The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities is asking lawmakers for more funding for schools and municipalities among its 2023 agenda, which was released Tuesday.
The 168-member municipal advocacy group’s 2023 legislative agenda includes:
- More school funding. CCM wants state lawmakers to speed up the phase-on of the Education Cost Sharing grant formula, and increase school funding from other sources as well, including the special education grant.
- Addressing a shortage of certified paraprofessionals by enhancing training opportunities and expanding mentorship for paraprofessionals working to become teachers.
- Increased state payment-in-lieu-of taxes, or PILOT, grants to towns burdened by tax-exempt properties. CCM is recommending full funding of the PILOT program as called for by state statute.
- Dropping or reducing the requirement that municipalities publish legal notices in newspapers. CCM contends Gov. Lamont’s executive order allowing notices on city and town websites during the pandemic led to better attendance at municipal meetings and greater public awareness. CCM is asking municipalities be allowed to publish their notices on municipal websites as an alternative to “costly” newspaper advertisements, or at least that they be able to publish an abridged version in newsprint, with full notices on city and town websites.
- Increasing the threshold triggers for the application of prevailing wage on municipally funded projects. CCM would like to see the $1 million trigger for prevailing wage requirements of new construction raised to $3 million and the $100,000 trigger on renovation and improvement work raised to $500,000. This would allow more efficient investments in infrastructure at lower costs to taxpayers, according to CCM.
- Creation of a statewide legislative taskforce to examine volunteer firefighter and EMT shortages and develop solutions. This taskforce would consider an income tax credit for volunteer firefighters, a higher education pipeline for emergency responders, tuition incentives, streamlined certification, consistent state funding for training and differentiated, gender-based training criteria for firefighter and EMT candidates.
“These proposals are critical, common-sense initiatives to make life better and more affordable for Connecticut families and residents,” said Wolcott Mayor Tom Dunn, also president of CCM. “After careful consideration and input by leaders from towns across Connecticut, we urge the General Assembly to pass these proposals in the 2023 legislative session.”
