Lamont and Legislature Inch Closer to Transportation Deal
Election Day Tuesday
Thank You for Your Support of CRMA
Links to Live By
Retail News and Notes
- As we go to print with this weeks’ FF, the Governor and Legislative leaders are still attempting to put together a comprehensive package to fund transportation projects for both the short term and the for the long term.
- Last week the Governor cancelled another Bond Commission meeting because he wants to have a plan for transportation and other infrastructure projects in place before he agrees to other projects on the Bond Commission agenda.
- He has been attempting to negotiate with legislators on what that plan for transportation funding will look like.
- The Governor is attempting to accomplish two things at once: try to limit how much bonding the State does overall, while getting some votes for a funding plan for his transportation plan.
- Over the summer his administration developed a new plan that leverages federal dollars for transportation projects in strategic areas with the best opportunity for improved economic development.
- But in order to get those federal dollars the State has to come up with a revenue stream to pay the feds back.
- That revenue stream or “user fee” is tolls; but tolls only for specific projects, like bridges, or stretches of highways, and that is why Lamont’s plan has now scaled back the number of toll gantries from their initial proposal of 50 to somewhere between 13 and 18.
- In addition, and this is where the rub with bonding comes in, the Governor wants the legislature to commit to $100 million per year for 10 years in bonding for specific transportation projects.
- The Governor is hoping this new plan will get him more support because it limits the number of toll gantries and for a limited amount of time and borrows some dollars to make it all work.
- It does appear that time is running out for any action on this plan before the holiday season begins so look for some news over the next couple of days.
- Our friend Christine Stuart of CT News Junkie does a much better job than we do in trying to explain all of this.
- You can go here to read her story.
Election Day Tuesday
- Meanwhile, next Tuesday is election day for Towns and Cites.
- As you may know, CT has a system in place that each year there is some type of election.
- Elections for federal and statewide offices occur in even-numbered years, while municipal elections occur in odd-numbered ones.
- Don’t forget to vote on Tuesday.
Thank You for Your Support of CRMA
- As we head towards the year end, we wanted to take a minute and thank all of you for your continued support of CRMA.
- There is more work to do, but we are grateful to all of you who support our efforts to fight for retailers.
- To those of you who supported us thru the payment of dues or supporting our Golf Outing or came to our Annual Awards Luncheon (which was our best attended ever) or did all that and more, we cannot thank you enough.
- It is because of you we remain the “Voice of Retail” in CT.
- If you have not paid your membership dues yet or would simply like to make a contribution to our effort, please contact us today at tim@crmaonline or cathy@crmaonline.
Links to Live By
- At CRMA we, like you, want to see a strong CT economy. A strong CT economy easily translates to stronger retail sales.
- With that in mind, we wanted to share three links that highlight some positive economic news for the State and hopefully a better economy for all of us.
- For the first time since 2013 there is a decrease in the number of people moving out of the State. The CT Post has that story.
- In New Britain there is a major expansion of a CT Company taking place.
- Governor Lamont announced this week that he is forming a New Workforce Council. Our friends at the CT Mirror have that story.