Representative William A. Hamzy’s
 2010 Legislative Session Report

Dear Friends,
        To save the state money, I am sending my end of session report to you electronically this year rather than mailing the report to my whole district as a way to reduce taxpayer costs. I would ask that you forward this report to others in Bristol and Plymouth so they can see what the legislature has been up to without the cost burdens of individual pieces of mail.
        As you know, this legislative session was dubbed the “jobs” and “budget” session. As Deputy Republican Leader, I’m writing today to specifically address the state of our fiscal house in Connecticut. Here’s a snapshot of principles I saw play out this session:

As always, if you have questions, concerns, or want to know more, please feel free to contact me at 1-800-842-1423 or visit my website www.RepHamzy.com.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your state representative in the 78th Connecticut General Assembly district. It’s been an honor.
           

Sincerely,           
 

            William A. Hamzy
            Deputy Republican Leader
            Representing Bristol and Plymouth

This week, from Aug. 15th through Aug. 21st, is Connecticut’s “Sales Tax Holiday” week.

Connecticut’s 6% sales tax will be eliminated for all clothing and footwear purchases under $300 per item through this Saturday. Since sales tax is calculated after the use of any coupons or discounts, if the final price is less than $300, the sale is exempt from taxes. However, purchases equaling more than $300 will have full sales tax calculated into the cost.
Clothing or footwear under $300 either rented or put on layaway is also tax-free.

For more information, visit the Department of Revenue Services website at www.ct.gov/drs or call my Hartford office at 1-800-842-1423.

Representative William A. Hamzy Rails Against $3 Million Political Payoff to Democrat Dan Malloy
“An Act Concerning Dan Malloy

Rep. William A. Hamzy blasted super-majority Democrats today for voting to give their gubernatorial candidate an additional $3 Million of taxpayer money, a move that courts have already ruled to be unconstitutional, while Connecticut faces an estimated $4 Billion budget deficit. Hamzy called it typical for the spend-happy majority legislature to vote for a raw political payoff taxpayers cannot afford.
 
“We are staring down the barrel of a $4 Billion budget hole. Instead of responsible governance, legislative Democrats went to extremes today to give their candidate, Dan Malloy, a $3 Million gift of taxpayers’ money that the courts have ruled is unconstitutional. This money will certainly only go to pay for more negative political mailings and more negative television advertisements which residents of Connecticut are already fed up with,’’  said Hamzy.
 
No other state-wide constitutional offices such as Lt. Governor, Attorney General or Secretary of the State are included in the legislation.
 
He added, “This bill should be renamed ‘An Act Concerning Dan Malloy,’ because he is the only person affected by this vote.”
 
As the House was voting, it became clear to lawmakers that despite additional education grants approved in Washington, the state may wind up at least $100 million more in the red because of deepening budget shortfalls.
 
“On a day we learned Congress will not be giving us the full education funding the majority counted on for our state budget, the choice before us today clearly was to give Dan Malloy’s campaign $3 Million, or relieve our taxpayers from having to pay for an additional $3 Million expenditure. The Democrats chose politics over fiscal responsibility,” said Hamzy.
   
Malloy, using the taxpayer-financed system which provided his campaign with $2.5 Million for the primary easily defeated his Democratic opponent, Ned Lamont, who outspent him nearly four to one. There were exactly 81 days between the party conventions and the primary. Upon winning the primary, Malloy will be granted an additional $3 Million for the general election, which is now less than 81 days away. Hamzy believes the result in the Democratic primary was the best argument against giving an additional $3 million in taxpayer dollars the state does not have, to benefit one politician’s political ambitions. 
 
“Never before in the history of this state has a successful gubernatorial candidate spent $8.5 million on a political campaign.  Yet what the Democrats did today is to provide Dan Malloy with $8.5 million of taxpayer money,” said Hamzy.
 
“This Friday the 13th, session didn’t bode well for Connecticut taxpayers. It is outrageous to think of playing politics with the taxpayer pocketbook like this especially at a time of record budget deficits.  It makes you wonder where are the priorities? Politics or education? Spending or responsibility? Here we are swimming in red ink, we’re in debt up to our eyeballs and people fear for their jobs yet the super-majority can’t cut their addiction to spending.” said Hamzy.

Representative William A. Hamzy Encourages Residents to Sign Up for Emergency Notifications

Representative William A. Hamzy of Bristol and Plymouth is encouraging residents to sign up for the CT Alert Emergency Notification System. CT Alert ENS allows state and local officials to help protect lives and property by providing critical information to residents during emergencies, including dangerous situations related to schools or an emergency weather alert like a tornado warning.

The system allows authorized users, such as state and local emergency personnel, to quickly send out an emergency alert to residents in any affected geographic area within the state. Depending on the emergency, the alert may be sent to an entire town, part of a town, a group of towns, or a large area of the state.

“In light of the recent tornados in the Bristol and Plymouth areas, I wanted to encourage residents to take advantage of this service our state provides free of charge,” said Hamzy. “The CT Alert ENS a great tool. It’s an easy way to add a level of protection and peace of mind.”

To sign-up for alerts or to learn more about the program you can visit www.ctalert.gov. In addition to a “land-line,” residents can also add mobile phones, e-mail, text messaging and other instant messaging as a means of receiving alerts.

“In emergency situations, reaction time is precious. The more reaction time residents have, the better their chances of escaping harm,” said Hamzy. “Most people don’t always have on a TV or radio during the day but they do usually find themselves near some sort of a phone, whether home, office or cell phone. This system would provide those residents with the earliest alert of a potential life-threatening situation,” he continued.

CT Alert ENS is managed by the State Departments of Public Safety and Emergency Management and Homeland Security and is available for use by state and local 911 Emergency Communications Centers, and some state agencies.

Dear Governor Rell:
 
It is with great resolve today that I ask you to withdraw Connecticut from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) agreement that was signed with ten other Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states.  As you know, it was agreed that member states would implement cap and trade policies to produce long-term financial and environmental rewards. States were to collect carbon taxes from energy plants, then use that money to invest in green technology, promote energy conservation and ultimately lower energy costs.
 
Recent published reports, however, revealed that many of our sister states have foregone the theoretical ideals of the RGGI agreement which is proving RGGI critics’ warnings true. Many of our neighbors are no longer using monies from carbon credits to fund more energy alternatives for consumers. Instead, these states are using the money to balance their budgets and fund regular state operations.
 
At a time when state economies are struggling to state afloat, the carbon funds are a tempting tax for easy revenue. I am one who personally believes that there is no such thing as a “temporary tax.” Once the state finds revenue through taxing energy sources, I fear it will never give up this revenue, regardless of what it ultimately funds. This is exactly what critics of RGGI feared; that RGGI would simply become one more tax paid by consumers in the form of higher energy prices, with no foreseeable lower costs on the horizon. RGGI was sold as a regional investment now, promising a minimum 2:1 return on investment paying consumers back through efficient cost effective technology and a cleaner environment. The 2:1 return on investment for some was too good to be true and for others it was the baited hook that sealed the deal. Instead RGGI is now nothing more than a “bait and switch” on taxpayers as a means for northern states to fill their coffers. This program has already cost Connecticut taxpayers over $36 million.
 
The RGGI ideal that we in Connecticut can’t do this alone is true. But our sister states have already failed their end of the agreement and proven critics to be correct. The actions of these states hurt Connecticut residents. We have the highest energy costs in the continental U.S. and by staying in RGGI, they are only driven higher.
 
With RGGI reduced to merely another consumer energy tax which fuels bloated state budgets, I respectfully ask you to withdraw our state from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative agreement.  Thank you for your consideration of this request and I look forward to receiving your reply.
  
Sincerely,
 
William A. Hamzy
Deputy Minority Leader

Rep. Hamzy Honors Terryville’s State Championship Softball Team
Team Wins Terryville High School’s First Softball State Championship

State Representative William A. Hamzy honored the Terryville High School softball team Monday, June 21st, during a special session of the Connecticut General Assembly. The softball team won the school’s first ever softball state championship this June.

Hamzy, a Terryville High School alumnus and state champion himself, recalled his own experiences as a basketball player when he spoke to the team. He encouraged the young women to continue to develop their talents and learn from their experiences as they push on into the future. In his remarks, Hamzy recognized pitcher Beth Grimes before the gathered assembly. Grimes did not give up one run the entire tournament. The young team is largely made up of freshmen planning to return to the field in future years. Hamzy wished them the best and many future championships ahead.

“My congratulations to Terryville High school softball team. I was fortunate enough myself to be part of a Terryville High School two-time state championship basketball team. Those certainly were two of the most memorable occasions of my life. There are life lessons to be learned from sports; lessons like hard work, diligence, and team work. You will carry these with you in life and draw from them, even long after your years as a young state champion. I wish all of you the best in your future endeavors,” Rep. Hamzy said.

This weekend, May 22nd and 23rd, entrance and parking fees for the 107 state parks and 32 state forests will be waived. This includes free admission to the Dinosaur State Park exhibit center in Rocky Hill.

If you enjoy letterboxing at the state forests, a commemorative anniversary stamp will be located in the letterboxes of all state forests. Letterboxes are plastic containers hidden in a specific natural location within the state forest. A set of clues is given to those visitors searching for the letterbox location. Once found, a stamp and stamp pad are located inside the plastic container for visitors to stamp into their personal record books. For more information about letterboxing or to received clues visit www.ct.gov/dep/forestry.

Historians attribute the founding of the state to 1635 because it marked the year that Windsor, Wethersfield and Hartford were settled and thus established Connecticut as a colony. For more information about the year long 375th Anniversary celebration or to find out more about other anniversary events, visit www.CT375.com.

State Representative Bill Hamzy pushed for legislation May 5th that qualified Jennings School in Bristol for state grant monies to complete a much needed reroofing project.

“I’m glad to see Jennings School was a recipient of state school construction grants. Our kids deserve the best education we can give them and giving them the best environments to learn in is an important piece of that picture. Regular planning and proper maintenance are a cost-effective common sense approach to properly maintaining our public schools,” said Rep. Hamzy.

The Jennings School project was in an amendment to S.B. 376, which authorized state grants for school construction projects.

The legislation passed overwhelmingly 147 to 1 with 4 absent or abstaining.

At a time when the state is facing a multi-hundred-million dollar deficit, Connecticut residents interested in scrutinizing every dollar their government spends will enjoy the tools provided by new legislation co-sponsored by state Representative William A. Hamzy that passed today, which establishes an online searchable database for state government expenditures.

“The State of Connecticut is in the middle of a budget crisis.  We face a growing $700 million deficit that must be filled by May 5th when session ends. Taxpayers and small businesses are tapped out of funds. Instead of the usual “raise taxes” reflex, our leaders need to evaluate state spending. That’s why I cosponsored this legislation.   We need to shine a light on state spending,” said Rep. Hamzy “A little sunshine with a good dose of common sense seems to be what is needed in Hartford these days. The real question is: Can our state spending pass the sunshine test?”
 
The proposal known as “An Act Requiring the Establishment of a Searchable Database for State Expenditures” (H.B. 5163) would require the state’s nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis to build a searchable, web-based database containing information related to the state budget. The bill would also include state awarded contracts and grants.

What’s more, Hamzy contends the web database would not only provide valuable data to concerned citizens but also help debunk incorrect information that often ends up in the hands of residents.
 
“This is a proactive step toward government transparency. A non-profit organization called the Yankee Institute unveiled a similar database this year where they pieced together individual Freedom of Information Act requests. While I applauded the Yankee Institute’s efforts, those requests can get bogged down and might take months, even a year, of ltime to process into a private database. I support taking it a step further and require state agencies to post it directly, as close to real-time as possible. Let’s open the doors both for accountability to prevent runaway government spending and also to shed light on the positive actions taken by our state government,” said Rep. Hamzy.

The proposal requires the Office of Fiscal Analysis to have the system up and running by July 2011.   The legislation now moves to the state Senate for consideration.

“In my opinion, this is one of those times where the legislature gives the people it represents more power and that’s a great goal to strive for,” Rep. Hamzy said.

Representative William A. Hamzy Supports Job Creation Legislation

Watch Rep. Hamzy’s remarks on the House floor before the vote.

Republicans in the General Assembly during a debate on establishing a new budgetary commission, proposed an amendment to immediately stimulate Connecticut’s long-suffering job market by repealing the business entity tax, creating a small business revolving loan fund, providing a job creation tax credit for hiring people off the unemployment roles, and streamlining the various permit application process.

“This session was supposed to be the ‘jobs’ and ‘budget’ session. Months later, with only a few days left, there still is yet to be seen any ‘jobs’ or ‘budget’ legislation proposals from the super-majority party,” said Representative William Hamzy just before the amendment came to a vote. “Connecticut needs jobs,” he said “and the people of this state cannot wait any longer.”

“We already know what the budget numbers are. They’re toxic.  That’s why no one wants to touch them. Creating another commission is an excuse to buy more time during an election year. We already know what our projected shortfalls are and we know our revenue projections. We have all of these numbers. On April 15th, legislative Republicans proposed modifications to the 2011 budget and that proposal contains these same job creation measures which were in this amendment. We don’t need more studying or more delays; we need action and leadership. That’s exactly why the Republican Party proposed this amendment today,” said Rep. Hamzy after the vote.

Though many Democrats spoke in favor of the amendment, only three Democrats voted for it.  The proposal failed 105-38.

Highlights of the jobs-creation amendment proposal include:

• Repeal of the Business Entity Tax on all businesses
o Each year all businesses, whether a restaurant, public relations firm, hair salon, a family farm, etc, must register with the state and pay a fee called the “Business Entity Tax” just for existing and doing business in the state. The tax, when first proposed, was originally supposed to be a temporary tax, but has since become a staple annual tax on businesses.  Small businesses suffer the most with this annual flat fee.

• Creates a small business revolving loan fund
o With credit sparse, many small businesses are having trouble receiving credit to stock inventories or pay employee salaries. This fund would provide that needed credit.

• Job Creation Tax Credit Program
o This creates a tax credit for employers who employ 100 employees or less.  Employers may receive a $4,800/per employee for every hire off of unemployment.

• Requires that Jobs Impact Statements accompany bills and amendments
o Connecticut is often rated as one of the most difficult states to do business in. This is a move to address the business community’s complaint that the legislature habitually passes bills without considering how they affect employers and Connecticut jobs.

• Create DECD ombudsman to streamline the permitting process for employers
o The state permitting process is often seen as a maze of red tape. This measure would expedite and simplify the permitting process for employers.