Rep. Tim LeGeyt, of Avon and Canton, was pleased at the Bond Commission’s approval of the remaining $ 1 million needed for the complete funding of the Avon Free Public Library expansion project. The Avon Free Public Library was library was originally built in 1982 and in recent years has outgrown its capacity.

The project will provide library visitors with more room for seating, will expand the storage area for library collections and will provide areas for research and public meetings. The project also includes new computer work spaces.

“This is a much anticipated project for the people of Avon. The new renovations will allow more users to enjoy the benefits of the public library and to experience learning in a new way with updated technology space and expanded capacities. Along with benefiting the people of Avon, this new project will aid Connecticut construction jobs and provide work in the local area,” said Rep. LeGeyt after the meeting.

“For generations, public libraries have enhanced our communities with history, literature, science, art and so much more. The library is a staple of community life and public education here in Avon and I couldn’t be more pleased to see the grant approval go through,” said Sen. Witkos in a statement.

The Governor released a statement saying, “[t]he Avon Free Library has simply outgrown its current building – and that is a good thing,” Rell said. “Connecticut’s public libraries are an invaluable resource for their communities and the demand for Avon’s library proves the point. Since the current building was completed in 1982, the population of Avon has increased by more than 50 percent. Circulation has increased by more than 30 percent in just the last 10 years. It is clear that the current building can no longer meet the community’s needs.

According to a statement from the Governor’s office, more than half of the residents of Avon hold library cards and the library recorded more than 205,000 visits in 2008-09, an average of nearly 12 visits per capita.

The Avon library board first applied to the State Library Board, which oversees state grants for municipal library projects, with completed plans for the library expansion in summer 2008.

Mary LaBelle Suter, President of the Avon Library Board of Directors said, “We’ve been planning this expansion for 6 or 7 years now and are very appreciative to the Governor for requesting that the Bond Commission consider the grant’s approval,” said Suter.

“Senator Witkos and I, in partnership with the Avon Free Public Library board and many local officials and community leaders, have advocated for this project for quite some time. The Avon library is an integral part of the community and the new public meeting space is much needed. We couldn’t be more pleased with the Governor’s choice to put it in this week’s agenda and for the Bond Commission’s approval as a worthy project,” said LeGeyt.

Diane Hornaday, Chairperson of the Building Committee for the expansion project said, “The design of the building, thanks to architect Peter Well of Tuthill & Wells, is such that it is flexible and adaptable. Uses in libraries change and I believe this design will allow us to adapt and change with the times. We’ll be able to offer more to the community from research materials to fiction as well as better community space and storage areas. The new public meeting rooms that will be created as part of the expansion project will be available for use even when the library is closed as community meeting space. This new design will meet many of the community needs in an adaptable cost effective manner that will benefit Avon for years to come.”

The overall cost of the project is an estimated $9.5 million. At total of $8 million in borrowed funding was approved by Avon voters and the public library’s Board of Trustees will fundraise for $500,000. The final $1 million grant needed for the completion of the project came this Tuesday at the approval of Bond Commission.

“The Town of Avon is grateful that the $1 million grant for the addition and renovation of the Avon Public Library has been approved by the State Bond Commission.  This grant is a critical component of the overall funding plan for the project,” said Avon Town Manager Brandon Robertson.

Donna Miller, Assistant Director of the Avon Free Public Library responded to the news of the state monies with relief and joy. “We are absolutely thrilled the state funding was approved… Many members of the community, including parents with their children and some of our area senior citizens, stopped by the library to informally celebrate the news and show their support for the library expansion.”

“I am delighted and very appreciative of the many people in the community who have supported this project. I specifically want to thank Senator Witkos, Rep. LeGeyt, Rep. Bye, and Brandon Robertson our Town Manager for tirelessly working on our behalf to see the project through in Hartford. It was a concerted effort by so many people,” said Hornaday.

“Our residents and those representing us in Hartford, recognize the important role municipal libraries play in enriching the community. The Avon Free Public Library is very popular and we’ve known for years its resources have been taxed because it is too small to fully service the needs of the community. We are very pleased to see the expansion funding finally go through,” said Suter.

“Public libraries, much like our public schools, are places that cultivate learning, growth and community life. The Avon Free Public Library is located in almost the direct geographical center of town symbolic, I think, of its place in the community. We’re all pleased with this week’s good news,” said LeGeyt.

For more information on the Avon Public Library expansion and renovation project, contact Representative LeGeyt’s Hartford office at 1-800-842-1423.

Rep. Tim LeGeyt Bikes 30 Miles for Cancer Fund
LeGeyt participates in “Tour of the Litchfield Hills”

State Representative Tim LeGeyt of Avon and Canton biked 30 miles on August 1st as part of the annual “Tour of the Litchfield Hills” fundraiser benefiting the Center for Cancer Care Fund and the local community. LeGeyt, a cancer survivor, joined over 1,100 riders this year to raise over $80,000 to aid those in the community battling cancer.

“I was looking forward to this year’s ‘Tour of the Litchfield Hills’ 30 mile bike ride with my son, who joined me. This year’s Tour was well done and I was encouraged to see all of the people who turned out in support. I hope next year to see even more people involved. As a cancer survivor myself, this subject matter is near and dear to my heart. I’m glad I was able in some small way, to lend a helping hand to those my community battling this awful disease. Hopefully, one day, we will have a cure,” said LeGeyt.

The annual “Tour of the Litchfield Hills” began in 2004 by a group of volunteers and continues to be a 100 percent volunteer run event. It features multiple levels in difficulty and length of non-competitive bike rides through the Litchfield Hills of Connecticut. Partnered with the cycling event is a walk through Torrington for those who would prefer to walk for the cancer fund rather than bike. The Tour springs from the original “Tour de Torrington” beginning in 1989 by avid local cyclist Tim Grieco and the “Tommys” bike shop. Since 2004 when the “Tour of the Litchfield Hills” began, over half a million dollars has been raised for the Center for Cancer Care Fund.

Next year’s “Tour of the Litchfield Hills” will be on Sunday, August 7, 2011.

For more information on the “Tour of the Litchfield Hills” you can contact Representative LeGeyt’s office at 1-800-842-1423.

This story also was also featured by the Foothills Media group.

This week, from Aug. 15th through Aug. 21st, is Connecticut’s “Sales Tax Holiday” week.

Connecticut’s 6% sales tax will be eliminated for all clothing and footwear purchases under $300 per item through this Saturday. Since sales tax is calculated after the use of any coupons or discounts, if the final price is less than $300, the sale is exempt from taxes. However, purchases equaling more than $300 will have full sales tax calculated into the cost.
Clothing or footwear under $300 either rented or put on layaway is also tax-free.

For more information, visit the Department of Revenue Services website at www.ct.gov/drs or call my Hartford office at 1-800-842-1423.

Rep. Tim LeGeyt Encourages Residents to Sign Up for Emergency Notifications

Representative Tim LeGeyt, of Avon and Canton, is encouraging residents to sign up for the CT Alert Emergency Notification System. CT Alert ENS allows state and local officials to help protect lives and property by providing critical information to residents during emergencies, including dangerous situations related to schools or an emergency weather alert like a tornado warning.

The system allows authorized users, such as state and local emergency personnel, to quickly send out an emergency alert to residents in any affected geographic area within the state. Depending on the emergency, the alert may be sent to an entire town, part of a town, a group of towns, or a large area of the state.

“In emergency situations, reaction time is precious. The more reaction time residents have, the better their chances of escaping harm,” said Rep. LeGeyt. “Some people don’t always have on a TV or radio during the day but they do usually find themselves near a telephone of some sort. This system would alert those residents in the rare case of a potential life-threatening situation,” he continued.

To sign-up for alerts or to learn more about the program you can visit www.ctalert.gov. In addition to a “land-line,” residents can also add mobile phones, e-mail, text messaging and other instant messaging as a means of receiving alerts.

“In light of the recent severe weather and tornado warnings in Connecticut this summer, I wanted to encourage everyone to take advantage of this service that our state provides free of charge,” said LeGeyt. “The CT Alert ENS a great tool. It’s an easy way to add a level of protection and peace of mind,” he said.

CT Alert ENS is managed by the State Departments of Public Safety and Emergency Management and Homeland Security and is available for use by state and local 911 Emergency Communications Centers, and some state agencies.

For more information about state government visit www.RepLeGeyt.com or call 1-800-842-1423.

This was featured in the Hartford Courant.

Congratulations to Trever Pierce from Canton for receiving one of the Leaders and Achievers Program scholarship awards from the Comcast Foundation.
The scholarship is given to college-bound high school seniors on the basis of community service, leadership, positive attitude and academic achievement.

Trever is currently a student at Canton Junior/Senior High School.

State Representative Tim LeGeyt, of Avon and Canton, and Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz spoke on Monday afternoon, May 10th at Avon High School for a ceremony honoring veterans who served during the Second World War. Both he and Secretary Bysiewicz thanked the gathered veterans for their service and honored those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

“This is the month when we honor, on Memorial Day, those veterans who gave their life in the service of their country.  When they joined the Armed Services, in whatever conflict or period of peacetime, they offered their lives in the service of our country.  You made the same sacrifice – to offer your life in the service of your country.  As a veteran of WWII, you made the same commitment as did the servicemen and women that we will honor on Memorial Day.  The difference is that you were not called to give your life to that cause, even though you had offered it by joining… Because you were allowed to keep your life does not diminish the act of offering it in the service of your country, and it is your act of offering your life in the service of your country that we honor today,” said Rep. LeGeyt.

Rep. LeGeyt told the audience that the service and sacrifice of those who fought during WWII made it possible for people like him to live, grow up and take part in “perhaps the greatest expression of freedom the world has known.”

Governor Rell (far left), Rep. LeGeyt (at podium), Rep. Schofield (far right)

Public Announcement: State Parks free of charge this weekend
In Celebration of 375th Anniversary

This past Friday, May 14th, I joined Governor Rell in speaking to a crowd gathered at the Heublein Tower within the Talcott Mountain State Park in celebration of the 375th Anniversary of our state. The Governor announced fees for 107 state parks and 32 state forests will be waived this weekend May 22nd and 23rd. This includes free admission to the Dinosaur State Park exhibit center in Rocky Hill.

If you enjoy letterboxing at the state forests, a commemorative anniversary stamp will be located in the letterboxes of state forests. Letterboxes are plastic container hidden in a specific natural location within the state forest. A set of clues is given to visitors in search of the location. Once found, a stamp and stamp pad are located inside the plastic container for visitors to stamp into their personal record books. For more information about letterboxing or to received clues visit www.ct.gov/dep/forestry.

Historians attribute the founding of the state to 1635 because it marked the year that Windsor, Wethersfield and Hartford were settled and thus establish Connecticut as a colony. For more information about the year long 375th Anniversary celebration or to find out more about other anniversary events, visit www.CT375.com.

Rep. Tim LeGeyt Promotes Adoption Legislation 

See Rep. LeGeyt’s remarks from the floor of the House.

State Representative Tim LeGeyt proposed legislation this session to aid families trying to work through the adoption process. The legislation clarifies the administrative guidelines that the Department of Children and Families (DCF) currently uses and will help to avoid situations that might disqualify families caught in unintended loopholes produced by those guidelines.

“It’s moments like these that make being a state representative so rewarding. I was able to directly help one of my constituent families, and make a difference for future Connecticut families who run into similar red tape walls as they navigate through the adoption process,” said Rep. LeGeyt.

Rep. LeGeyt first found out about such loopholes through a constituent family who contacted his Hartford office via the internet. In this particular situation, these adoptive parents recently lost their adopted child to brain cancer. DCF’s administrative policies typically make families wait a year after the death before being eligible to adopt again. During the year-long wait, however, circumstances can occur which are unrelated to the child’s death and which can result in parents being placed into a DCF age category that would make it very difficult, if not impossible, to re-adopt.

Rep. LeGeyt responded immediately and teamed up with Rep. Beth Bye (D-19) to draft legislation intended to clarify that the DCF guidelines are permissive and not meant to be used as adoption-prohibitive. The legislation was proposed as an amendment to other children and family services related legislation and on May 5th passed unanimously.

Rep. Tim LeGeyt Supports Ban on Dangerous Chemicals in Children’s Products

Representative Tim LeGeyt supported legislation in the Connecticut House of Representatives Thursday, April 29th banning cadmium in children’s jewelry. The proposal also includes a timeline for the implementation of a ban of bisphenol-A in infant formula and baby food receptacles.

Cadmium is known for being highly toxic even in small amounts. A U.S. Product Safety Commission investigation confirmed many children’s jewelry products contained high levels of cadmium.

“The legislation enjoyed huge support in the House. Cadmium is a known toxin and allowing our children to be exposed to this harmful chemical during their delicate developmental stages is irresponsible governance. It’s common knowledge now that exposure to moderate levels of lead and mercury can be toxic and I hope through measures like we’ve taken today, that public awareness about the dangers of exposing children to cadmium will similarly become public knowledge,” said Rep. LeGeyt after the vote.

The legislation also contained a timeline for implementing the ban on bisphenol-A. Bisphenol-A, commonly known as BPA, is often used in plastics. Some studies show BPA can mimic the body’s own hormones with early childhood development ages being the most susceptible to its affects.

The legislation passed unanimously at 144 to 0 with 7 members absent or not voting.

Rep. LeGeyt and the Department of Consumer Protection will be hosting a free public forum in early June on unsafe children’s products at the Avon Community Center. Stay tuned to RepLeGeyt.com for more information.

Rep. Tim LeGeyt and Fellow Republicans reveal a Common Sense Budget on tax day that erases $736 million 2011 deficit without raising taxes.

See Rep. LeGeyt’s video statement immediately following the news conference.
View clips from today’s news conference.
Download a copy of the Republican’s Common Sense Budget presentation shown at the news conference.

At a news conference, Republicans revealed today on April 15th, commonly known as tax day, their plan for a state budget that erases the projected $736 million deficit for 2011 without raising taxes.

“Today, we House Republicans released a 2011 budget that erases the $736 million deficit for 2011 without raising taxes.  We legislators have only a matter of weeks to pass a 2011 state operating budget and if we don’t come up with a plan before July 1, the state will immediately begin running a growing an estimated $700 million deficit. Inaction is unacceptable and we as a Republican caucus stand ready with an answer,” said Rep. Tim LeGeyt after the news conference.

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.

Some highlights of the budget in the areas of job creation and retirement security are:
• A Small Business Revolving Loan Fund of $25 million is created;
• $200 million will be paid into the state employee pensions including teachers;
• The Business Entity Tax is eliminated to save companies $32 million;
• Tax credits of up to $17.5 million will be available to companies that hire off unemployment rolls.

“Our balanced approach includes incentives for job creation, eliminates budgetary inefficiencies by consolidating government agencies and calls for state employee concessions as a means for preserving jobs,” said Rep. LeGeyt.

The hallmarks of the government savings include:
• $10 million in state agency consolidations;
• $58 million in line item cuts returning to 2009 levels;
• $64 million in early retirement for state workers;
• $3.8 million in legislative pay cuts, elimination of franked mail and travel reimbursements
• $6.4 million shed in state office leases; 
• $150 million in state worker concessions, including wage freezes, furlough days and health care savings;
“Our plan also preserves municipal and school aid to our local communities and eliminates the 2011 state deficit, thus balancing the budget.  In our plan, we can accomplish all of this without raising taxes or gutting social service programs. But we must act now. The longer the legislature takes to act, the greater the problem grows and the more painful the solution,” he emphasized.