News

Connecticut Cracks Down on Bottle Redemption Fraud

Gov. Ned Lamont signed a bill last month intending to prevent hordes of out-of-state traffickers from making an extra nickel in Connecticut by collecting a 10-cent refund on cans and bottles that required only a 5-cent deposit in their state.

But there is no hard evidence that such widespread fraud is happening.

In the last quarter of 2024, the bottle return rate in Connecticut reached 77%, the highest it’s ever been.

But instead of viewing the increased redemption as a consumer response to the 10-cent deposit introduced last year, lawmakers who supported the legislation blamed out-of-state returns, which are illegal.

Sen. Rick Lopes, D-New Britain, told The Connecticut Mirror that the new legislation is “trying to target the people who have a box truck that are coming in from out of state.”

However, there is no record of how many out-of-state bottles are redeemed in Connecticut. Most distributors do not differentiate their bottles by state, meaning there is no way to tell which bottles were sold in Connecticut and which ones were not.

Bob Hanna, owner of Three Veterans redemption center in New Milford, believes that the problem of fraudulent returns is only solvable with technology. Brands that are both a manufacturer and distributor, such as Poland Spring, have taken to placing a red box around the barcodes of bottles they sell in non-redeemable states. If a customer attempts to feed one of these bottles into a redemption machine, it gets spat out. 

“There could be a solution to identify these products through barcodes,” says Hanna. “But distributors don’t have power with the manufacturers.”

Since he opened last year, Hanna estimates he’s turned away about 40 out-of-state returners, compared to his 850 regulars.

“The word’s gotten out — you’re not going to get by us,” he said.

Hanna requires his customers to provide proof of Connecticut residency and gives car stickers to his regulars. But still, residency is only a proxy for knowing whether the bottles themselves were purchased in Connecticut. 

The legislation limits individuals to redeeming 5,000 bottles a day and requires redemption centers to record the name, driver’s license and license plate of anyone returning over 2,500 bottles. It also allocates $2 million from the General Fund towards bottle redemption law enforcement. 

Hanna has customers who return bottles that they did not purchase themselves. A Boy Scouts troop, for example, brought in 13,000 after a clean-up project. Some patrons regularly return cans they fish out of the trash after local baseball games.

“Just because you don’t need the dime, or I don’t need the dime, I save all mine, and I don’t necessarily need it, but why am I going to give it to the state? Why am I going to give it to the distributors?”

When Connecticut bottles are not redeemed, the 10-cent deposit is shared among distributors and the state. In fiscal year 2023-2024, the state made over $42 million in revenue from unclaimed bottle deposits.

“I just believe [the new legislation] is a money grab for not only the state but for distributors,” Hanna said. 

There is no public data on where bottles are being redeemed; DEEP considers this information proprietary.

Disclosure of returns is up to the beverage distributors. In testimony in support of SB 1115, Coca-Cola Beverage Northeast said that its Q4 2024 redemption rate in border areas was 83%, compared to 61% in the middle of Connecticut, and that this was evidence of fraud, despite the lack of data regarding bottle origins.

Wayne Pesce, President of CT Food Association, draws his conclusion from images and videos he’s seen from grocery stores, such as a man unloading an SUV full of bottle bags, and cars in a parking lot with out-of-state license plates. 

“We are trying to limit fraudulent volume because our customers can’t get into our stores when someone comes back with 500 containers and Mrs. Johnson can’t get in with her 50,” he said.

On a recent weekday afternoon, the redemption room at the Big Y supermarket in Westport was empty. Store managers said they have not had problems with large volumes of bottle returns, and they have not heard of problems at any other Big Ys.

Even though redemption rooms in grocery stores are small, they take up valuable space. Groceries would rather sell mulch, winter salt, or literally anything else more profitable than the 2.5¢ per malt beverage, 3.5¢ for soft drink handling fee they receive for every bottle they process.

“There’s no profit incentive for a retailer in the state of Connecticut to redeem bottles and cans. Zero,” says Pesce. 

“We’re paying our associates $20 an hour, and our bottle rooms are open for the hours of the store,” says Pesce. “We’ve got to keep them clean, and we’ve got to pay labor to do it.” 

Meanwhile, redemption centers like Three Veterans LLC in New Milford have worked to make a profit since the raise to 10¢. Hanna estimates they process 15,000 bottles each day they are open. They allow their customers to drop off bottle bags for their workers to process.

“They get some time back, that’s all we can offer them,” he said. 

Redemption center owners are skeptical that the new teeth in the law will catch the amount of fraud others are so certain is there.

“It’s just like the guy who can walk up through a soda machine, kick it three times and hit the return button and get a soda for free,” says Hanna.

Original article found on CT Mirror

September 3, 2025 in CFA News

Boosting CT Economy Through Utility Partnerships

Connecticut has much to be proud of in the most recent CNBC “2025 Best States for Business” rankings, which have been rightfully promoted by the likes of Gov. Ned Lamont and state Sen. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, as the state achieved high marks for critical metrics including quality of life and its cultivation of a skilled workforce. However, when it comes to the state’s overall economy and infrastructure needed to support it, it’s clear that Connecticut has room to grow and further collaborate with the private sector to make the state even more attractive to prospective companies and provide groundwork for future job growth.

The good news? Connecticut has a reliable grid thanks to decades of consistent investment and partnership at the federal, state, and local levels. If we can build on those examples of collaboration and make the investments necessary for modern power needs, we can unleash economic activity and show the world what makes our state a leader.

Development and electric demand: A clear link

Economic development and increased electric demand growth have always gone hand-in-hand, and if we want to continue to spur economic activity in Connecticut, we must have a modern electric grid with sufficient headroom to proactively accommodate the growth in demand that comes with booming commercial and industrial sectors. If you look at states such as Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia — which were all named among CNBC’s top-10 best states for business — they are experiencing exponential electric demand growth primarily driven by a combination of data center development and economic expansion. All three states also have another key ingredient that gives them a competitive advantage in the eyes of new businesses: collaborative regulatory paradigms that support such strategic utility investments, which is essential for enabling economic development.

The proof is in the projections. Here’s a closer look at how these states are actively preparing to accommodate soaring electric demand from data centers and new businesses:   

  • Georgia Power projects an 8,200 megawatt increase in electric demand by 2031. The utility’s 10-year modernization plan includes improvements across more than 1,000 miles of transmission lines, expanding solar, storage, and investing in nuclear, natural gas, coal, and hydropower to help meet the surge.
  • In Virginia, electric demand from data centers alone is projected to exceed 7,000 Megawatts by 2032. Dominion Energy is partnering with other regional utilities to build $4.6 billion in transmission infrastructure that will help support the spike in demand as the state explores other diversified energy strategies.
  • North Carolina utilities are focusing on transmission upgrades and new distributed energy resources to support economic development and maintain reliability as the state anticipates a 12% rise in electric demand by 2038.

These demand growth projections are like adding the entire state of Connecticut’s demand and then some to their respective states’ current peak electric demands. In Connecticut, ISO-NE is projecting a 590 Megawatt increase in demand growth over the next 10 years, substantially lagging behind the electric demand growth projections seen in the states where commercial and industrial growth is booming. A collaborative and constructive regulatory environment can and will help flip the script — one that is focused on pro-growth policies that can help attract more companies by accelerating the infrastructure expansion needed to support them.

 

How Conn. can catch up

While we’ve taken steps toward grid modernization, the pace must quicken if we want to compete nationally for new businesses and jobs — especially given the length of time it takes to engineer, permit, procure and construct electric grid infrastructure at scale. Though Connecticut may be small when it comes to square mileage, the opportunities are massive when it comes to private development and siting. If the state were to take a strategic, collaborative approach to address future economic and utility needs, it can unlock a host of economic activity which will drive up property tax revenues, grow jobs in manufacturing and high-tech sectors, while also improving utility reliability and resilience in these areas – bringing direct benefits to Connecticut residents.

Massachusetts, which ranked among CNBC’s top-20 best states for business, is already taking this approach. The commonwealth is leading the way with its grid planning process, which features an additional layer of transparency and engagement through its Grid Modernization Advisory Council (GMAC) — a layer that is visibly missing in Connecticut and one the state could significantly benefit from. This collaborative working group brings multiple stakeholders to the table to strategically plan future grid enhancements to meet the Commonwealth’s policy objectives, where no individual contributor is viewed as more of a friend or foe, but instead an important voice which must be heard to reach shared goals of sustainable growth and opportunity. The GMAC provides state regulators in Massachusetts with deep insights, perspectives, and specific recommendations on how to modernize and upgrade the electric grid efficiently and cost-effectively at scale, and regulators consider that input in their final decisions on any future investments. Connecticut continues to lack a comprehensive energy policy, which is imperative for utilities to develop specific grid plans by specific time frames that are backed by legislative mandates. Having a dedicated body focused on stakeholder engagement and transparency that clearly connect policy objectives to grid plans, has allowed Massachusetts to take strategic action toward reaching its electrification goals and has helped position the state as a leader in economic development in New England — and Connecticut could learn valuable lessons from this approach.

A path forward for smart development

We don’t have to look far to find a roadmap. States that embrace regulatory clarity, strong collaboration and infrastructure investment are thriving. It’s time Connecticut joins them.

Let’s build on our strengths and remove the barriers standing in the way of investment. If we bring our regulators, policymakers, and utilities to the same table — with the same goal — we can make Connecticut a beacon of innovation, resilience, and opportunity for generations to come.

Digaunto Chatterjee is Eversource’s senior vice president of engineering.

The Full Article can be found at MSN

September 3, 2025 in Community News

Lamont Expected to Run Again

When the Labor Day weekend of 2026 signals the traditional start of the fall political season, the race for governor will become clear. But a full year away, that race is already taking shape.

While Gov. Ned Lamont currently says he’s still pondering a third, four-year term, political observers say he’ll certainly run again. They say that his engagement and energy, with daily public events organized by his office, such as ceremonial bill signings for legislation actually signed weeks earlier, are sure indicators. Lamont has signaled as much.

“If Lamont were to run, it’s his election to lose because of the power of the incumbency,” said Gayle Alberda, political science professor at Fairfield University. “The perks are his achievements and record. He has a built-in infrastructure, credibility and prestige, plus high levels of name recognition before even engaging again with voters.”

“Everything is lined up for him for a third term,” said Gary L. Rose, a scholar in-residence at Sacred Heart University.

Recently returned from his summer home on a Maine island that’s been a family property since 1917, a reporter tried to finally get a straight answer. “You’ve been off two weeks, you gonna tell us something now?” the reporter asked in New London last week.

“Nope,” Lamont replied. “Soon. I think we’re making good progress in this state, and I love what we’re doing. I’m inclined to do it, but I’m just trying to put it off a little bit longer.”

One of the top-six governors in approval ratings, according to a recent nationwide poll, Lamont has a big advantage over state Rep. Josh Elliott of Hamden, who is challenging the governor from the left. Elliott is hoping to capture the kind of political lightning in a bottle that Lamont himself grabbed in 2006: a primary victory over then-U.S. Senate Joe Lieberman, who went on that fall to keep his seat, running as an independent.

On the Republican side, the outgoing Westport First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker, Timothy Wilcox of Norwich and fourth-year state Sen. Ryan Fazio have declared their candidacies. Outgoing New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart is also expected to join the fray, eventually turning her exploratory campaign into a candidate committee.

Republican State Central Committee Chairman Ben Proto said that the state’s public financing system should make the eventual GOP nominee competitive with Lamont, a multi-millionaire who does not take a state salary and paid for his 2018 and 2022 campaigns – more than $40 million – from his own pocket. In 2022, he claimed $54 million in income, mostly from investments.

“This is a guy who makes a million dollars a week if he doesn’t get out of bed,” Proto said of the governor. Any general election expenditures over $15 million per candidates is probably not needed, he said. “At some point you reach a diminishing return on the amount of money you spend. You get to run a few more ads.” 

Statewide voter registration includes 488,041 Republicans, 822,499 Democrats and 957,782 unaffiliated voters.

How the race, especially on the Republican side, is anyone’s guess. A spring GOP convention would lead to an endorsement, but it’s possible a summer primary could follow. Two years ago, despite former state House Minority Leader Themis Klarides winning the nomination to run for U.S. Senate against Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Leora Levy defeated her in a primary following an endorsement phone call from Donald Trump. 

Touting an in-house poll that shows Stewart within striking distance of Lamont, Morgan Wilson, senior advisor to Stewart’s exploratory committee, recently said that the survey of 400 GOP voters indicate support for a nominee “from outside Fairfield County with a proven history” of winning elections.

“It’s time for a new generation of proven leadership, not one defined by personal finances or Hartford insider ties,” Wilson said in a statement.

Fazio, in a Friday statement, said that during the two weeks he’s been on the campaign trail, he’s gotten positive feedback. “One thing is clear: Connecticut voters are ready for positive change,” he said. “They’re ready for lower electric bills, lower taxes, and law and order – that’s the exact message we are bringing across our state.”

Rose, a longtime SHU politics professor, said that the poll released by the Stewart campaign occurred within days of Fazio jumping into the campaign. “I don’t doubt that she’s the leading Republican, but Ryan has a good chance of closing the gap, particularly among conservative Republicans,” said Rose.

“Those August primaries have low turnouts,” Rose said. “Any poll showing she’s ahead is very premature. Ryan is definitely right of center and I think he’s a viable candidate, particularly among conservatives. Erin has a reputation of working across the aisle, but I am not sure if that’s what conservatives want at this moment.”

Nearly four years ago, Lamont waited until the second week of November to announce plans to run for a second term. He recently hosted several of the state’s big-city mayors at the Governor’s Residence in Hartford. But after seven years in office, progressive Democrats in the legislature are eager for higher taxes on the state’s wealthiest to fund social programs at a time when they – and other federal funding streams – are being threatened by the Trump administration.

Rose said Friday that when Luke Bronin, the former Hartford mayor, recently announced a potential primary challenge to 1st District U.S. Rep. John Larson, it was a solid tip that Lamont was running for a third term.

“I think in Lamont’s case, he’s very popular, his approval ratings are strong” Rose said. “Obviously he has a war chest that’s a bottomless pit. Plus, there’s a bipartisan chord he has struck with the public. A number of Republicans in the business community appreciate him. He’s not ideological. He’s a centrist. He can certainly talk about the state budget surpluses.”

“Even though the laws are enacted by the General Assembly, the governor is the person we blame or reward,” said Alberda, of Fairfield University. Pitfalls for incumbents include economic down turns and large scandals. In 2004, then-Gov. John Rowland resigned under pressure, when the state Supreme Court ruled that he had to testify before a state House Committee of Inquiry that looked into the awarding of lucrative state contracts and tax breaks. He wasn’t halfway through his third term. By the end of that year, Rowland pleaded guilty to federal felonies. He was recently pardoned by Trump.

While Lamont’s signature bill this year might be the $300 million child case endowment fund, his veto of a controversial affordable housing bill that his staff helped negotiate with legislative leaders, earned Lamont some animosity and it seems less likely that a special legislative session will be called on the issue for September.

Without an early fall housing initiative with fellow Democrats, Lamont could further delay announcing a reelection campaign until the tension subsides.

Elliott on Friday chided Lamont for not joining most Democratic governors who signed a Thursday letter sent to Trump, asking that he back away from possibly sending National Guard troops into their states. 

“There are two trains of thought, generally about dealing with the fed government right now,” Elliott said in a phone interview. “You don’t get caught in the president’s cross hairs or you everything fight tooth and nail. Both sides come at this from trying to protect our people. With three-and-a-half years left in his term, if we do not fight, we will not be OK. The worst thing we can do is try to weather the storms.”

On June 8, Lamont joined in a statement from the Democratic Governors Association condemning Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles. Two days later, he joined Attorney General William Tong in criticizing the action. 

Staff writers Alex Putterman and Paul Hughes contributed to this report.

Original article found on MSN

September 3, 2025 in Legislative News

Another Spectacular Bozzuto’s Big B Expo

Greetings all and I hope you have been enjoying the blistering heat filled days of summer we have been enjoying. Let’s get right to it.

The Bozzuto’s Big B Expo and vendor golf outing was held at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT at the beginning of August. The three-day extravaganza kicked off with the vendor golf outing at the Lake of the Isles courses in nearby Ledyard. Once again, Chris Griffin and Pam Carstens put together a stellar outing that was top notch and left the many participants smiling. Perfect weather conditions greeted nearly 300 golfers on the two premier courses and the day was capped off by another record setting performance by town crier and fast talker exceptional, Steve Heggelke. More than 1,200 raffle prizes were given away to those whose support the Bozzuto’s Hometown Foundation with a donation to the non-profit charitable organization. Steve has called out and distributed the staggering number of prizes (with coordinated efforts from the many Bozzuto’s associates) in previous years in under 10 minutes.

This year he shattered that time by going through the allotment of gifts in six minutes that even John “Motormouth” Moschitta would have been proud of. You genuinely have to experience it to believe it. During the post-golf festivities, Steve also touched on the tragic passing of Jeff King, Bozzuto’s VP-center store. Jeff’s family was in attendance for the outing and as Steve spoke there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Jeff’s sudden passing had a profound impact on everyone who had the honor of knowing him and Steve mentioned that some friends and colleagues of Jeff’s had started a Go Fund Me page to help fulfill Jeff’s wish to support his children and grandchildren. Steve told the audience, that throughout his life, Jeff’s greatest priority was his family. He worked tirelessly not just for today, but for their future. One of Jeff’s personal dreams was to help his children so they would not be burdened by student loan debt, and to help put his grandchildren through college. Therefore, the campaign was created by those who loved and worked alongside Jeff to honor that dream. Any donation will be used to help pay off student loans for Jeff’s children as well as build a college savings fund for his grandchildren.

Donations are personal gifts given out of kindness and 100 percent of the funds will go directly to Jeff’s family to fulfill his educational legacy. As someone mentioned to me as we were leaving, he was going to donate to help carry forward the love, dedication, and values that defined Jeff’s life.

Well stated, and great use of a Go Fund Me.

Nice to hear that a winning $1 million Powerball ticket sold in at a Hannaford Supermarket in Rochester, NH has inspired the ADUSA grocer to give back to its community. Hannaford will donate its $10,000 commission from selling the winning ticket to three local nonprofit organizations that are focused on increasing access to critical resources for individuals and families in the community.

“It’s always exciting to see one of our customers experience such good fortune, and there’s no better way to celebrate than by paying it forward to our community,” said Jean-Marie Beauchemin, director of operations for Hannaford Supermarkets. “We hope this donation will further the efforts of these critical community organizations to increase access to critical resources for our neighbors.”

Hannaford and the New Hampshire Lottery recently welcomed the three community organizations to the Rochester store for a celebratory check presentation. The local nonprofits receiving donations were: the Community Action Partnership of Strafford County, which reduces barriers to help improve the economic stability and well-being of the community through education, advocacy and partnerships; the SHARE Fund, which increases access to critical resources such as housing, food, clothing, diapers, and emergency financial support for neighbors in need; and the SOS Recovery Community Organization, which supports individuals affected by substance use with peer-based solutions and advocacy. It wasn’t the first time a Hannaford store has hit it big in the lottery. A St. Albans, VT store hit a winner back in September 2024 and similarly donated the $50,000 commission to local nonprofits in its local community. Great idea and great job Hannaford!!

Wayne Pesce, Connecticut Food Association (CFA) president tells us that all the nominees are set for the 2025 Food Industry Champions Celebration to be held on October 30 at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT. The big gala will fete Amanda Cunningham of Price Chopper/Market 32, Christian D’Amour of  Big Y World Class Market, Doreen Spencer of Adams Hometown Markets, Michael Trocchio of Stop & Shop, and Frank Amici of Garafalo Markets. This event is always a sellout as it is the CFA’s main soiree of the year. Discounted hotel room rates are available on a first come, first serve basis. For more information call the CFA 860.216.4055 or email them at ctfood@ctfoodassociation.org.

And while we are addressing the state associations, The Food Industry Alliance (FIA) will hold its 28th annual gala at the Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle, NY. FIA president a CEO Mike Durant tells us that the event will once again bring together industry leaders representing the full spectrum of the New York food industry, from retail, chains, and wholesalers to brokers, suppliers, and manufacturers. A keynote speech, industry panel discussions, the FIA Annual Awards presentations, and an extended lavish cocktail hour always seem to add up to a stellar evening. I know I’m starting to show a little gray in my temples when I admit that I was at the inaugural “Red Carpet Gala” at the Rye Town Hilton in Rye Brook, NY.

Former association president (which was formerly known as the New York State Food Merchants Association) Jim Rogers started up the gala and boy was it THE event to be at for a good several years run. There are always some ebbs and flows to all events over the course of time, but Mike Durant and his team of Laura Mastrianni and Maura Callahan, along with the current board members, have ensured that the FIA Gala in its current format is still very much a viable and desired industry event. If you are interested in attending or want more information or ticket pricing, contact the Food Industry Alliance of New York State, Inc. at 518.434.1900 or email Laura Mastrianni at Laura@fiany.com.

Well, as you saw on the front page of this edition of Food Trade News, our longtime P\publisher and leader Jeff Metzger has sold Best-Met Publishing Company to Alex Wissel. We are just a couple of weeks into the transition and all has been going very smoothly. You won’t really see a major change in the coverage that we give you, especially since Jeff will be sticking around for some time and will still be involved in the business. So, instead of any big goodbyes right now, I’ll hold off and get back to you around the holidays and give you an update. But a big congratulations to both Jeff and Alex!

I hope you all enjoy these last few weeks of the summer and as always you can reach me at 201.250.2217 or kevin@foodtradenews.com.

Original article found on Food Trade News.

September 3, 2025 in Member News

Fairfield Chamber Honors Cingari Family Markets

Cingari Family Markets, a fourth-generation family-owned and -operated Connecticut-based supermarket company, was named “Business of the Year” by the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce on June 26 at the 79th Annual Member Recognition and Awards Dinner.

Tom Cingari Jr., VP of produce, floral and e-commerce, accepted the award at Bridgeport’s Black Rock Yacht Club.

The chamber’s “Business of the Year” Award celebrates a company that has demonstrated exceptional growth, strong community leadership and a positive economic impact.

Over its nearly century‑long history, Cingari Family Markets has expanded to include 10 ShopRite stores and two Cingari Family Markets across southwestern Connecticut.

The family has invested in store renovations, expanded local hiring and training programs and contributed more than $5 million through the Cingari Family Foundation to support area schools, food pantries and healthcare institutions.

“This recognition reflects the efforts of our entire team,” said Thomas Cingari Sr., president and CEO of Cingari Family Markets.

“Our associates’ dedication to quality, innovation and service is what truly sets us apart. We sincerely appreciate the chamber’s acknowledgement and are grateful to the Fairfield community for supporting our family business.”

About Cingari Family Markets

Based in Stamford, Cingari Family Markets is known for its selection of fresh, locally-sourced and homemade prepared meals, along with a curated range of pantry items.

The company is committed to enhancing the local shopping experience, supporting sustainable practices and giving back to communities. It has been recognized as a 2024 Top Connecticut Workplace by Hearst CT Media.

Original article found on The Shelby Report.

July 24, 2025 in Member News

Wegmans Moves Into CT

The wait is over – the long-anticipated opening of Wegmans’ first Connecticut location happened on Wednesday! The family-owned regional supermarket has planted its roots in Norwalk.

The location is right off of Route 1. It’s exactly what Wegmans employees said they were looking for. The building sits at 92,000 square feet.

Inside, the store is filled with fresh produce, pre-prepped meals and 500 employees who will be delivering customer service the company is nationally known for.

Originating in the 1900s in Rochester, New York, Wegmans has more than 100 locations on the East Coast with a new one opening in Maryland last month.

While they’ve been hiring for their Norwalk store for the last year, there is still one position open for a main cook listed on the company’s website.

The new store also sits less than four miles away from Connecticut’s own Stew Leonard’s.

For consumers, the competition could help.

“If you’re a CT consumer, this is good news in terms of shopping choices, but also in terms of competitive pricing,” said Wayne Pesce, of the CT Food Association.

The store opened to customers at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. Regular store hours will begin on Thursday where the store will be open from 6 a.m. until midnight all week.

The store is located at 675 Connecticut Ave. in Norwalk.

The Full Article can be found at NBC-CT

July 24, 2025 in Community News

Energy Reform Clears House 144-3

In one of the most widely anticipated legislative actions this session, the Connecticut House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 4 on Tuesday night with a bipartisan 144-3 vote. The wide-ranging legislation seeks to lower electricity rates, modernize the electric grid, expand oversight of utility companies and prepare for a decarbonized energy future.

The Senate had approved the measure 34-1 on Monday. It now heads to Gov. Ned Lamont, who has confirmed he will sign it.

“Like many people, I think electric bills are too damn high, and this bipartisan bill is a first step in addressing a complex issue,” Lamont said in a written statement, “This legislation is one step in the effort to make energy rates more affordable and we should not stop here.”

Lamont credited lawmakers in both parties for their collaboration and added, “Let’s keep doing more to reduce electric rates.”

House Energy and Technology Committee Chair Jonathan Steinberg, D-Westport, who spearheaded the legislation in the House, said SB 4 reflects years of work to address constituent frustration with utility costs.

“This is the bill we’ve all been talking about, we’ve all been waiting for. It’s finally here,” Steinberg said. “The bill has three A’s: affordability, access, and accountability.”

He pointed to approximately $100 million in annual savings through reduced public benefits charges, with total savings estimated near $300 million due to combined reforms.

“These are not wholesale cuts,” he said. “We’re redirecting and optimizing.”

The bill establishes a new state-funded Energy Assistance Account that will use up to $250 million in bonding to support hardship programs previously paid through electric bills. It also authorizes utilities to procure up to 25% of standard service supply from short-term or “dynamic” markets, a departure from the existing procurement model.

Steinberg said this flexibility could help avoid overpaying when energy markets shift rapidly.

The bill also finances the rollout of Advanced Metering Infrastructure, known as “smart meters,” and mandates the integration of grid-enhancing technologies. PURA will be allowed to authorize cost recovery for AMI if proven beneficial to ratepayers.

Finally, the bill allocates $5 million for nuclear site readiness, aligning with Connecticut’s 100% zero carbon electricity goal by 2040. It also expands renewable energy tariffs and limits behind-the-meter program access based on income levels and equity metrics.

Rep. Tracy Marra, R-Darien, said the bill puts affordability first.

“We … looked at how electric companies can purchase energy in better, more dynamic ways,” she said. “We believe we can see savings there.”

She also noted the $5 million for nuclear readiness.

“It’s not going to happen in the next five years, but we’re laying the groundwork now,” she said.

Wallingford Democrat Mary Mushinsky said Connecticut must prepare for growing demand.

“Climate change, hot summers, and data centers are changing the equation,” she said. “We need to plan now.”

Only three representatives: Mark DeCaprio, R-Shelton; Gale Mastrofrancesco, R-Wolcott; and Karen Reddington-Hughes, R-Woodbury voted against SB 4. Four members, Reps. Donna Veach, R-Berlin, Chris Stewart, R-Putnam, Brian Lanoue, R-Griswold, and Brandon Chafee, D-Middletown were absent or did not vote.

According to the Lamont’s press office, the nearly $400 million in projected annual savings builds on a recent 25% reduction in the public benefits charge approved by PURA in May, and precedes an additional 13% supply rate reduction set for July 1.

The Full Article can be found at WSHU.

June 13, 2025 in Community News

Stop & Shop Donates Lottery Commission to Newington School District

NEWINGTON, Conn. (WTNH) — When someone hits it big on a lottery win in Connecticut, it’s not just the customer that goes home with something.

The store that sold the winning ticket gets a “retailer bonus” too.

So when Stop & Shop in Newington sold a million-dollar scratch game ticket in April, the company got a $10,000 pay out from CT Lottery.

On Wednesday, company leaders announced they’re donating those winnings to Newington School District to cover unpaid meal balances for the current school year and help with next year.

The company plans to present a check to the district at Anna Reynolds Elementary School Thursday morning.

Original article found on News 8 WTNH.

June 13, 2025 in Member News

$6.6 BB in Projects Approved as CT Leg. Wraps Up Session

HARTFORD — On the last day of the legislative session, state lawmakers Wednesday approved capital projects totaling about $6.6 billion for the two-year budget that starts July 1. That bill includes long-term bonding for lowering state energy bills, financing billions in school construction projects and expanding security measures for houses of worship.

The 256-page bond bill passed 144-4 in the House of Representatives and 35-1 in the Senate. Although the bill authorizes the spending, projects and agencies would still face scrutiny from the Office of Policy and Management before funding is authorized by the State Bond Commission, which is controlled by the governor.

Buried in the package are revisions to the state budget bill that passed the House and Senate on Tuesday. One Republican senator railed at the errors that needed correction in the bond act and chastised Democrats for using the package to skirt further debate on several issues.

The bond act includes a variety of legislative initiatives that failed to win approval elsewhere in the hundreds of bills that passed the House and Senate, including new requirements that people who bring more than 2,500 empty cans and bottles to redemption centers would have to present identification, including their residential addresses, in attempt to cut down on fraud from other states that have five-cent deposits.

Taxes, fees going up in $14.3 billion RI budget as federal relief wanesUnmute

“We’re trying to crack down on that,” said Rep. Maria Horn, D-Salisbury, co-chairwoman of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee. “We see a lot of trucks – according to anecdotal evidence – from out of state. That’s really a truck full of bottles. We are also providing resources for State Police to assist in that.”

“This package confirms our commitment to special education, clean water, aging in place for our older adults, childcare expansion, school repairs, school and nonprofit security, affordable housing, new home ownership, community colleges, brown field remediation, work force development and a host of other ideas and initiatives,” said state Sen. Patricia Billie Miller, D-Stamford, co-chairwoman of the bonding subcommittee.

Sens. Derek Slap, D-West Hartford and Ryan Fazio, R-Greenwich, said continued commitments to security at at synagogues is important. “Nobody should be afraid to pray and nobody should be afraid to worship at a place that is holy and special to them,” Slap said during the late-afternoon Senate debate. He noted that dozens of applications have been filed for the support and not all have received money. “Oftentimes on Saturday I will drive down Albany Avenue in West Hartford where there’re many different synagogues and every single one of them, there is an armed guard outside. It’s awful that this is something that’s needed.”

“It is vital that we prioritize, first and foremost, the safety of our residents, especially our Jewish residents who are currently facing the threat of increased anti-semitic attacks,” Fazio said. The bond act includes $10 million a year for increased school security and $5 million a year for non-profits including religious institutions.

Tribe expansion and Capitol improvements

Another provision indicates that the state would challenge attempts by any of the state’s Indigenous tribes if they attempted to acquire more land. “The conversion shall be deemed contrary to the interest of the state and its residents,” the bill said. CT Insider has reported that the U.S. Department of the Interior is reconsidering earlier, failed efforts by state-recognized tribes to finally gain federal recognition.

In another section, a deadline of January, 2026 is set to identify and possibly commission additional statues to be added to the exterior of the State Capitol building “that reflect the diversity, character and accomplishments of the state.”

The bond act, which culminates the state budgeting process includes grants for towns and cities, based on their size, to add to their local budgets. The amounts range from $2,620 for the town of Andover to $13.5 million for Bridgeport, $15 million for Danbury, $10.4 million for Norwalk, $10.2 million for New Haven and $9.9 million for Waterbury.

It also includes a $40 million increase in the current $50 million program for cleaning up old, contaminated industrial sites, said Sen. Ronald Napoli Jr., D-Waterbury, co-chairman of the bonding subcommittee of the Finance Committee. Napoli said that the funding would be distributed based on a formula and individual grants.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle commended the bill’s funding to continue security efforts at religious institutions, particularly synagogues that have been targets for extremists. 

More funding will be available for the state’s aging-in-place programs. Converting abandoned retails strips and malls would also see bonding support in a new “Greyfield program” with $50 million for public-private partnerships run by the Department of Economic and Community Development.

 “As the retail mall industry continues to decline nationwide many of our cities and towns are left with large, vacant, grey structures,” Napoli said. He said that the annual aid for town and city roads, has been increased by 30 percent.

Veteran state Rep. John Piscopo of Thomaston, a ranking Republican on the bonding subcommittee, said that after years of federal pandemic funding, the state has to cut back. “The ARPA funds during Covid, was money flying in from out of the sky for a lot of our agencies,” Piscopo said. “A few agencies grew their bureaucracy with that money. As that money dried up, we were worried that all the shortfalls were coming to the bonding subcommittee.”

He said that while the rule of government finance is not to bond for ongoing expenses, there are some instances of such tactics in the bond act.

“My idea about bonding is this,” Piscopo said. “If  your town got hit by a flood and saw damage and your town doesn’t have the means to mitigate the damage, you can ask the citizens of the state of Connecticut to help.”

Other items include $75 million for information technology; $5 million for state-wide flood and resiliency mapping; $20 million for the Department of Veterans Affairs to fund renovations and improvements, plus $7.5 million to expand the State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown; and a $40 million program to install solar photovoltaic systems on state property.

The bonding legislation repeals a provision of the state budget bill that reduced the annual interest on municipal tax liens that are sold to debt collectors. The change would have reduced the annual rate from 18% to 12%. But the interest rate would have remained 18% year for liens that were not sold to a third party. In addition, the repealed section would have capped attorney’s fees in connection with each aspect of a foreclosure, sale, or other disposition of these liens.

While Bridgeport lawmakers in recent days attempted to include $100 million to help develop a site anchored by a downtown soccer field, the bond act orders the Department of Economic and Community Development and the Department of Revenue Services to assess the anticipated economic impact of the proposed Connecticut United Football Club stadium, including its economic impact and create a report on the issue by October 1. One of the issues on the development would be “when it is reasonably likely that the state may receive a return on a one hundred twenty-seven million dollar state bonding investment, taking into consideration revenue generated from such proposed stadium via payroll taxes, sales and use taxes and other revenue sources.”

Amendments to previous day’s budget bill

The day after the state budget was approved in the House and Senate, the bonding act would also affect provisions in the previous day’s budget documents.

Conservative state Sen. Rob Sampson, R-Wolcott, focused on a rewritten section involving the price that could be paid for out-of-state fabricating. He noted that it could have cost the state millions of dollars in construction costs, but legislative leaders noticed it and changed it in the bond act.

“This section was a stand alone bill that could have developed a heated and lengthy debate,” Sampson said. “Everyone knows this is a highly contentious issue. The issue is, that this was passed yesterday, as part of the budget, circumventing the minority as I mentioned, but they discovered they made a mistake. They made a mistake by leaving out a word, a word that would have effectively required the state Department of Transportation to end up paying prevailing wage for countless different items in the projects that they perform. That might, in fact result in millions of dollars in additional costs.”

 The bonding bill modifies provisions related to the development of the South Meadows section of Hartford. It requires the state to include the site in the basis for state payments to Hartford until the site is redeveloped and removes a provision specifying that none of the provisions apply to the Hartford Brainard Airport. It also specifies that the newly established South Meadows Development District’s powers or actions do not supersede, or authorize any conflict with, federal law or any federal aviation regulation concerning control of Hartford Brainard Airport.

Another section overturns a provision of the budget bill that reduced the annual interest on municipal tax liens that are sold to debt collectors. The change would have reduced the annual rate from 18 percent to 12 percent, which lawmakers have tried and failed to reduce in recent years. In addition, the repealed section would have capped attorney’s fees in connection with each aspect of a foreclosure, sale, or other disposition of these liens.

The bonding bill also repeals a portion of the budget bill that would have created a working group to oversee and monitor expenditures from each reserve fund of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system or the higher education institutions within CSCU.

The bond act delays the effective date of a new property tax exemption for property located on reservation land that is held in trust for a federally recognized Indian tribe by one year to Oct. 1, 2026.

The bonding bill repeals a provision in the budget bill that eliminated both the $150 application fee and $155 annual renewal fee for a paramedic license. Instead, the bonding bill eliminates the $150 application fee but retains the $155 renewal fee for the license.

Lamont’s surprise visits

It’s a semi-tradition for governor’s to address joint gatherings of the House and Senate at the end of the session. This year, Gov. Ned Lamont decided to pay informal visits to first the House and then the Senate, during a quick 45-minute jaunt through the State Capitol. Upon entering the bustling House chamber shortly after 8, Speaker Matt Ritter suggested that Lamont was available for members to detail their grievances.

State Rep. Bill Buckbee, R-New Milford, offered the governor some candy. “We’ve got a budget that I think most of us are proud of, and even if you didn’t support it, proud of the process we went through,” Lamont told reporters. “We did it with good humor with each other. We’re not Washington, we’re Connecticut.”

On the two-year $55.8 billion state budget:

“At the end of the day look at what we did on child care, look what we did on special ed, look at what we did to make a big difference for our towns and cities for years to come.”

Why visit legislative chambers instead of giving a speech?

“Ah, midnight is too late for them and it is much too late for me, and everybody seemed to love that idea.”

Overall thoughts on the session:

“I think it was pretty good. We’re on time. We have a balanced budget. Compare that to 2017, before I got here. We’re making some strategic investments that I think will make a long term difference. We’re not raising taxes, at least on individuals.”

Original article found on MSN

June 13, 2025 in Legislative News

Crackdown on Retail Crime

A nationwide coordinated crackdown on retail crime — what authorities are calling the first of its kind — led to hundreds of arrests in 28 states last week.

The blitz, led by Illinois’ Cook County regional organized crime task force, involved more than 100 jurisdictions and over 30 retailers including Home Depot, Macy’s, Target, Ulta Beauty, Walgreens, Krogerand Meijer.

“When you give specific focus to a crime, it reverberates,” Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart told CNBC. “When they see it is being prosecuted and taken seriously, it deters conduct. They don’t want to get caught.”

Organized retail crime — a type of shoplifting where groups of thieves work together in targeted operations to turn stolen goods into cash — has grown in scale and scope in recent years. CNBC previously reported on the extensive law enforcement efforts to take down retail crime organizations.

While aggregate numbers for retail theft are difficult to quantify, retailers reported 93% more shoplifting incidents on average in 2023 compared with 2019, according to a survey conducted by the National Retail Federation. Those surveyed also reported a 90% increase in the associated dollar losses over that same time period.

Some critics point to a lack of enforcement and felony thresholds for allowing criminals to continue committing theft. It’s something Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke has been focused on since taking office in December. 

On her first day in office, O’Neill Burke said prosecutors would pursue felony retail theft charges in accordance with state law, when the value of the goods exceeds $300 or when the suspect already has a felony shoplifting conviction.

Before her taking office, retail theft felonies were charged only if the value of the stolen goods was $1,000 or more or if the suspect had 10 or more prior convictions.

Since Dec. 1, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office has filed charges in 1,450 felony retail theft cases, the office said.

The goals of the coordinated operation, O’Neill Burke told CNBC, is “to have one day where we focus and concentrate on [retail theft] and we share intelligence about it — about what we learned about the network, so that gives us more tools on how to take this network down.”

It was the coordination between law enforcement and prosecuting attorneys that got a number of the involved retailers to participate in the blitz.

“Collaboration is key to making a meaningful impact,” Ulta Beauty Senior Vice President of Loss Prevention Dan Petrousek told CNBC. “That’s why we were proud to participate in the National ORC Blitz alongside dedicated law enforcement and prosecutorial partners.”

Ulta Beauty had teams participating across nine states in last week’s operation, providing law enforcement with information on incidents of retail crime.

“Organized retail crime remains one of the most significant challenges in our industry,” said Marty Maloney, Walgreens director of media relations. “In this most recent operation we worked closely with law enforcement partners across nearly 20 cities and at over 40 locations to help curb this trend.” 

A representative for Home Depot told CNBC that while overall theft is down, investigated incidents of organized retail crime are still up double digits year over year.

Now that the operation has concluded, the group is pulling together each jurisdictions’ observations and sharing data to continue to help crack down on retail theft.

Other participating retailers reached for comment by CNBC, including Macy’s, T.J. Maxx and Target, said they’re committed to partnering with law enforcement and pushing for stronger laws to combat retail crime.

Original article found on CNBC.

May 5, 2025 in CFA News