CAPITOL UPDATE

Dear Friend,

In the early morning hours of Thursday June 4th , with the strike of a gavel, the 2009 legislative session came to an end. In the days since I have been reflecting on the highs and lows and what we still have to accomplish. Before anything else, we must address our state budget deficit and until we do, we have no real plan for where we are headed. Imagine if your family had no idea where money was coming from, how much you’d have to spend and how you were going to spend it. This is what we’re facing as a state and we must deal with it now.

Instead of a solid plan, we have billions of dollars in deficit that we must deal with over the coming weeks. As it stands now, we’re looking at just under $1 billion in debt for the rest of Fiscal Year 2009 (FY 09). For FY 10/11, we’re facing somewhere in the neighborhood of $8 billion. And as the negotiations continue and the legislature convenes for special session days, we will eventually hammer out a budget. When we finally have a budget I hope it is one that avoids massive, sweeping tax increases by instead trimming government spending and reevaluating the structure of our state bureaucracy. However, while our lack of a budget stalled much of our legislative business, this saw a number of important issues come to the forefront this year.

Rally in opposition to 1098

First, one of the most widely publicized happenings this year was the debate over SB 1098: An Act Modifying Corporate Laws Relating to Certain Religious Corporations. This bill sought to dilute the authority of parishes and churches by taking financial control from Roman Catholic clergy and installing it in a board of directors. The bill also expanded the power of the Attorney General to investigate church finances. I, and countless others, saw this bill as a direct assault on the Church’s constitutionally protected autonomy. I was happy to see the bill tabled for the year and was also particularly proud to see so many Catholics, and people of all faiths, rally in Hartford to support religious freedom.

Another issue of debate in Hartford this year involved local control over cell phone tower construction. Right now, when cell phone companies look to construct transmission towers, municipalities are at the mercy of the state Siting Council which has final authority over these projects. This means that if a town or city opposes the tower, they have very little recourse and are subject to the ruling of the Siting Council.

I believe that this decision should instead be in the hands of the municipality. That’s why at the start of this session I proposed SB 180: An Act Concerning Municipal Approval of Cellular and Personal Communications Systems Towers. The bill sought to require a developer of a cell tower to file with local authorities and it also allowed for members of the public to appeal the construction of that tower directly to the Connecticut Siting Council. The bill also aimed to authorize the council to change the construction order by a vote of 7 of its 9 members. And in order to override a municipality’s denial of a construction application, SB 180 would have required the Siting Council to have the support of at least 7 of its 9 members. Unfortunately this bill never made it out of committee and the amendments I pushed also failed to pass. However, I still believe that this is a very important issue for people across the state. I plan to push for it once again in next year’s legislative session.

Another matter important to Danbury, and much of the 24th District, concerns the Ives Trail Greenway. When complete, this trail would be a 15 mile stretch of hiking trails and open space. The land is included in a parcel controlled by the Department of Transportation (DOT) which was to be used as part of the Super 7 road expansion. Now that that plan seems to be off the table for now, I proposed a bill, which passed just minutes before session ended, to require the DOT to grant a permanent easement to Danbury to help complete the trail.

As a member of the Ives Trail Task Force getting this bill passed was a priority of mine and I am proud to have been a part of the efforts. Danbury officials will have to formally negotiate the easement with DOT and the Attorney General.

The State Property Review Board then has the final say but I am hopeful this process will be completed over the next few months and we can get to work on making the Ives Trail Greenway a reality.

Finally, I am proud to have co-sponsored legislation providing cystic fibrosis testing on newborns. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic, inherited disease that can close the lungs and lead to potentially fatal infections. I believe the sooner parents learn about potential health risks, the better care they can provide. HB 6263: An Act Requiring the Administration of a Screening Test for Cystic Fibrosis to Newborn Infants now requires that testing and in doing so provides a critical tool that I believe will go far in improving the health of newborns in our state.

If you’d like a look at some of the most significant initiatives passed this session, the Office of Legislative Research, the legislature's nonpartisan research department, compiled a synopsis of the major acts passed by the General Assembly. This does not include all of the bills passed but I hope you find it interesting. And as the budget process moves forward, I urge you to visit our new website: www.ctbudgetfacts.com. The site is an interactive and user-friendly resource which explains the budget process and gives you a look at the various proposals before the legislature.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have about the budget process or any matter relating to state government. I can be reached toll free at 800.842.l421 or via email at Michael. McLachlan@cga.ct.gov You can also stay up to date by following my blog: http://senatormclachlan.blogspot.com/.