Litchfield League of Women Voters Annual Legislative Breakfast

On February 24^, 2024, Litchfield County’s League of Women Voters held their Annual Legislative Breakfast at Camp Cochipianee. Over 40 residents from Goshen and other towns attended the breakfast. These guests: Representatives Jay Case (63rd District), Cindy Harrison (69th District), Maria Horn (64th District), John Piscopo (76th District), Karen Reddington-Hughes (66th District), and State Senator Stephen Harding (30^th District).

Reddington-Hugges serves on the Education, Environment, and Public Health committees. Harding is now Senate Minority Leader, and serves on the Environment, and Education committees. Harrison is ranking member of the Commerce and Appropriations committees. Piscopo serves on the Finance-Revenue-Bonding (FRB), Environment, and Energy & Technology committees. Horn serves on all of Piscopo’s committees and chairs the FRB committee as well. Case is ranking member of the Human Services and Education Committees.

 The first issue the representatives addressed was the electric vehicle (EV) requirement. The General Assembly proposed new emission standards for cars and trucks that requires manufacturers to sell only zero-emission cars and up to 75% of zero-emission trucks in the state by 2035. The standards were based on California’s EV standards. According to the Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, the intent of these standards is to improve air quality by removing fossil-fueled vehicles. The intent is to decrease smog and the associated carbon emissions and meet the federal standards. If accepted, the new standards would begin taking effect in 2027. This would not require residents to purchase EVs or to stop using vehicles they already own. The representatives unanimously opposed these proposed standards due to the lack of EV infrastructure and the differences between California and CT standards. “I do think we should consider looking at an EPA standard,” said Harding. “...we all have (those that) represent us in the federal government that we can go to and say ‘Hey, we have an issue with this regulation. Can you please do something about it?’ Can anyone tell me who their representative is in Sacramento?” Harding expressed further concern that this would force residents to install chargers in their homes and substantially increase their electric bills from Eversource or United Illuminating.

Horrigan then asked the representatives about funding for 14-day-long early voting and training for poll workers. Horn supported funding for early voting but was opposed to the 14 day length, “This is bedrock democracy, though. We have to make sure that it is funded properly and that towns get as much support as they need… We have to build people’s confidence in democracy.” Most of the representatives agreed with Horn regarding early voting.  There was much opposition to a14 day long early voting period. Case, Harding, and Harrison sympathized with town’s struggles to get volunteers to man election sites for one day, let alone 14 days, and claimed this length of time is error prone.

First Selectman, Todd Carusillo, stated 2024 presidential election voting will cost Goshen $10,000 but the state only provides the town with $500.

Reddington-Hughes added that this length of early voting won’t necessarily increase the number of people who vote.  States that  implemented longer time periods, did see an improvement of voting numbers.  She explained that the number of people that actually vote, actually decreases and shorter voting time periods attracted more voters due to the urgency of a smaller time frame.

Carusillo asked the representatives how they plan to address trash tipping fees and energy rates amid the Dissolution Authority closure in 2027 of MIRA (Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority).  Horn was not impressed by how MIRA was run and claimed the state doesn’t have enough solutions to solve its trash problem. “ ...”We don’t have adequate waste management facilities,” said Harding.  “...In addition to that we need better support for composting programs.”

Horn claimed a town needs to volunteer to host and handle a waste energy facility to better address trash overflow. She said composting could help reduce state trash issues and costs but state funding is required to support official composting programs. Harrison added that the state needs to address food expiration dates with tons of one week expired food being thrown away, “I don’t think that the average citizen understands the crisis of garbage at this point… There is no reason why any person in the state of Connecticut should be hungry just because you have a bag of crackers that are one week past an expiration date. It’s crazy!” She additionally suggested municipalities go back to separating recycling instead of single stream due to poor recycling endeavors.

Case was for urging the State to begin purchasing and generating energy within Connecticut.  He also addressed the homelessness crisis. He stated homelessness is climbing in the State. Case called for every resident to have equal job opportunities, access to public education, and affordable housing. Ultimately, he envisions the state to be a place where people can thrive and prosper once more.