Welcome to Kim's Blog

Posted on September 2, 2010 | Category: Issues and Positions, Kim Fawcett News

Protecting our kids from toxic chemicals is at the top of Kim’s list of legislative priorities. Over the last four years, she has become a leading voice for banning or limiting the use of everyday products increasingly shown to pose a risk to humans, particularly the very young.

Her commitment to this cause helped ensure passage of a Connecticut ban on the sale of baby bottles, children’s products and food containers made with bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used to harden plastic that has been identified as an endocrine disruptor. The National Institutes of Health has determined that there is “some concern” about BPA’s effects on fetal and infant brain development, and serious questions remain about BPA’s potential links to a wide range of health problems and diseases.

The most recent research has prompted a steady stream of countries and states in the U.S. to restrict the use of BPA. Just last month Canada initiated a plan to become the first country to designate BPA as a toxic substance — a move strenuously opposed by the chemical industry because of its potential to influence other countries to follow suit.

So what can you do to protect your family from overexposure to BPA? First, make a habit of checking the recycling symbol on water bottles and other plastic containers. Steer clear of those with a “7″ and/or “PC” stamped on the bottom. And don’t microwave any plastic container because heat can cause chemicals to leach into your food.

Check out these additional tips for avoiding BPA.

Posted by mwhiting

Posted on August 30, 2010 | Category: Issues and Positions, Kim Fawcett News

In our digital age, everyone should be able to watch their local meetings on cable TV if they can’t attend in person. The technology now available makes such broadcasts a simple and straightforward task.

So why has it only been until recently that residents of Fairfield and surrounding towns have been able to watch local programming, while most other communities have long had access? The answer is complicated by the involvement of several players in a system that operates largely under the public radar.  Legislation championed by Kim has opened the door — finally — to local programming in Fairfield, and advocates are working to improve the quality of the broadcasts and to increase frequency.

Fairfield Patch columnist Bob Greenberger offers an excellent overview of how our local cable access system operates and where it stands today.

Kim worked closely with members of the Area 2 Cable Advisory Council and FairTV, which oversee local programming, to pass a bill in 2008 requiring Sound View Community Media and its owner to release funds for local programs. Each cable customer pays about $6.50 per year for this type of programming. Public hearings where Kim questioned Sound View owner Tom Castelot about his management of the funds proved pivotal in efforts to get the legislation approved.

“For years Fairfield was simply denied access to local programming because Sound View refused to show our meetings and events.  Every other town in CT had moved to a local programming model except the six towns in our region,” said Kim. “We won and got this passed because I was able to bring both Republicans and Democrats into the deal. Reps from all the towns understood the issue and wanted to see the Sound View monopoly broken.”

Posted by mwhiting

Posted on August 27, 2010 | Category: Issues and Positions, Kim Fawcett News

Teachers have enough to worry about with students arriving back at school next week. So it’s nice for them to know that returns on the Teachers’ Retirement Fund bounced back soundly this year as the economy began to recover. The TRF investments returned nearly 13 percent, outperforming the comparison benchmark by 58 percent.

“The one-year investment return is a welcome recovery from the difficult market environment of the last several years and our pension funds’ related performance setbacks,” said state Treasurer Denise Nappier in a recent news release. “While we still have a ways to go, it takes the sting out of the dismal returns of fiscal year 2009 and demonstrates the resiliency of our pension fund investment program. ”

The TRF is part a family of pension funds, including the State Employees’ Retirement Fund and the Municipal Employees’ Retirement Fund, invested by the state and overseen by Nappier’s office. The average return on the three funds for the fiscal year ended June 30 was 12.88 percent — a vast improvement over the -17.3 percent hit suffered by the funds last year.

While Nappier cautioned against expecting the same returns next year, she said the pension funds are positioned well for short- and long-term growth. Maximizing returns without taking on undue risk will be crucial going into another brutal budget season that will severely limit the state’s ability to contribute to the funds and chip away at the unfunded liability that has caused teachers to lose sleep.

They can rest a little easier for now.

Posted by mwhiting

Posted on August 23, 2010 | Category: Kim Fawcett News

Fairfielders driving through the bustling Kings Highway traffic circle this summer have been wondering why it has been transformed into a sprawling construction zone.

Remember all the fuss about Fairfield’s third train station? Although it isn’t here yet, much work is required to make the new complex accessible. In addition, construction is underway on the nearby Kings Crossing retail center at 1770 Kings Highway, which will become home to the new Whole Foods market.

The State Traffic Commission has given a green light to the following projects:

• Widening Kings Highway East to provide a left-turn lane into the new Metro Center Access Road and a left-turn lane into Commerce Drive.
• Installation of new traffic signals at several locations.
• Roadway improvements on U.S. Route 1 ( Kings Highway Cutoff and Kings Highway East), Kings Highway East, Black Rock Rock Turnpike, Johnson Drive and Chambers Street.
• Kings Crossing is required to provide a second approach lane on northbound Kings Highway and left-turn lanes from Kings Highway to Grasmere Avenue and from southbound Kings Highway at the Kings Crossing driveway.

We can all look forward to improved traffic flow and safety once those orange and white construction barriers are removed for good.

Posted by mwhiting

Posted on August 16, 2010 | Category: Issues and Positions, Kim Fawcett News

Our state government is slowly catching on to what seniors really want: their independence, along with a range of options for assisted living as they age and their needs change.  New policies are helping seniors stay in their own homes or downsize, rather than rushing them into large nursing homes.

Kim has been a strong advocate of these changes and worked to pass legislation that helps pave the way for new types of development. Quality of life improves in these homier settings, and they’re less expensive than nursing homes.

Working closely with Fairfield’s Jewish Home for the Elderly, Kim introduced legislation that would do two things:  1. allow the home to build several hundred independent-living condos for seniors in Fairfield County who want to downsize, and 2. allow for the construction of a state-of-the-art small group home that would also provide skilled nursing care.

Plans are shaping up for the Jewish Home to open the latter new facility in Monroe, though a deal is still in the works.

Other initiatives that Kim has recently championed on behalf of seniors include:

• A reduction in seniors’ cost-share for the state-funded Home Care Program for Elders from 15 percent to 6 percent — a savings of up to $240 per month.
• The re-opening of the Alzheimer’s Respite Care Program that provides up to 30 days of respite care relief to family caregivers.
• A plan to make it easier for seniors to qualify for automobile insurance discounts by completing a shorter, 4-hour driver-safety course.
• Protection of seniors’ assets when a spouse enters a nursing home under Medicaid.

Posted by mwhiting

Posted on August 11, 2010 | Category: Issues and Positions, Kim Fawcett News

Jobs have disappeared in Connecticut at an astonishing rate. We now have fewer jobs than we did 20 years ago, despite a population increase of 7 percent during that period. We must implement a strategic plan to reverse this frightening trend.

That’s why Kim is proud to endorse a comprehensive jobs bill crafted by the Majority Leaders’ Jobs Growth Roundtable and supported by Gov. Rell. Critical elements of the bill will be funded through a $21.5 million allocation expected to be approved by the state Bond Commission on Aug. 11th.

The legislation offers incentives for employers, supports small business and emerging industries, provides resources for tuition and training, helps manufacturers find efficiencies and includes accountability measures to safeguard state taxpayer dollars.

This is the plan we need to create new jobs Connecticut families can depend on.

Posted by mwhiting

Posted on August 4, 2010 | Category: Kim Fawcett News

An inside look at one of the new Metro-North rail cars

Commuting by train is becoming a realistic option for more and more workers in Fairfield and Westport, many of whom have been frustrated by long waits for seats on aging Metro-North trains and parking permits at overcrowded lots.

With 300 new rail cars on order for Metro-North’s New Haven Line and the purchase of an additional 80 cars due to be approved by the state Bond Commission on August 11th, supply is finally beginning to meet demand. This new and improved fleet will also provide the creature comforts sorely lacking in older trains, such as reliable air conditioning and flush toilets.

Meanwhile, Fairfield’s long-awaited third train station is back on track, after nearly being derailed by the economy and a series of legal battles. Since being elected in 2006, Kim has been a staunch supporter of mass transit and has lobbied hard for the upgrading our antiquated rail system. She believes that a viable transportation system is crucial to the long-term health and well-being of our economy and all the people who live here.

The first of the 300 M-8 rail rail cars on order are currently undergoing testing, according to a press release from Governor M. Jodi Rell. The Bond Commission is expected to approve $226 million to purchase the additional 80 rail cars. This funding will also cover the cost of spare parts and special tools needed to maintain the entire fleet of 380 cars, and pay for testing and administrative costs and the installation of security cameras on board all the cars.

The state is saving money by “piggybacking” the new purchase on the existing purchase contract, according to Rell’s office.

“Connecticut commuters know that their patience is finally paying off,” Governor Rell said. “Soon these sleek, comfortable cars will be in service on our rails, replacing cars that – after many years of daily service in every kind of weather imaginable – were clearly on their last legs.

Posted by mwhiting

Posted on July 26, 2010 | Category: Kim Fawcett News

In Part I, Kim offered examples of how she can help people in the 133rd District connect with a wide range of state government services that have become more important than ever in a tough economy. In Part II, Kim explains how she balances constituent services with her work in Hartford.

Q: How much of your time is spent serving individual constituents? Is this a distraction from your work on legislation that benefits a wider array of people?

KIM: It is important to strike a balance. As a legislator, I actually have three different roles: 1. to use my voice to represent my district’s concerns in the lawmaking process, 2. to communicate with my constituents in Fairfield and Westport about the work being done at the state Capitol, and 3. to help people navigate state government — a process that can, at times, be overwhelming.

I would say most of my time is spent studying the issues, working with my colleagues on legislation and communicating in various ways with constituents back home. Of course, the time commitment varies, but I would say about one-quarter of my time, mostly when the legislature is not in session, is spent helping individual constituents.

Q: Do you think you’re better able to help people, now that you have four years of experience as a state rep?

KIM: There is definitely a learning curve with this job. At my orientation four years ago, they told us to handle constituent services on our own as much as possible [we do have legislative assistants to help out], because that is the best way to learn about state government and the network of people who are available at each agency. I heeded that advice and make many of the phone calls for my constituents myself. I have learned a lot, but with each new case and set of phone calls I always learn something new. Many times now, a quick phone call or two is all it takes for me to help someone out.

Q: So what’s the best way for someone to reach you to get help?

KIM: I am very accessible, both online and via phone. Constituents call me day and night at home, on my cellphone and at my office. I always have my cellphone (203-258-8922) so that’s probably the best number to call. If I’m not immediately available, I always get back to people right away. That part is important, because I work for them!

Posted by mwhiting

Posted on July 23, 2010 | Category: Issues and Positions, Kim Fawcett News

Evidence is mounting that the Connecticut economy is making a slow but steady comeback. This week, Gov. Rell’s budget office announced that the surplus for the fiscal year that ended June 30 is up $150 million from last month’s estimate — reflecting better-than-expected economic growth.

It’s a modest gain, to be sure, but one that allows the state to cut in half the amount of borrowing that had been planned to balance this  year’s budget. And if this trend continues, our debt burden for fiscal 2011 will be further reduced. As Kim has said many times, it is unwise for the state to borrow its way out of budget deficits, and she has consistently supported efforts to reduce borrowing and cut spending.

Meanwhile, unemployment in CT is 8.8 percent — still unacceptably high but well below the national rate of 9.5 percent. Kim and her House colleagues are working to improve the employment outlook. A comprehensive jobs creation package enacted July 1 will help unemployed residents get training, provide small businesses with access to much-needed credit, give tax credits to those creating jobs or hiring people with disabilities, and provide access to capital.

Posted by mwhiting

Posted on July 20, 2010 | Category: Kim Fawcett News

A key part of Kim’s job as a state legislator — one that’s typically not visible to the public — is providing constituent services. It’s an important way for Kim to connect one on one with the people she represents. Here, Kim sheds light on how she provides direct assistance to her constituents.

Q: What exactly does “constituent services” entail?

KIM: It means helping people navigate state government and working as their advocate. People usually call me after they have already spent many frustrating hours trying to get answers from a government agency. Since legislators work with these agencies and provide oversight of their programs, we learn how to get around roadblocks. So often the trick to getting answers is just knowing the right person to ask within a complex bureaucracy. I’ve become very good at helping people find that right person.

Q: What are some examples of how you’ve helped people?

KIM: The most recent issues stem from the economic hardships many people are facing right now. People need help with unemployment benefits, foreclosure mediation, securing Medicaid coverage and applying for job training programs.  I just helped a constituent connect with the Alternative Route to Certification program run by the state to allow people to retrain for a teaching career.

But it’s important for people to know that my role is restricted to the state government level. I can, however, connect folks with the right US Senate and Congressional offices for help with federal agencies. For example, I’ve learned that Senator Dodd’s office has an expert on passports. I know many local officials as well and can help make those connections when necessary — for instance when someone needs to know who to call to get a downed tree removed.

Q: What’s the most rewarding success you’ve had helping a constituent?

KIM: A few weeks ago I helped a woman who’d had a terrible mix-up with her Medicaid coverage. Just days before she was scheduled to enter the hospital for serious tests, she was removed from the program. I worked with the agency and made a dozen follow-up calls to reinstate her coverage just in time.

Turns out she qualifies for coverage under the new Affordable Care Act, which extends Medicaid coverage to low-income adults. Connecticut was the first state to expand coverage under the law. It was very gratifying to know that I had helped this woman enter the hospital with coverage — and peace of mind knowing that she would not lose her home due to accumulating medical bills. I’ve since helped three other people enroll in the program and encourage others to learn more about it.

Q: Have you ever been tempted to just give up in frustration when dealing with a complicated situation?

KIM: No. If I can help, I will be your squeaky wheel. And I’m relentless when I know a vulnerable person is being treated unfairly. It’s so important that even with all the great technology we rely upon, our government retain a human face. I try never to forget that.

Coming next in Part II: How Kim balances constituent services with the demands of her work in Hartford.

Posted by mwhiting