Bridgeport – Bridgeport Mayor and Democratic candidate for Governor Joe Ganim today urged the General Assembly to pass a “comprehensive, smart approach to legalizing, regulating and taxing recreational marijuana in Connecticut.”
Ganim recently submitted testimony to the General Assembly’s Judiciary Committee favoring Senate Bill No. 487 sponsored by Senate President Marty Looney. The bill would allow anyone over the age of 21 to purchase marijuana for recreational use from state licensed retail outlets. Ganim’s testimony:
“A legal regulated recreational marijuana industry would launch a new industry in Connecticut, create thousands of new jobs, and produce hundreds of millions of needed annual tax revenue for the state. It is time we treated and regulated marijuana the same way we treat alcohol or tobacco. It is long past time we in this country acknowledged that attitudes about marijuana have changed dramatically and it is time for us too in this land of steady habits to change with it,” said Ganim.
“The entire New England region is moving towards legalizing recreational marijuana. Connecticut has already decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana and established medical marijuana that has been safely and effectively regulated by the state. With the proper regulations in place, Connecticut should take the next step and legalize recreational marijuana,” Ganim said.
Ganim added, “I have consulted with Governor John Hickenlooper’s team in Colorado and there is much we can learn from their experience as the first state to implement recreational marijuana. We should be smart about this and use best practices from states like Massachusetts who are moving deliberately towards retail sales of cannabis products later this year.”
Colorado had more than $1.5 billion in marijuana sales in 2015, generating more than $210 million in tax revenue. The industry has generated more than 20,000 jobs, Tax revenue in Colorado from sales of recreational marijuana is used for programs to fight addiction, and public health statistics show usage rates of cannabis products have not increased for any segment of the population.
7:55pm–#Milford CT– Tonight’s vehicle fire is in front of 353 North Street. The car hit a utility pole and caught fire. Everyone safely made it out of the car.
Connecticut State Troopers warn of “fallen officer’s fund” scam. Often times scams come disguised as charities, and scammers use recent tragedies or incidents to steal money from people. Today the Connecticut State Police was made aware of a telephone scam where the scammer called seeking donations for a “fallen officer’s fund.” We’ve heard of similar scams in the past, but not recently, and as you may know we have a fallen officer, TFC Kevin Miller. So what better time than now for scammers to bring this scam back to Connecticut. Unfortunately for the scammer, but fortunately for the rest of us, he called a Connecticut State Trooper. After listening to the scammer, the trooper started asking questions. The scammer provided two different names while stating the “company” he worked for was out of Wyoming. After identifying himself as a trooper and asking where the money would go, the scammer hung up. The trooper called the number back but the line didn’t even ring. Troopers remind you to never give credit card, debit card or bank account information to anyone requesting donations, especially over the phone. Don’t be pressured or guilted into “donating.” Simply hang up. Anyone wishing to make a donation in memory of TFC Kevin Miller can send a check payable to “The Connecticut State Police Union, Inc.” and please include “Kevin Miller Memorial Fund” in the check memo. Checks can be mailed to: Kevin Miller Memorial Fund Connecticut State Police Union 500 Main Street East Hartford, CT 06118 You can also make a donation through the Connecticut State Police Union gofundme website. https://www.gofundme.com/tfc-kevin- miller-1015?ssid=1231341934&pos=1 All donations will go toward the funeral arrangements, and distributed to Kevin’s children in the coming years.
#Monroe CT–Monroe Firefighters Battle House Fire At approximately 5:30pm on Thursday March 29, volunteer firefighters from the Monroe, Stevenson, and Stepney fire departments responded to a reported house fire on Cold Spring Rd. First arriving firefighters found smoke coming from all sides of the house and an active fire in the family room area. Crews made an aggressive interior attack to extinguish the blaze before it could extend into other areas of the house. There are no fire hydrants in the immediate area, which meant firefighters had to use tanker trucks as a water source. Four engines, two ladder trucks, and four tanker trucks responded including two units from the White Hills Fire Dept. in Shelton. Other firefighters from Trumbull and Shelton covered the empty fire stations in Monroe. No one was home when the fire broke out and no firefighters were injured. The interior of the house sustained heavy smoke and heat damage and is uninhabitable. The residents have made alternative housing arrangements. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
Fairfield, Connecticut — From April 2 to April 30, 2018, Fairfield Police Department will be out in force looking for distracted drivers as part of the U Drive. U Text. U Pay. the campaign, a high-visibility effort to enforce distracted-driving laws.
Some drivers continuously ignore their responsibilities behind the wheel, and distracted driving is a growing and deadly threat to our roadways. Fairfield Police is teaming up with the Connecticut Department of Transportation during the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) National Distracted Driving Awareness month to make sure all motorists keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel.
Violating Connecticut’s distracted driving laws can be costly. Drivers who are ticketed for this violation can be fined $150 for a first offense, $300 for a second offense and $500 for third and subsequent offenses. According to the NHTSA, 3,450 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2016. This is a 2-percent decrease in fatalities as compared to the previous year. An analysis by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety of 2009-2012 data found that while more than 80 percent of drivers believed it was completely unacceptable for a motorist to text behind the wheel, more than a third of those same drivers admitted to reading text messages while operating a passenger motor vehicle themselves. “We know your phone is your life, but don’t let it cost you or someone else their life,” said Lieutenant Robert Kalamaras. The Fairfield Police Department and the Connecticut Department of Transportation urge you to put your phone down when you get behind the wheel. If you need to text, pull over and park your vehicle in a safe place first.
HARTFORD, CONN. (March 28, 2018) – Mayor Luke Bronin issued the statement below in response to late afternoon letters from legislative leaders expressing concern about the State’s contract assistance agreement with the City of Hartford. Last September, Mayor Bronin and City leadership sent a letter to State leaders explicitly warning against giving Hartford “just enough additional assistance to avoid short-term liquidity problems.” Mayor Bronin said choosing that path “would avoid hard decisions or embarrassing outcomes for now,” but would “lead to decline, future fiscal crisis, and to continuing insolvency.” That appears to be what Republican leaders are calling for.
“Last fall, I was fully prepared to seek authority to file bankruptcy, and legislators of both parties chose instead to build a new long-term partnership with the Capital City,” said Mayor Bronin. “The state’s assistance came only after we made deep cuts, negotiated dramatic labor concessions, partnered with our biggest companies, and subjected the city of Hartford to intense and ongoing oversight. If Republican leaders regret the long-term partnership they embraced last fall, they should have the courage to call for our Capital City to file bankruptcy, because that’s the only responsible long-term alternative to the partnership they supported last fall.”
HARTFORD, CT – Governor Dannel P. Malloy, Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman, Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner James P. Redeker, and advocates today celebrated the third anniversary of the launch of CTfastrak bus service, the state’s bus rapid transit system. Ridership on the service surpassed 15 million in March and continues to grow, and important economic development projects continue along the route.
“CTfastrak has been an unequivocal success,” Governor Malloy said. “What was once a controversial and politically charged proposal has become an economic lifeline for many residents – giving people access not just to transportation, but to jobs and economic opportunities. In three years’ time, we have now seen 15 million riders. To put that in perspective, that translates to the equivalent of over four trips for every single person living in Connecticut. And it has been a catalyst toward revitalizing communities. New housing and businesses are popping up along the route. Despite political opposition, these are the types of investments Connecticut should be making if we want to make our state more attractive for families and for businesses.”
“I applaud Governor Malloy and Commissioner Redeker for their leadership on transportation,” Lt. Governor Wyman said. “CTfastrak is only three years old, but these have been an impressive three years. Ridership has exceeded expectations and Connecticut residents quickly embraced a new, modern transportation system into their daily lives – the first major update to transit in decades.”
“This is a remarkable success story, with growing ridership and local development,” Commissioner Redeker, whose department oversees CTfastrak operations, said. “With an average of more than 16,000 trips a day, CTfastrak has exceeded everyone’s most optimistic expectations. It has also proven to be an important driver of the region’s economy.”
“CTfastrak has placed the metro Hartford region among the top ten with the greatest increase in access to jobs,”Lyle Wray, Executive Director of Capitol Region Council of Governments, said. “This and the growing development around CTfastrak stations builds on the three million rides per year in this corridor.”
“Not only has the CTfastrak been extremely successful for mobility over the past three years, but it has helped spur transit-oriented development that otherwise would not have been realized,” Department of Economic and Community Development Deputy Commissioner David Kooris said. “The importance of transit-oriented development projects, such as this one in West Hartford, are a proven strategy to add long-term value in our communities and continue to position Connecticut for success.”
The Governor also reiterated his call for additional revenue to ensure the short and long-term solvency of the Special Transportation Fund (STF), which, without prompt action, will be in deficit by fiscal year 2019, which beginsJuly 1, 2018. Implementation of the administration’s plan for the STF would restore canceled state and municipal projects across Connecticut, and would prevent drastic increases in rail and bus fares and major service reductions on Metro-North, Shore Line East, and CTtransit bus services. Without the reinstatement of canceled projects, Connecticut’s infrastructure will fall further into a state of disrepair, making our roads and bridges less safe for residents and harming the state’s economy.
“Without transportation, we cannot have transit-oriented development, and investment in our infrastructure should not be seen as optional,” the Governor continued. “The state has been forced to cancel or postpone $4.3 billion in projects across Connecticut, almost all of which are aimed at keeping our roads and bridges back in a state of good repair. We simply cannot afford to allow our infrastructure to fall further behind even as our neighbors make much-needed investments.”
In 1997, Connecticut’s gas tax was reduced from $0.39 per gallon to $0.25 per gallon and it has not been increased since. Over the same period, rail fares have increased by 54 percent and bus fares have increased by 75 percent. And while Connecticut has refused to increase transportation revenue, 26 states – including eight in the past year – have increased their gas taxes. This isn’t limited to “blue” states; it includes GOP-dominated states like South Carolina and Tennessee. In 2016, New Jersey’s former GOP Governor Chris Christie signed a $0.23 per gallon increase in the gas tax.
The Governor’s proposal takes four specific actions in order to stabilize the STF and bring critical projects back online:
A seven-cent increase in the gas tax, gradually implemented over a four-year period.
Implementation of statewide electronic tolling beginning in fiscal year 2023.
Acceleration of the transfer of car sales tax by two years.
Establishment of a $3.00 per tire fee on tire purchases.
New Haven – Mayor Toni N. Harp and Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim Friday released the following joint statement in response to the state’s agreement to pay off some $550 million of Hartford’s accumulated debt:
“While we evaluate the state’s new, half-billion-dollar bailout of Hartford, and recognize it as an acknowledgment of the responsibility the state has to assist it’s structurally, and perpetually distressed cities, we question whether it represents an equitable practice.
Connecticut absolutely must have a consistent, comprehensive urban policy to lift all cities constrained by current tax laws, now compounded by tens of millions of dollars in state budget cuts.
It seems the state continues to shortchange New Haven and Bridgeport – its two largest cities, with comparatively stable finances while rewarding the past practices of other cities that put them on the edge of financial collapse.
Connecticut requires comparable support for its two most populous urban centers and an economic development strategy for the Bridgeport/New Haven region. We’ll meet next week and present a consistent municipal aid program for all cities in the state.”
