The following information was submitted by State Rep. David Baram:
Good morning. I’m Representative David Baram and I want to thank you for joining us at today’s press conference, announcing a rather sizable grant for the Windsor Arts Center.
Representatives Peggy Sayers, Elaine O’Brien and myself, have fought to safeguard funding for Windsor and our other District towns. When possible we have also worked to obtain additional funding, and we have had great success for Windsor.
To put State aid to Windsor in perspective, I’d like to remind its residents that Windsor will receive almost $13 Million in State aid for FY 2013 which includes grants for state owned property, town aid, local roads assistance, public school and non-public school transportation, and education under the ECS formula.
Additionally your three state representatives led the effort to preserve state pilot to reimbursement Windsor and local municipalities for manufacturing equipment tax reductions. This preserved about $1 Million for Windsor and helped to perpetuate Windsor’s manufacturing industry
Last year we also announced the opportunity for Windsor to receive a grant of $1 Million to renovate the train station and town center around it to help provide access to rail service. This was part of the Governor’s Bonding Package for the proposed New Haven – Springfield Rail Line.
Today we join you again, Representatives Sayers, O’Brien and myself, to make two more announcements. The first is a sizable grant to the Windsor Arts Center for $150,000. This will help enhance the Center which has become a regional destination for residents to enjoy the visual and performing arts, including works of artists and performances of musicians from around the country, and to hear educational lectures. We are most proud of this grant and know that the Windsor Arts Center and Town will use it wisely. Our congratulations.
We thank the Center board for keeping us informed of its needs and guiding us in achieving this significant grant. We also thank the Speaker of the House, Chris Donnovan, and the Majority Leader, Brendan Sharkey, for their support of this important cultural resource in Windsor.
Finally, we are also pleased to announce that we submitted legislation which was passed during our Special Session, to allow the Town of Windsor to purchase an abandoned State group home (15 Parkwood Rd.), which the town plans to ultimately convey to the Windsor Independent Living Association (WILA), for continued use as a facility to assist special need residents. We are very proud of this legislative achievement too.
Bob McAllister