembly’s Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee, I expect to be very involved in the debates that will ensue. I welcome the opportunity to hear your ideas and urge you to contact me at my legislative office in Hartford at 1-800-842-1421 or via e-mail to Toni.Boucher@cga.ct.gov.  


Some Westonites (not in the 26th District) commute from Georgetown...
Past, Present and Future of Danbury Branch Line
By State Senator Toni Boucher
January 29, 2009

Good news from the new Commissioner of Transportation, Joseph Marie, for our Norwalk to Danbury train line is shining a bright light through the thick haze of the grim economic headlines that confront us daily. Those of us who have fought so long to ensure that a revitalized Norwalk/ Danbury Branch Line is a key component of Connecticut’s mass transit system are greatly encouraged by his and Governor Rell’s most recent efforts to upgrade our historic train line.

Just last month, the State Bond Commission authorized $2.5 million to design a centralized traffic control system. This vital appropriation was followed earlier this month by the federal government’s commitment to Commissioner Marie to help fund the remainder of this $75 million project. By the end of 2011 or early 2012 the Norwalk/Danbury Branch Line will no longer be the only rail line in America where a trainman has to get off the train and manually pull a switch in order for one train to pass another. It also means that our north south spur could become compatible with the New Haven line, bringing our commuters greater capacity and more flexible schedules.

Fortunately, it has been nothing but good news for the future of the Norwalk/Danbury Train Line for the past several months. Back in October, two new midday trains were added to the Norwalk/Danbury weekday branch in response to growing customer demand. And – finally – running water and a restroom facility were installed at the Cannondale Train Station!

How attitudes have changed since I was first elected to the General Assembly as a State Representative! Back then, there was little interest in keeping the branch line operating, never mind improving it. In fact, in 1997 there was a serious effort to replace this branch line with a super highway and buses. I, and other like-minded advocates, launched a successful fight to save the Norwalk/Danbury Branch Line – and we’ve been fighting ever since. Saving the train line was a necessary first step; securing funding for basic maintenance, never mind infrastructure improvements, proved to be even more difficult.

However, as a recent member of the General Assembly’s Transportation Committee, and now as the leading Republican Senator of this important committee, I have promoted a change in attitude with regards to mass transit. Unlike my early years in the General Assembly, the state of Connecticut now has a stronger voice in the Metro North decisions. We have more parking at the Wilton Train Station and at two of our smaller stations have added plumbing with there was none.

What changed? Fortunately, Governor M. Jodi Rell believes in mass transit and understands the economic imperative the Norwalk/Danbury Branch Line represents. Shortly after she took office in 2004, as advocates of preserving and improving our rail line, we began to see real progress for the first time in decades. In addition, after a series of revolving door DOT Commissioners, we now have a strong, powerful, ally in Commissioner Joseph Marie.

Clearly, the most obvious beneficiaries of this change in attitude are the commuters who count on the Norwalk/Danbury Branch Line as their lifeline to the urban centers. But, they are not the only ones. Excellent train service and a much-improved Norwalk/Danbury Branch Line is a key to sustaining property values and improving the quality of life in Fairfield County by making it feasible for more commuters to avoid our overburdened highways. In the end, mass transit saves money, reduces pollution and relieves traffic congestion.

I am optimistic that the good news regarding the future of our Norwalk/Danbury Branch Line is going to continue. DOT has completed the first phase of its study to evaluate the feasibility improving train travel times by, among other things, re-electrifying the branch line. Currently, the train line is no longer electrified and uses diesel locomotives in a push –pull operation, pushing towards Grand Central and pulling toward Danbury. The second phase of the study is now underway. Among the long-term improvements contemplated is extending the branch line from Danbury to New Milford, and from Danbury to Waterbury. Ultimately, a successful outcome will be an expanded state-of-the-art Norwalk/Danbury Branch Line that provides excellent service on an appropriate number of train cars traveling between stations that provide quality amenities and sufficient parking. I encourage those interested in learning more to visit the website dedicated to the ongoing study at www.danburybranchstudy.com.

It is interesting to note that the Norwalk/Danbury Branch Line has been a mainstay of Fairfield County for well over one hundred years, its early history dating back to 1835 when the Connecticut State Legislature granted a rail charter to an enterprise then known as the Fairfield County Railroad. Even then, progress was anything but smooth, and by 1850 the charter was renewed and renamed “The Danbury & Norwalk Railroad”. In 1852, the D&N started running its two Hinkley Steam Engines - named “The Danbury” and “The Norwalk” – along its 23-mile line. In those days, the trains made two daily round trips for passengers – and one way took 75 minutes.

I encourage everyone interested in learning more about the fascinating history of the Norwalk/Danbury Branch Line to check out information provided on the website maintained by the Housatonic Valley of Elected Officials at www.hvceo.org. Meanwhile, I urge all of you to support ongoing efforts to modernize our rail line so that it can continue to serve Fairfield County for many generations to come.  

G O O D    N E W S    F O R    T H E    2 6 T H    D I S T R I C T

4th Congressional District race - the cities overpowered the suburbs this year: we are so sad.
Governor Jodi Rell and Senator-to-be Toni Boucher (26th District) - including part of Weston - in the Governor's Residence.

Bloomberg backs Shays at Westport fundraiser
By Jeff Morganteen
Staff Writer
Article Launched: 10/13/2008 02:33:39 AM EDT

WESTPORT - At a Republican fundraiser Sunday, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg stumped for U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Bridgeport, helping to raise more than $100,000 in Shays' race against Democratic challenger Jim Himes of Greenwich.

Shays votes for what he thinks is right, regardless of party, Bloomberg said at the fundraiser held in a waterfront Westport mansion.

"His judgment is really rock solid," Bloomberg said. "He looks at the facts and is willing to vote for things that he thinks are good whether or not partisan politics dictate or ask him to do so."

Bloomberg was joined by 200 Shays supporters at the home of Barry and Carol Asness, longtime backers of Shays.

Bloomberg lauded Shays in a speech in the backyard then met with members of the media in the driveway, fielding questions from New York City newspapers about non-partisan elections and Bloomberg's presumed bid for a third term as mayor.

Bloomberg said Shays, if elected next month, will be an asset to either presidential candidate as they deal with the economic crisis.

"We're not going to get out of this financial crisis easily and we're certainly not going to unless we can pull people together from both sides of the aisle," Bloomberg said. "That will be the president's real challenge."

Bloomberg did not directly address the financial crisis, instead focusing on his relationship with Shays and commending him for his willingness to work with both parties.

"Sadly, there are very few people in the House (of Representatives) that do that," he said. "Most people in the House vote party lines. Chris does not."

Bloomberg then listed issues facing the nation.

"We need to do something about having a comprehensive energy strategy," he said. "Our dependence on foreign oil is a great vulnerability for our country and this massive transfer of wealth from America to countries that don't respect our freedom and don't respect our values is something we're going to pay for a long time."

Since he and Shays met five years ago, they have worked on issues that include transportation, terrorism and the Federal Aviation Administration flight path redesign, Bloomberg said.

Shays, 63, has represented the 4th District since 1987.

Several state Republicans attended the event, including state Sen. William Nickerson of Greenwich, state Rep. Antonietta "Toni" Boucher of Wilton, and Scott Frantz, who is running for Nickerson's seat.

Nickerson said Shays has been a leader on issues affecting global markets. Although members of Congress, including Shays, passed a $700 billon bailout bill for Wall Street, stock markets worldwide tanked last week. But Nickerson said criticism of the bill is premature.

"The bailout bill has not even been implemented," Nickerson said. "One-day stock market fluctuation is not a judgment on whether Congress or the White House is handling this properly."


AT THE GRANGE...
What a beautiful day for this event - face painting for the non-voting crowd, cool jazz for rest of us!  Sunday, September 21, the last day
of summer 2008.  Representative John Stripp hung out and Toni Boucher, Representative from Wilton, running to fill the spot of retiring
State Senator Judi Freedman at the right with Chair. Judy Stripp.

State Senator Judith G. Freedman, R-26 not running again - endorses Rep. Toni Boucher (R-143) at press conference on the steps of the Wilton Town Hall.

Toni Boucher:  some background...
  
Battles fought and won in the Legislature:  
Examples of work on behalf of constituents:
 One description of how to get things done (example):


CHAMPION FOR BETTER DANBURY LINE IN THE LEGISLAURE!
Rep. Boucher active on this issue this and previous Session - and SENATOR Boucher will press ahead for better service to cut delays (in the short run...)



Danbury Branch plans chugging along slowly       
Weston FORUM
Written by Jeff Yates    
Thursday, July 03, 2008 

Commuters looking for a fix to their Danbury Branch woes will likely have to wait some time — at the least three years — before seeing much, or any, improvement to the Metro North train line.

During a recent hearing on phase two of the line’s Electrification Feasibility Study, at which Department of Transportation and other study team members discussed the five alternatives being considered to improve the line, commuters, local officials and four candidates for state offices gave their two cents on possible improvements.

While the new signaling system for the branch, which will allow for more frequent trains, should be completed in three years, results of the current study will likely not be seen for another 10 to 15 years, officials said. And that’s only if money is set aside to pay for the project.

Under consideration are five alternatives:

• A no-build alternative in which the only major change would be the addition of a Georgetown station as part of the Gilbert & Bennett redevelopment project.

• A plan in which no construction takes place and no new equipment is purchased but defined as “everything else that can be done” otherwise.

• A plan in which track alignment work is conducted between South Norwalk and Danbury, passing sidings — where trains can pull off the main track to let another pass by — are added or improved, and a new electrification system is added.

• Another alternative is to extend commuter service north from Danbury to New Milford, adding three new stations and improving the existing freight track alignment on that route to allow for faster speed.

• The final proposal is for partial electrification of the line, from South Norwalk to the Merritt Parkway, with feeder rail and/or bus service.

Under the current system “basically what it amounts to is a train leaves Danbury to South Norwalk... it has to get about 1/3 of the way,” before another train can be sent south,” said David Chase, a member of the study team.

Under the new signaling system, already approved and separate from this study, “in theory you can run it at a four- or five-minute headway. In practicality, you’re not going to run that many trains,” he said.

Andy Davis, the DOT project manager, said the signaling system would offer the option of some relief.

“Once the signaling system goes in, we’ll have the option for more service on the line,” he said, adding the limiting factor would be new equipment — locomotives and cars — which wouldn’t be available until the New Haven line’s M8s come into service.

As for the current study, Mr. Davis said a 10- to 15-year window was likely.

He said the funding was available to get through the study phase, but “we have nothing for the next phase, which is design and implementation.”

Commuters

Commuters who came to one of the two sessions held in Wilton on Wednesday, June 18, expressed exasperation at the timeline, and concern about some of the proposals being considered.

“As a rider now, I know that the first couple trains out in the morning are burdened, and if you’re going to extend the line...” to New Milford, it will be impossible to find a spot to stand, let alone sit, said one commuter.

Others said they currently drive to another more southern station, or, more frequently the New Canaan line, because service and train frequency are better.

“That’s what I do, because of the frequency coming home at South Norwalk,” said one commuter.

Ms. Boucher, who said she was given word that the new signaling system funding had been released and the project could move forward, said it would help ease some of the delays and poor service on the line.

“It has been a long, hard fight on the part of Wilton and its representation to get it put back on the table,” she said, adding the fight for a new signaling system had been going on since 1997. “That is a huge win for this train line...”

Public comment on the study is open until July 25. Full details of the options, and more information may be found at: www.danburybranchstudy.com.



BOUCHER STATE SENATE CAMPAIGN QUALIFIES FOR PUBLIC FINANCING IN RECORD TIME

WILTON, June 30 – State Representative Toni Boucher today announced that her campaign for election as State Senator of Connecticut's 26th District has qualified for public financing from the state's Citizens' Election Fund.  The announcement comes just one month after Boucher's unanimous nomination as her party's candidate for the State Senate seat that will be vacated by Judith Freedman, who is not seeking reelection.

"I am gratified by the immediate outpouring of support for this campaign," said Ellen Essman, CPA and Treasurer, Boucher State Senate Committee.  "We raised enough funds from enough contributors to qualify for public financing in about one third of the time that it has taken many others running for public office to get the same results.  I am very proud of our efforts and of the response this campaign has received."

To qualify for Citizen's Election Fund financing, candidates for the State Senate must raise at least $15,000, including individual contributions from at least 300 residents of the towns they are seeking to represent.

Boucher's success in qualifying so quickly is noteworthy not only because of its speed, but also because her campaign initially faced a unique challenge.  Before Senator Freedman's announcement of her retirement and her endorsement of Boucher as her successor, Boucher had intended to seek reelection as State Representative.  Her House campaign had already qualified for public financing, having raised more than $5,000, including contributions from 150 donors in the 143rd District.  Recognizing that there was no precedent for this type of situation, Boucher took the initiative of closing down her House campaign committee and refunding all monies she had received to each individual contributor.  She then recruited a new Treasurer and formed a completely new committee for her State Senate campaign.

"Closing down one campaign and jump-starting another in just a month was an enormous amount of work," said Representative Boucher, "but I felt strongly that this was the proper procedure to follow, especially given all that the State has experienced in the last few years.  It also sets a precedent for others, should a similar situation occur again."

"I am delighted that Toni has received the support she deserves and that we now have the resources to work together to win in November," said Senator Judith Freedman, Chairman of the Boucher State Senate Committee.  "As I said at our nominating convention, I cannot think of anyone better than Toni to take my seat.  The way that she handled the transition from one campaign to another is a perfect demonstration of the fact that she meets the highest ethical standards required of people in public office.  She is tenacious about the issues shared by the constituents of our district, and she has a keen understanding of the towns she represents.  She is an outstanding State Representative, and I know she will be an outstanding State Senator."

"I want to thank the residents of Bethel, New Canaan, Redding, Ridgefield, Weston, Westport, and Wilton for their enthusiastic support," said Representative Boucher.  "You not only have made it possible for me to get our campaign message out to the entire 26th District during the months ahead, but also have given me the inspiration and encouragement to continue my fight for changes that will improve the economic climate in our State.  I believe that state government should work for our citizens – not the other way around."


Watch interview with...Toni Boucher and Judi Freedman:  26th District's interests front and center!



Retiring State Senator Freedman and Representative Toni Boucher discuss issues of the day of particular interest to residents of Bethel, New Canaan, Redding, Ridgefield, Westport, Weston, and Wilton.

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