GREENWICH- State Representative Fred Camillo (R-151^st) will be hosting a Saving Money At Home panel discussion on Energy Solutions at Home- Air leaks waste energy. 

DATE:  Thursday, August 19, 2010

TIME:  10:00 am

LOCATION:  Greenwich Senior Center  

Rep. Fred Camillo will have Peter Fusaro, founder and President of Preferred Builders Inc. and Vice President of Green Built Connecticut, located in Riverside Connecticut giving a presentation on ways to save money in today’s economic environment. 

Pete has been honored with the “2008 Builder of the Year”HBRA Award,“2009 CommunityService” HOBI Award also ”2009 Philanthropist of the year” Vision Fund Award,” Best In Green Award 2009 ”. 

Peter is a Certified Green Professional (CGP) Certified aging in place specialists (CAPS) Certified Graduate Builder (CGB) and a Graduate Master Builder (GMB) from the National Association Home Builders, one of Connecticut’s first Accredited Verifiers for the NHBA National Green Building Program, Peter is also a Certified HERS Rater and a BPI Building Analyst Professional .

  “Not only do lower Fairfield County residents send far more tax payments to Hartford than we receive back in state services, but we are by several computations, the most highly taxed state in the country,” said Rep. Camillo.

Rep. Floren said, “It is unfortunate that we can only give our hard-working taxpayers this once a year benefit, so we urge you to take advantage of it as much as possible!”

“This concept was first introduced in August 1999 – modeled after a successful New York program – as a way of providing additional relief to Connecticut families while boosting the state’s economic competitiveness among neighboring states,” Rep. Gibbons.

Consumers seeking more information on the state’s “sales tax-free week” can visit the Department of Revenue Services’ website at: www.ct.gov/drs

HARTFORD- Greenwich State Rep. Fred Camillo of Cos Cob applauded Governor Jodi Rell for signing legislation to safeguard state residents against price gauging at the gasoline pump.

The legislation permits the state attorney general to investigate undue concentrations of power that would restrain trade, hurt local businesses and drive up costs to consumers. It gauges the potential for anti-competitive behavior in the fuel industry using a formula applied by federal antitrust investigators, and is supported by the motor fuel distributors and retail gas stations in Connecticut as a way of ensuring a level playing field within the state.

Rep. Fred Camillo, who co-sponsored the legislation this past session said, “This bill is a consumer-friendly bill to ensure the gas prices we pay in Greenwich and around the state are fair and competitive.”

 Camillo added, “This is the least we can do for our local consumers, Greenwich already pays some of the highest prices for a gallon of gasoline in Connecticut.”

The bill also includes provisions enabling the state attorney general to identify gas station owners who are price-gouging in the wake of hurricanes or other disasters to increase profit margins.

HARTFORD – Last night, April 27^th, legislation to have cell towers not be sited within 750 feet of a school unless the Siting Council finds that there are no economically feasible alternative sites within the municipality passed the House of Representatives according to State Reps. Livvy Floren (R-149), Lile Gibbons (R-150), Fred Camillo (R-151).

 “This cell tower language seeks to put added focus on the safety of children, students, and adults who work in schools first when siting cell towers in the vicinity of these venues,” said Rep. Camillo, a member of the Environment Committee.

Rep. Livvy Floren added, “This bill is a first step and takes into account local input regarding health and safety concerns about placing cell towers near schools.”

 Rep. Lile Gibbons said, “Although not an outright ban of siting a cell tower within 750 feet of a school, the bill does require the Siting Council to acknowledge the proximity of a school as well as safety standards, neighborhood concerns and the latest transmission technologies in rendering its decision.” 

The vote was unanimous in the House of Representatives 139-0. The bill now heads to the State Senate.

Erases $736 Million 2011 Deficit – No Taxes, Smaller Gov’t -$74 Million to Create Jobs 

HARTFORD – Today being Tax Day, April 15^th, the last day Connecticut residents have to mail in their tax bills, State Reps. Livvy Floren, Lile Gibbons and Fred Camillo along with the rest of the House Republican caucus unveiled their 2011 budget that erases the $736 million deficit for 2011 without raising taxes by consolidating government agencies, and shrinking the public workforce and commits $74 million to stimulate job growth.

The balanced plan preserves municipal and school aid, and sets aside $74.5 million to stimulate job growth. Companies that hire the unemployed can earn $17.5 million in tax credits, and the plan establishes a $25 million small business revolving loan fund, and eliminates the Business Entity Tax.

“This proposal is fair and balanced. We eliminate the budget hole without raising taxes and without gutting social service programs. Every household in Connecticut has faced difficult financial choices and has made the tough decisions we are confronting today,’’ said Rep. Lile Gibbons, lead republican on the Human Services Committee.

“We cannot leave for the session in May knowing there is a $736 million deficit for next fiscal year which begins on July 1^st. If we ignore the problems now, they will become insurmountable. It would unconscionable to leave this looming problem until after the November elections,’’ Rep. Fred Camillo, member of the Appropriations Committee said.

The Common Sense plan offers a flexible menu of choices to create savings from concessions that have all been validated by the non-partisan Office of Fiscal Analysis.

The hallmarks of the savings:

• $58 million in line item cuts to 2009 levels;
• $64 million in early retirement for state workers;
• $10 million in state agency consolidations;
• $6.4 million to shed state office leases; 
• $20 million in privatization of state functions;
• $150 million in state worker concessions, including wage freezes, furlough days and health care;
• $3.8 million in legislative pay cuts, elimination of franked mail and travel.

The budget also makes significant investments in job creation and retirement security:

• $200 million will be paid into the state employee pensions;
• The Business Entity Tax is eliminated to save companies $32 million;
• A Small Business Revolving Loan Fund of $25 million is created;
• Tax credits of up to $17.5 million will be available to companies that hire off unemployment rolls.

Rep. Livvy Floren added, “This Common Sense plan achieves the common sense ideals we have advocated for since the beginning of the year. The mantras of “Not spending more than you have” and “only borrowing what you can afford to pay back” need to be set in stone when it comes to crafting a budget.” 

The House Republicans along with the Greenwich Delegation have called upon the Democratic supermajority to immediately come together as they did on April 13 and work toward a reasonable solution.

GREENWICH- State Representative Fred Camillo (R-151st) will be hosting a free e-waste turn-in and pick-up GREENWICH RECYCLES DAY to allow residents to dispose of any device or appliance with an electric cord or charger:

DATE: Saturday, April 17, 2010
TIME: 10:00AM – NOON
LOCATION: Greenwich High School

Rep. Camillo has elicited the assistance of Preferred Builders, Contractor and Green Monster E-cycling for this event. They will be facilitating the transportation and waste removal of any and all turned in devices.

The bill, House Bill 5504, An Act Concerning Siting Of Cell Phone Towers Near Schools received a public hearing on Thursday March 18th in front of the legislature’s Energy and Technology Committee.

The bill provides that cell towers not be sited within 750 feet of schools. Camillo would also like to include day care centers into the bill. 

In submitted written and oral testimony, Rep. Fred Camillo said, “This issue, however, is one which makes me subscribe to the old adage about being safe rather than sorry. No one can legitimately and reasonably fault this committee or the state legislature for erring on the side of caution. Waiting 20 years for a study to be published linking illness to these cell towers is too much of a risk to take at this time, or at any time.”

“This bill only seeks to put added focus on the safety of children, students, and adults who work in schools and day care centers first when siting cell towers in the vicinity of these venues, Camillo, a member of the Environment Committee, added, “please keep in mind that decades ago we also didn’t have the data or evidence when we were told the same thing by the tobacco industry.”

“I urge the committee to discuss negative health effect with the Connecticut Siting Council and, if necessary, to mandate the Council to disallow a cell tower to be sited next to a school or day care center,” added Rep. Gibbons, in her written testimony.

Rep. Livvy Floren also submitted written testimony in which she stated, “The bill offers a viable, fair, reasonable and cautious compromise.”

Also testifying at the public hearing were Greenwich residents Christopher von Keyserling, Janet Lynn De Luca and Gregory W. Schulte.

In oral testimony, Mr. Keyserling said, “This Bill would not only be fair to the greatest part of your constituency;  Safeguard our children and their educational system; Stabilized real estate values and local tax base; It helps the Connecticut Siting Council by removing one of the main and unnecessary areas of contention from their table.

Janet Lynn De Luca testified that, “This bill strikes a balance between the needs of local wireless users and the interests of residents. It will benefit not only our efforts in Greenwich, but also our neighboring communities state-wide.”

In written testimony Mr. Schulte wrote, “It is incredulous to most if not all of us that this tower can be located so close to a school despite the spirited disapproval of the community, Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission, Connecticut State Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General and Greenwich First Selectman.”

With the start of the new legislative session, Greenwich State Representatives Livvy Floren (R-149), Lile Gibbons (R-150), Fred Camillo (R-151) and Senator L. Scott Frantz (R-36) have introduced a bill to prohibit the siting of a cell phone tower within seven hundred and fifty feet of a school or day care centers.

The Greenwich Delegation proposed this bill due to the potential of several proposed sites that are adjacent to school grounds.

Health professionals on both sides of the issue differ on the effects of radiation from cell towers and whether they are harmful to children. However, the legislators would prefer to err on the side of caution.
Rep. Camillo, whose Assembly District includes the North Mianus School said, “Cell towers should not be sited in close proximity to schools considering the possible harmful effects on children and on neighboring homes from radiation emissions.”
“Our children should be protected at all cost. It is my hope that the Chairmen of the Legislature’s Energy and Technology Committee raise our bill for public hearing,” said Rep. Livvy Floren.

“We are not endorsing any one site; that is the job of the Connecticut Siting Council. We are only proposing that proximity to schools be taken into account when a decision is rendered,” added Rep. Lile Gibbons.

Sen. Frantz concluded, “Notwithstanding the intricacies of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, we are proposing that school and daycare facility location is considered in any deliberations concerning the siting of a cell tower.”

The bonds of trust between State Government and its people have been broken.  The citizens of Connecticut deserve a State Government that is resident-friendly, provides exceptional service and operates in a more efficient and effective manner.

Read the Common Sense Commitment to Connecticut.