April 2, 2015
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I would like to share with you an update on the 2015 legislative session. The legislature’s committees are reviewing their final notes on meetings and public hearings and deciding which bills will be reported out of committee for further deliberation in the House and Senate chambers. My hope is to continue to foster conversation between our offices and the residents whom we work diligently to serve. I look forward to hearing your feedback on issues pertinent to East Hartford and Manchester.
Among the many issues facing us, here are two important ones:
Student Loan Debt
The Banking Committee approved legislation March 10 increasing regulation of student loan lenders. On the same day President Barack Obama directed federal agencies to play a better role in helping student borrowers. According to research, about 64 percent of Connecticut students graduate with crushing debt – a problem both the Senate and the House have acknowledged.
Student loan debt limits economic mobility and the ability to achieve a prosperous life. It affects not only students but also their families. The Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee worked with the Banking Committee to draft a bill that will increase regulation and education, while creating a student loan ombudsman’s office.
If the General Assembly passes this legislation and it's signed into law, it will be the first legislature in the United States to regulate student loan servicers. This legislation, coupled with a number of similar bills, will aim to assist students and their families in alleviating the rising cost of higher education.
Here are two links to news stories dealing with student loan debt: CT News Junkie and CT Mirror.
New Casino Facilities
Lawmakers, labor advocates and representatives from both the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes spoke on the competition introduced by new casinos in neighboring states at a press conference on March 10. A proposed casino in Massachusetts promises to compete with Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods within two and a half years.
Representatives from both tribes want to compete with the Massachusetts casino by opening a new gaming facility north of Hartford. It is the hope of the tribes and many others in Connecticut that the state’s casino facilities will continue to secure jobs in eastern Connecticut amid rising competition from facilities in New York and Massachusetts.
Mohegan Sun says it employs more than 7,000 people and spends $249 million annually on 760 vendors from 141 Connecticut municipalities. Foxwoods, the older of the two casinos, employs about 5,500 people from 134 towns in Connecticut.”
Here are links to two news stories about casinos. CT New Junkie and CT Mirror.
Help Identify Pothole Problems
The prolonged winter weather has taken a toll on our roads and East Hartford is no exception. Potholes are caused by moisture seeping into the roads, freezing, expanding and finally thawing. Roads are further weakened by traffic.
The Town of East Hartford’s ultimate goal is safety and its Public Works Department tries to repair potholes as quickly as possible when they are brought to their attention.
If you encounter potholes or other hazardous road conditions in need of repair in East Hartford, contact public works right away. If you hit a pothole that causes damage to your vehicle, you may submit a damage claim with the town clerk.
www.easthartfordct.gov/home/news/potholeswhat-you-should-know-and-how-to-report-them
Manchester 2025 School Plan
In May 2014, the Manchester Board of Education finalized an analysis of the growing needs of its educational programs and aging infrastructure of elementary school programs. It formalized its recommendations to the Manchester Board of Directors in the Manchester 2025 Plan.
The 10-year plan was created in two phases, both phases addressing the following: equitable learning environments that meet state standards for lighting, acoustics, air quality and security, maintains class sizes between 17-22 students, minimizes the relocation of students and accommodates district-wide enrollment changes, maximizes the use of CT State Department of Education construction reimbursement grants, and complies with state laws on racial balance in schools. It is the Manchester 2025 Plan’s goal to provide comparable and upgraded learning environments throughout the district that meet state standards for all of the aforementioned and allow for the increased use of instructional technologies.
www.townofmanchester.org/documents/10YrFlyer.pdf
In closing, I want to say that I look forward to hearing your feedback on the issues highlighted in this legislative update. If you have any follow-up questions don't hesitate to contact me at Jason.rojas@cga.ct.gov or by phone at 860-240-0549.