As many of you are aware, drastic funding cuts have been proposed in Gov. Dan Malloy’s state budget for the next two years that will adversely affect a number of important public causes, including historic preservation, protection of farmlands and open spaces, and public housing. The Community Investment Act, which has long served as a highly successful funding channel for many programs in the above areas, stands to be completely de-funded by the proposed budget. This would have a devastating effect on the many Connecticut communities that have been well served by such programs.
Below is the text of an email just sent by the Working Lands Alliance that outlines calls to action and provides instructions on how to effectively express your opposition to Community Investment Act funding cuts. I’m hoping that all of you might be willing to follow the steps outlined below, in both providing testimony to the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee this coming Tuesday (April 21st, 2015), and also notifying your own state legislators of your opposition to these cuts.
[ Editor's note: to find your Connecticut State Legislators' email, and local and capitol mail addresses, please use the Connecticut General Assembly's Find Your Legislators page ]
Thank you very much for considering your own active participation in this important campaign! And please feel free to forward this information on to anybody else you know who’ll likewise consider this campaign critical.
Text of original email from the Working Lands Alliance
- Since 2005, the Community Investment Act has made over $133 MILLION in investments across the 4 sectors who share these funds: Agriculture/Farmland Preservation, Open Space, Historic Preservation, and Affordable Housing. These investments (over 1100 projects in 168 towns) have benefitted almost EVERY COMMUNITY in our state – from rural to suburban to urban communities!
- CIA was structured to be a dedicated fund outside of the budget that is continuously reinvesting in our communities across the four sectors.
- We strongly oppose raiding CIA’s dedicated funds to address budget deficits. These unprecedented diversions will end the Community Investment Act as we know it, and will greatly impact the many worthwhile projects CIA funds across the state.
To see what investments have been made in your community, visit communityinvestmentact.org.
To download the Community Investment Act fact sheet, click here
Lisa Bassani
WLA Project Director
Appropriations Committee Hearing: Tuesday, April 21st at 2 pm
H.B. No. 6825 AN ACT MAKING DEFICIENCY APPROPRIATIONS AND ADDRESSING THE DEFICIT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2015.Please cc your legislators when you submit testimony to let them know that you care about this issue.We would appreciate it if you would also email a copy to us: lbassani@farmland.org
Working Lands Alliance
A Project of American Farmland Trust
775 Bloomfield Ave
Windsor, CT 06096
workinglandsalliance.org
860-683-4230
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