State Representative Larry Miller (R-122), State Representatives Jason Perillo (R-113) and State Senator Kevin C. Kelly (R-21) took part in a ceremony to present certificates of appreciation to Korean War veterans from the greater Naugatuck Valley region at the Sutter-Terlizzi American Legion Post 16 on Tuesday, April 16th.

“We can never repay the veterans who took up arms to defend our nation, but we can certainly take every opportunity we can to thank them for their service and their sacrifice,” said Rep. Miller. “Events like this are a great time to show that we remember what they did and why they did it, and that a grateful nation and community still honors and respects them for it.”

“I am so proud to have been a part of this incredible event,” said Senator Kelly. “Our Korean War veterans deserve to be recognized by our community and our nation for their honorable service. Sixty years ago, many of you traveled across the world to fight for the rights and freedoms that we continue to enjoy today. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude and thanks to all those veterans who served on our behalf.”

About 230 veterans from Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton were presented with certificates of appreciation recognizing their service during the Korean War. The veterans were joined at the event by about 125 family members, spouses, friends, elected officials and others who applauded their service on behalf of the United States.

“Our Korean War veterans are part of an unbroken chain of multi-generational service rendered by those who answer their nation’s call when freedom is at risk, and liberty is in jeopardy,” said Rep. Perillo. “Like all our veterans who took up arms, served and sacrificed so that America might endure, these veterans deserve our gratitude. I was pleased and honored to be a part of this event recognizing these great veterans for their service during a critical time in American history.”

The Department of Defense held the event to honor the 60th Anniversary of the conflict that lasted from 1950 to 1953. Shelton resident Al Sabetta was appointed by the Department of Defense to be the local Korean War 60th Anniversary Ambassador and seek out members of the community who served in the conflict for recognition.

The event was intended to honor the service and sacrifice of Korean War veterans, American service members and their allies who fought heroically to preserve freedom, commemorate the key events of the war and educate the American people of the significance of the Korean War.

For more information about these efforts, please visit the Department of Defense 60th Anniversary of Korean War Commemoration Committee website at www.KoreanWar60.com.

State Senator Kevin C. Kelly (R-21) and Larry Miller (R-122) hosted an essay contest ceremony with sixth grade students from Perry Hill School and St. Joseph School at the Plumb Memorial Library on Tuesday, April 23rd. The event was hosted in partnership with Naugatuck Valley Savings and Loan which presented awards for the winning essays.

At the event, the winners each read their essay and received a citation from the Connecticut General Assembly. Naugatuck Valley Savings and Loan also generously presented gift cards to each of the students. The essay topic was “Important Women in Connecticut History and How Their Contributions to the State and Nation Affect Me.”

“It was great to see the tremendous work by all of the students who participated in this essay contest,” said Rep. Miller. “Each of them found impressive personal relevance for an important woman in Connecticut history, and each of them should be congratulated for their research, hard work and the knowledge they gained from this exercise.”

Four winning essays from Perry Hill School and three winning essays from St. Joseph School were selected from the essays that were judged. Below is a list of the winners:

Perry Hill School

1st Place: Abby Brand

2nd Place: Alyssa Bretan

3rd Place: Meghan Pineau

4th Place: Stephanie Schofield

St. Joseph School

1st Place: Ariana Wheeler

2nd Place: Dominic Zaleski

3rd Place: Alexa Micciche

 The students were joined by their parents, grandparents, school administrators, teachers and members of the public who gathered to recognize their accomplishments.

Naugatuck Valley Savings and Loan is a federally chartered savings bank that was founded in 1922 by local business and community leaders to serve the financial needs of the residents of the Greater Naugatuck Valley. There are branches located in Beacon Falls, Cheshire, Derby, Naugatuck, Seymour, Shelton, Southbury and Waterbury. Their Shelton branch is located at 504 Bridgeport Avenue, Suite 300. For more information, please visit www.nvsl.com.

Representative Larry Miller (R-122) was on hand as the Winter Brothers Waste Systems of Shelton unveiled their new “Green Machine” recycling processor.  The new Shelton facility integrates advanced single-stream recycling technologies making it the most efficient of its kind in Connecticut, achieving a 95% recycling rate while processing 250 tons of material each day.

“The Shelton Winter Brothers facility is a ground-breaking recycling operation that processes everything from newsprint, cardboard to plastics and metals collected in one vehicle,” said Rep. Miller.  “It’s cost-effective and convenient for businesses and for area residents and one that Winter Bothers invested $15 million into without state or federal funding.”

Rep. Miller joined Governor Dannel P. Malloy and other area officials at the Earth Day unveiling of the “Green Machine” and presented Joe Winters, Chief Executive Officer of Winter Bros. with a citation from the Connecticut General Assembly to commemorate the event.

The new facility will process 275 tons of material daily which is generated from over 25 municipalities in central and western Connecticut.  No contaminants or hazardous wastes will be accepted or processed there.

All employees are trained to handle incoming materials in an environmentally responsible way.  The facility will operate from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

PHOTO:  Rep. Larry Miller presents a citation from the Connecticut General Assembly to Joe Winters of Winters brothers Waste Systems.  Joining him for the presentation are State Representatives John Shaban and Linda Gentile.  Governor Dannel P. Malloy, Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti, and Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton are seated.

The following is opinion from Rep. Larry Miller

A bill currently before the Connecticut General Assembly would mandate that food packaging with Bisphenol-A (BPA) have a warning label.

The irony is that BPA is actually designed to protect consumers: it is an ingredient in the epoxy resin that seals food containers for safe storage. BPA is used extensively in the food industry and in the manufacturing of epoxy resins. It exists to keep harmful bacteria out of our food.

A small minority of scientists believe BPA is a risk to women’s body development and reproductive functions. Their conclusions are based on questionable tests and limited empirical evidence. They claim their research is accurate even in the face of health organizations worldwide – organizations that were unable to replicate the findings of these scientists, and who have overwhelmingly supported its use. Organizations like the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institute of Health, among hundreds of others, have tested BPA and declared it as a safe substance with “negligible” cause for concern.

Those who testified in support of this new regulation applauded it as a first step in educating the public about the effects of BPA. This bill actually does the opposite: requiring labeling for BPA in the same way the law requires labeling for cancer-causing cigarettes misleads the public into believing it must have harmful, scary and unknown consequences for consumers. This bill causes panic and a paranoid fear of the unknown over a product that is designed to protect our food.

This bill would impose new burdens on already cash-strapped local businesses and manufacturers. It would force Connecticut – a state that already has a $2.5 billion deficit that grows every day – to spend taxpayer dollars it doesn’t have enforcing regulations it can’t justify. It would force perfectly good food already in stores to be thrown away for reasons beyond explanation.

All for what? For a safe chemical that protects our food.

I recently voted against this bill in committee because in an economy as weak and fragile as this, I simply cannot justify new regulations on business over the baseless claims of unverified studies. We cannot afford to impose new government regulations, form new attacks on business and our economy, and find new and creative ways to spend money. We especially cannot afford to do it when there isn’t even a hint of evidence to support it and our state is $2.5 billion in the red.

There are environmental causes that protect the environment and consumers that are absolutely necessary. There are fair and valuable ways to spend your tax dollars. This is neither. I call on my colleagues in Hartford to stop wasting time and money appeasing every special interest organization that cries wolf, and start cutting spending and regulation so we can allow the good people and businesses of Connecticut to breathe again.

Representatives Laura Hoydick (R-120) and Larry Miller (R-122) today took aim at Governor Dannel P. Malloy’s proposed elimination of the motor vehicle tax, a centerpiece of the budget he has submitted to the legislature, saying it will hit local taxpayers hard if it is passed.

The Malloy proposal would exempt a vehicle’s first $20,000 of assessed value from local property tax.  Anyone with a vehicle at a market value of $28,571 or under would pay no taxes on their vehicle.  Hoydick and Miller noted that while it may sound tempting to eliminate the tax, the proposal doesn’t translate into any savings by local taxpayers.

“When Stratford and other cities and towns across Connecticut get hit with this, they will need to make up the difference somewhere in their budgets which will have already been set and voted on by the time the state approves a budget,” said Rep. Hoydick.  “That means Stratford will need to scramble to find the money the governor has denied them in their budget, and that will mean serious cuts and higher property taxes.  No one is going to save a penny from this.  In fact it will cost them more.”

“Governor Rell tried to do this before, but she at least installed a mechanism to pay for it,” said Rep. Miller.  “That isn’t happening here.  What is happening here is a giant shell game masquerading as a middle-class tax cut, when in fact it will force a local tax increase.  Instead of taking money out of your right pocket they will be taking it out of your left.  How is that helpful?  This plan is a loser and that’s why municipal leaders across the state, Republican and Democrat, are lining up in opposition to it.”

According to the legislature’s nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis, this would result in a loss of $633 million for municipalities across the state, and a precipitous drop in revenue for Stratford of $10.8 million.

This session of the Connecticut General Assembly adjourns on Wednesday, June 5^th, 2013.

State Representatives Larry Miller (R-122) voted today to establish a privately funded pool of funds to benefit the Newtown Police, teachers, and emergency workers who have been affected by psychological trauma since the December shooting.

The Sandy Hook Workers Assistance Fund will cover mental health issues through private donations. The bill had a special provision in it covering the family of Mary Scherlach, a Trumbull resident who was killed at Sandy Hook.  Scherlach was just 2 months short from retiring, and the bill assures that her family, as well as other families of the educators who died that day, will receive the support they deserve.

“There is little in our power to do or say to provide relief for the families of Sandy Hook who lost loved ones, or for the first responders who came upon a scene no one should ever have to answer the call for,” said Rep. Miller.  “However this bill allows us to do some important things for them, however small.  Decency dictates that we must offer this support to those who have been directly traumatized by this event, and that we take steps to help the families receive the full benefits they should be entitled to.”

The United Way of Western Connecticut is handling the processing of the donations.  The fund will be administered by the state’s Office of Victims Services, with the State Treasurer managing its assets.

With the beginning of the 2013 regular session of the Connecticut General Assembly on January 9th, Representative Larry Miller (R-122) has received his new committee appointments and is ready to begin work on many of the critical issues facing the state.

Miller, first elected in 1990, returns for his 12th consecutive term in the State House of Representatives.

He will return to his role as Ranking Member (leading Republican) on the legislature’s Housing Committee, and will also serve on the Energy and Technology, and Environment Committees.

“I look forward to returning to these committees as there are many issues before them that are critical this year,” said Miller.  “I am honored to be chosen once more as Ranking Member for the Housing Committee which always addresses issues important to the communities I serve.”

Miller also noted that with the state facing a $1 billion deficit, many tough decisions will have to be made this year.  “The Governor has a very difficult job ahead of him, and he claims that he won’t propose an increase in taxes to close that hole,” said Miller.  “I hope that is the case, and if so, I am hopeful that the solutions can be reached in an effort of bipartisanship such as we managed last month during the special session.”

Miller also acknowledged that as a result of the tragic murders at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown last month, many proposals will be debated as how to best prevent such tragedies in the future.

“There will be many public safety bills, gun control bills, and mental health bills that we will have to take a look at to come to meaningful legislation which improves the likelihood of never having such a tragedy again,” said Miller.  “The discussion on these topics will be long and deliberate, and that’s as it should be with such a serious topic of concern to every resident of this state.”

This session of the Connecticut General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn at midnight, June 5, 2013.

Connecticut has the highest energy costs in the nation and instead of addressing this problem, the Governor’s is meddling in the private sector. His plan to convert 300,000 existing oil customers to gas on the basis that neighboring states have higher gas user percentages which will, in his opinion, lower costs to consumers and provide job growth. To my dismay, many people think that it is a good idea and are endorsing his program.

The Governor’s comprehensive energy strategy is at best, very sketchy. It will cause 4,500 oil employees to lose their jobs and will significantly reduce the 600 family owned businesses by at least a third if not more. The fact is that there will be some dire consequences if his plan is implemented including the destabilization of a highly competitive private sector industry in favor of a monopoly.

Currently, gas costs are much less than oil, however during the last 20 years, oil was cheaper than gas in 17 of those years. Industry experts and financial analysts all agree that natural gas prices will increase as demand by larger utilities and chemical companies continues to escalate. Some traders are predicting that gas prices could double or triple in the very near future.

Natural gas is being describing as a cleaner fuel, but it is fossil fuel with many characteristics as home heating oil. Both oil and gas give off nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, carbon dioxide and in the case of gas, methane.

The state of New York has mandated New York oil dealers will selling ultra-low sulfur (15ppm) heating oil in 2013. Most oil dealers in our state are selling bio-heating oil that has 3 to 5% bio mixture which when used with ultra-low sulfur heating oil with a year or so and make it on par with gas.

Two gas pipeline companies are planning to bring gas to New England; Algonquin Gas Pipeline and Constitution Pipeline (Which would connect the Iroquois and the Tennessee lines). These pipelines are reacting to the increased demand brought about by the tremendous discovery of natural gas from the Marcellos and Utica Shale Deposits. The Northeast’s major supplier of gas, the Algonquin Gas Pipeline saw a major increase in demand this past summer that showed a winter-like usage of 80 to 85% pipeline capacity.

I have some very serious concerns about the Governor’s energy plan based upon our deteriorating financial situation. He has given our state the largest tax hike in our states history that prompted Barrows Financial Magazine to rate Connecticut as the worst state in the nation financially and went so far as to call our state “the worst sinkhole” in the country. Our current budget is $410 million in deficit and all indications are that we could be over a billion dollar deficit next year and another billion in the following year.

As I read the Governor’s 182 page energy proposal, I fear that many of the costs associated with his plan will be paid for by the already overburdened taxpayers and existing natural gas customers. At this time, we do not need such a grandiose plan costing billions of dollars to implement. He has taxed us to the limit and to speculate with a public policy that no other state in the country has ever tried.

The Governor should stop following the presidents lead of picking winners and losers. Our nation’s bad economy is taking its toll on our citizens and our own states high energy cost only could end up costing homeowners that switch to gas more money if prices escalate as is predicted, not to mention a supply problem before pipelines are constructed as planned.

My advice to the Governor would be: heed the comments of the business community and get out of their way and stop overtaxing and regulating the private sector into oblivion.

Keep in mind, New England oil heat customer losses from 1990 to 2010 were 408,886 that mostly went to gas utilities. These customers did not need government to prod them into making their decision. The governor’s energy plan will negatively impact all taxpayers especially my constituents with additional financial costs and harm an already stressed out population due to the economy.