Printer Friendly Version - Local Efforts Growing to Help Furloughed Federal Employees

Volunteers with the United States Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association (USCG CPOA), a non-profit organization, help stock pantry items to help federal workers who have been furloughed. The pantries have been set up at the Coast Guard Exchange, 120 Woodward Avenue, New Haven and at 31 Mohegan Avenue, New London. A federal identification card is required to access the pantries. Photo courtesy of USCG New Haven CPOA

While federal government employees are generally prohibited, due to legal and ethical concerns, from accepting donations, state officials and several non-profit support organizations are stepping up to provide support for those employees affected the federal government shutdown.

Federal officials said on Friday, Jan. 25 that they have reached a deal to end the shutdown for at least three weeks. The three-week deal was scheduled to be finalized by the end of the day on Friday. Those affected by the shutdown said that the effects of the shutdown, which lasted for more than a month, may continue to be felt for a week or more.

Several non-profit organizations that support the U.S. Coast Guard had been collecting donations to provide to all federal workers who are furloughed, along with several organizations in Guilford including the police department there. The United States Coast Guard New Haven Chief Petty Officers Association (USCG New Haven CPOA), a non profit organization that had been collecting and distributing donations, said as of Friday that it was no longer collecting donations, but that they would keep the food pantry set up for federal employees open for the time being.

The organization posted this message on its Facebook page: "For all. As many of you may have learned, Congress and the President have agreed to reopen the government for a period of 3 weeks. We are cautiously asking the community to halt all donations of cash, gift cards and product. We will continue to collect and distribute what has already been received at collection points. It may be the middle of next week before anyone sees any pay, so we are still available to provide these resources to affected personnel. For those people, please continue to use our food pantry as we have had so much support from the community. For the community; we cannot begin to express our gratitude for your compassion, sense of community and perseverance in helping your locally affected military and federal civilian personnel. We hope to repay you in service and community outreach. Let's hope that there is a permanent solution before the 3 week deadline, but if not, please keep an eye out on our page. Thank you so much!"

The food pantry open to federal employees with the appropriate identification will remain open at 120 Woodward Avenue, New Haven. There is at 31 Mohegan Avenue, New London.

In addition, on Jan. 22, the legislature passed an emergency measure that creates an interest-free loan program and gives municipalities the ability to establish tax-deferment programs for affected federal employees.

The emergency bill passed by wide margins. The House of Representatives passed the bill 127-15 and the Senate passed the bill 32-1. Governor Ned Lamont signed the legislation shortly thereafter.

The bill is written specifically to address this shutdown only and the estimated 1,500 federal employees across the state currently affected. The loan program allows federal workers, both essential and non-essential, to receive no-interest loans throughout the shutdown thanks to a partnership between the State of Connecticut and private banks and credit unions.

“This unique and innovative partnership will help federal workers access the funding necessary to pay their bills and put food on the table during the shutdown,” said Lamont in a statement. “Its quick, bipartisan approval by the General Assembly is an example of what we can accomplish when we partner with the private sector and come together as leaders, rather than Democrats or Republicans.”

The State will guarantee 10 percent of the amount loaned and eligible employees can apply for a loan up to $5,000 or the regular take-home monthly pay of that particular employee. The loan stays interest free for 270 days.

The bill passed in what might be record time. The bill was proposed, debated, voted, and signed in under four hours. State Representative Noreen Kokoruda (R-101) said some people were not happy that the bill skipped the normal committee process, but that wasn’t a popular opinion.

“It’s an emergency,” she said. “You have these essential workers who have to go to work and are not getting paid. Right now if you are essential and you have to go to work, even though you are not getting paid, you can’t file for unemployment.”

State Representative Sean Scanlon (D-98) pointed out that time was of the essence for this bill because if the government shutdown continues through the week, federal employees will face a second pay period with no check. Scanlon said he was pleased to see the General Assembly come together to support, “the innocent victims caught in the middle of a politically motivated crisis.”

“I think this is a great bipartisan way to start off the new term,” he said. “We got together as Democrats and Republicans and showed how different we are here in Connecticut than Washington D.C where they can’t get anything done. Within the span of four hours on a mostly unanimous basis, we did something that is going to help thousands of people in our state.”

The bill also allows municipalities to set up tax deferment programs. Taxes are due Feb. 1 and late payment immediately results in an 18 percent penalty. Kokoruda said a constituent reached out and had asked if there was any way to defer that penalty for those federal employees who are not being paid.

“A local guy picks up the phone, makes a call, and this gets added to the bill,” she said. “That wouldn’t have happened without him because no one else picked up on that.”

State law determines the interest rate penalty and to date, towns haven’t had the ability to defer or change that penalty. State Representative Vincent Candelora (R-86) said giving municipalities the ability to offer tax deferment for this shutdown is a step in the right direction.

“I think the interest rate on delinquent taxes is draconian and I think it should be lowered across the board and this is an exact reason why,” he said. “I am glad that towns would now have the ability to suspend the interest for these individuals who are caught during this hard time.”

Each town and/or special taxing district will have to decide if it wants to adopt a tax deferment program for federal workers during this shutdown individually in the coming days.

The United States Coast Guard New Haven Chief Petty Officers Association (USCG New Haven CPOA), which is a non-profit veterans organization, helped coordinate efforts in the New Haven area for the Coast Guard New Haven sector. Likewise, the United States Coast Guard Southeastern Chief Petty Officers Association (USCG Southeastern Connecticut CPOA) did the same in the New London area.

The CPOAs are working with others to staff and stock food pantries for all federal employees affected by the shutdown. In addition to Coast Guard officers, their civilian and support staff, and their families, they are opening their food pantries to federal furloughed employees, including employees of Department of Homeland Security, and the Internal Revenue Service. A federal identification card is required to access the pantries.

The New Haven operation is located at the Coast Guard Exchange, 120 Woodward Avenue, New Haven. Donation collection has been suspended for the time being. (https://www.facebook.com/NewHavenCPOA/)

The East Haven Fire Department and East Haven Firefighters IAFF Local 1205 also was collecting donations, but ceased those collections for the time being.. (https://www.facebook.com/easthavenfire)

USCG Lt. Jr. Grade Rodion Mazin reiterated that Coast Guard officers and employees could not accept help directly.

At the Guilford Police Department, more than $3,000 in gift cards were donated, along with sizable food donations, including pet food donations. The cards and items were to be donated through the Guilford Cares group and Guilford Social Services, 263 Church Street, Guilford (phone number, 203-453-8009). The police department also said that pet food and supplies would be available in the police lobby, 400 Church Street, Guilford, for those affected by the shutdown. (https://www.facebook.com/Guilford-Police-Department-1488309694761548/)

In southeastern Connecticut, the USCG Southeastern Connecticut CPOA was among organizations coordinating help, at 31 Mohegan Avenue, New London, where the pantry is located. It is also serving as a drop off point. Other drop off points around the city have been established as well. For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/USCGSECONNCPOA/.