This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
06/16/2021 08:00 AMOn June 9 at 11:59 p.m., after five months fighting for lower taxes and more streamlined, transparent government, the legislative session in our State Capitol concluded. In all, the experience continued to be a humbling one and I remain grateful to all of the residents of East Haven for the continued opportunity to serve them and be their voice in our State Capitol.
This session, I was proud to oppose new taxes, like the highway use tax and the governor’s TCI proposal, which threatened to raise prices on virtually every item shipped on our highways and consumed by residents across our state. I fought overreaching proposals for state-mandated, one-size-fits-all zoning, which threatened to substitute zoning policies developed by Hartford bureaucrats for the local control currently exercised by our town zoning officials. Along with my colleagues, I was also proud to support legislation promoting workforce development, reducing prescription drug prices, helping our seniors age in place, addressing the crushing burdens posed by student loan debt, and helping businesses and working families emerge stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the third day before the conclusion of the session, I was particularly proud that my first bill passed the House unanimously—a bill increasing opportunities for first-time homebuyers while simultaneously helping towns like ours to meet the state’s affordable housing mandate by investing in existing homes, rather than relying on new, often dense and controversial development.
With the session over and COVID-19 seemingly in the rear-view mirror, I look forward to trading late nights at the capitol and long drives home for hosting coffee hours, visiting our senior facilities, and reconnecting with residents in person. As always, if residents have concerns, questions, or needs, they may reach out to me at joe.zullo@housegop.ct.gov.
State Representative Joseph Zullo (R-99)
East Haven