Rep. McCarty Addresses Constituent Concerns

WATERFORD — State Representative Kathleen McCarty (R-Waterford) shared coffee as well as legislative ideas and concerns with constituents at the Waterford Public Library last Tuesday.

“We need to make our business climate friendlier so that we can boost our economic growth and help maintain our quality of life here in Connecticut. Consequently, I will not be supporting any new tax increases. We need to set our core government priorities, establish long-term structural changes, remain under the Constitutional Spending Cap, all while protecting our most vulnerable residents,” said Rep. McCarty, who is a member of the Public Health, Education, and Appropriations committees. McCarty is also a member of the Legislature’s Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, Tourism, Rural, Women’s and Sportsmen Caucuses.

Rep. McCarty updated attendees on the work she is doing at the Capitol during this unique session where the State Senate is tied between the two parties, and the House is very nearly evenly balanced.

The two-hour long discussion touched upon issues such as: pay equity, paid family leave, the carbon tax, Millstone, the role of non-profit organizations, health care, municipal and education mandate relief, and the Education Cost Sharing formula.

“The budget is our biggest issue this year,” Rep. McCarty said. “The governor’s budget proposal relies on too many assumptions, including: $700 million in labor concessions, removing hospitals and colleges from tax exempt status, taxing hospitals more, changes to the Education Cost Sharing formula and shifting one-third of teachers’ pension funding costs onto towns. The budget process needs to be changed. As it currently stands, budget decisions are being made by the Appropriations Committee prior to knowing how much revenue it will have to spend on budget requests.”

Those who were unable to attend can reach out to Rep. McCarty anytime with questions or concerns at Kathleen.McCarty@housegop.ct.gov or 1-800-842-1423.