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03/21/2019 12:01 AMWith a new legislature, especially one where one party dominates the State Senate, the State House, and the Governor’s Office, comes many new ideas. As we all know, neither party has a monopoly on good ideas. What do you think of these pieces of legislation? Call your state senator or representative to voice your opinion. Here’s a look at some proposed legislation by senators and representatives in the State Capitol.
HB-7319—Separate Board of Education Taxing Authority: This bill would require local and regional school districts with fewer than 15,000 students to become a separate taxing authority with the ability to assess, levy, and collect taxes and regulate the borrowing of money to provide educational services. There are a lot of education-related bills this year, which is causing great alarm. This bill essentially allows boards of education to act like mini-municipalities, completely separate from the town in all respects including mill rates and the ability to tax. This bill would be incredibly divisive in many communities, pitting those with children against an aging population. The system as it currently exists requires extensive input from the town’s chief executive officer, especially on bonding issues, who also can influence a Board of Education budget based on a projected combined mill rate with general government.
SB 457—School Regionalization—The Size Of School Districts: This bill would require any school district with a student population of fewer than 2,000 students to join a new or existing regional school district so that the total student population of such new or expanded regional school district is greater than 2,000 students. This bill is one of several bills that would force smaller school districts to regionalize, which has fostered fierce opposition from school districts, parents, and children across the state. State Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney (D-11) submitted a school regionalization bill that suggests probate court boundaries should be the new school districts. For those of you who don’t know, the Saybrook Probate District includes Clinton, Westbrook, Old Saybrook, Lyme, Essex, Deep River, Chester, Haddam, and Killingworth.
Paid Family Medical Leave: This bill, which has solid support from the governor and both majorities in the House and Senate, would collect a tax of one-half percent on all private sector workers. A new state governmental entity would be established (at a cost of $30 million) to implement and run the program, which would mandate all businesses to allow 12 weeks of paid family medical leave (paid by the fund created at the state level). Whether your business has two people or 200, time off must be granted and that person’s position must be held while on leave. There is strong business opposition to this bill based on the fact that Connecticut’s economy has still not recovered from the great recession, yet here we are setting out new regulations on business.
For discussion next time, legislation regulating a public health insurance option; single-use plastic bags and paper bags, styrofoam trays, and straws; tolls; and the minimum wage.