SEN. FLEXER PROPOSES MORE FUNDING FOR SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS IN FARMS, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND HOUSING

HARTFORD – The public submitted written testimony at a public hearing today unanimously in favor of state Sen. Mae Flexer’s bill to increase funding for Connecticut’s 20-year-old Community Investment Account (CIA), which since its inception in 2005 has invested more than $150 million in 1,500 projects across Connecticut, such as preserving farmland, giving grants to farmers, investing in historic preservation, promoting Connecticut’s wine and seafood industries, and expanding affordable housing.

The CIA was first created in 2005 by former state Senate President Donald E. Williams. Jr., of Brooklyn, Connecticut.

Senate Bill 1522, “AN ACT RENAMING THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT ACCOUNT THE DONALD E. WILLIAMS, JR. COMMUNITY INVESTMENT ACCOUNT AND INCREASING FUNDING FOR SAID ACCOUNT,” calls for re-naming the Account after former Sen. Williams and increasing some of the public fees paid to a town clerk by $1-$6 in order to continue a reliable funding stream for the account. The fees have not been adjusted since 2011, when other legislation that Sen. Flexer also authored expanded the fund to include dairy farms, among other changes.

“Senator Williams’ foresight two decades ago has led to investments and success that I don’t think even he could have imagined when he proposed this program in 2005, ” said Sen. Flexer, who is Senate Chair of the GAE Committee. “The impact of the community investment account has been far and wide, touching every corner of this state and helping plenty of farmers in the Quiet Corner and other valuable projects, and we need to ensure these programs maintain a steady stream of funding. The overwhelming, unanimous support today from the public for this bill is both heartwarming and a testament to this program’s value and to the positive, lasting impact of Senator Williams’ work.”

Nearly three dozen Connecticut residents wrote letters of support for Sen. Flexer’s bill, including small business owners, farmers, and preservationists.

“The portion of these funds that is directed to the agricultural sustainability account to provide direct support for our dairy farms has proven vital to keep many of our dairy farms in operation. Additionally, many farmers in our state have through the years taken advantage of the various grant programs through our Department of Agriculture. I am one of them, and the grant funds helped close the gap between our own resources and the cost of a project to improve and expand my farm,” said Paul Larson,  Co-Owner of Sprucedale Gardens Nursery and Greenhouse in Woodstock and president of the Connecticut Farm Bureau. “The Farmland Preservation Program is also a recipient of funds through the CIA. This program reached a significant milestone last year, exceeding 50,000 acres of preserved farmland, but there is more work to be done to preserve our open spaces and agricultural lands in our state.”

“We urge your support of Senate Bill 1522 which would increase the recording fee received by the CIA and thereby increase funding available for critical affordable housing and homelessness services,” said Sean Ghio, Policy Director at the Partnership for Strong Communities. “CIA dollars have funded the creation of affordable housing directly by providing ‘gap’ financing not otherwise available and by supporting important capital improvements such as repairing the roof on a homeless shelter or replacing a boiler in a group home. CIA funds also provide resources for services to support people in accessing and remaining stable in affordable housing, such as services for veterans. CIA funding is critical to the state’s ability to meet the housing needs of its middle- and low-income residents.”

“As a farmer for five decades, I’ve seen firsthand the increasing challenges facing Connecticut’s agriculture. The recording fee that funds the CIA, a small part of real estate transactions, hasn’t increased since 2011. This $6 increase is necessary to address inflation and ensure the continued success of vital programs that directly support farmers and our communities,” said Keith Bishop, President of Bishop’s Orchards, a sixth-generation, 313-acre family  farm in Guilford. “I urge the committee to ensure equitable distribution of these funds and to prevent their diversion to other programs. This legislation is forward-thinking. It recognizes the importance of community-level investments across four essential sectors: Farmland Preservation and Agriculture, Open Space Conservation, Affordable Housing, and Historic Preservation. These sectors are crucial for Connecticut’s well-being.”