Face of Connecticut

2008 Legislative Victory and What It Means:

On June 13th, 2008, Governor Rell signed Public Act 08-174, An Act Concerning the Face of Connecticut Steering Committee, the Preservation of Farmland, a Municipal Grant Program for Development Projects, Loans for Brownfield Purchasers and Tax Exemptions for Open Space Land Held by or for Corporations into law. This is a significant victory for open space, historic, and farmland preservation advocates across the state and opens the way for even more significant gains in the coming years.

As you may have noticed from the new title, several important changes were made to our original proposal for 2008, specifically the addition of advocates for brownfield remediation and redevelopment to the Face of Connecticut Steering Committee, and most notably, the absence of any funding allocated to the Face of Connecticut account. While this latter fact is lamentable, please take into consideration the fact that 1) no new bonding was enacted this session, and 2) that the Face of Connecticut bill had 97 co-sponsors. This sizable number means we not only generated a tremendous amount of interest and support from our legislators (largely thanks to our grassroots efforts), but that we can call on these legislators next year to fulfill their commitment to this cause and fund our account. Beyond this, the passage of Public Act 08-174 accomplishes several other important goals. Specifically, P.A. 08-174:

Establishes the 15-member Face of Connecticut Steering Committee to direct the distribution of funds deposited into the Face of Connecticut account.
Establishes the Face of Connecticut account.
Increases the Connecticut Department of Agriculture's maximum price per acre for the purchase of development rights on farmland.
Authorizes the Connecticut Department of Agriculture to establish criteria for a Community Farms program.
Exempts open space from local property taxes if held by a non-profit.
Reestablishes the Brownfields Task Force and requires recommendations on remediation options by January 2009.
Modifies the state's brownfield program into separate grant and loan programs to improve eligibility options for a range of potential developer entities.
Reduces the liability risk for a municipality that needs to assess contaminated property.

These are important victories. Not only do they broaden our coalition and increase the depth and scope of the impact that our legislation will have on the Face of Connecticut - which contains both urban and rural, industrial and agricultural aspects - but they put us in a position that we can forcefully leverage next year as we continue our campaign to grow Connecticut green and to grow Connecticut smart.

We will continue to keep you informed as the summer goes on about our proposal for next year and about any opportunities for your input. (On July 18th we will be holding a coalition meeting, time and location TBD.) Similarly, we hope you will inform us of any opportunities for a member of our campaign to make a presentation on the Face of Connecticut proposal to your group. We hope to maintain and strengthen our relationships and our grassroots support as we look ahead to the next legislative session.

Lastly, we would sincerely like to thank all of you who took the time to attend a meeting, to come to the press conference, to write a letter, to make a phone call, to send an email on our behalf. Your commitment and your contributions were essential to our success this year and will only become more important as we move forward. If you have the time, we would encourage you to contact your state senators and state representatives and thank them for their work and let them know that their job isn't over, that they have only taken the first step in a larger process.

If you have any questions about this year's legislation or about our plans for next year, please do not hesitate to write. You will find our email address on the Send Me Alerts page. You can read a copy of the 2008 legislation here.

Thank you again and keep in touch.

Sincerely,
-the Members of the Face of Connecticut campaign

With 97 co-sponsors, Face of Connecticut Legislation for the 2008 Term, passed the State Senate on May 7th by a 36 to 0 vote and passed the House on May 5th by a 141 to 1 vote. (Face of Connecticut was listed as a "Winner" in the Boston Globe. Click here to read).

If your representative supported HB #5873, why not send them a thank you not. (Please try to personalize your letter. The samples supplied here contain only suggestions.) A thank you note is a good way to let our leaders know we appreciate their efforts and also to keep the Face of Connecticut present in their minds as they think about next session. Their work is not over.
If you do not know who your state representative or state senator is, you can find out here: Who's my rep anyway?

The Face of Connecticut is a diverse landscape of rolling hills, forests, rivers, building and streetscapes that reflect our state’s rich and diverse history. The Face of Connecticut defines the character of our communities and our quality of life.

This face is changing rapidly. Current growth patterns threaten not only the Face of Connecticut, but also our economic well-being.

The Face of Connecticut Campaign is calling for new policies, as well as comprehensive and consistent funding by the state to support action in four areas that will preserve the unique qualities of Connecticut’s diverse landscape for generations to come.

Leave a Lasting Legacy
Invest in Our Cities and Village Centers
Plan for Responsible Growth
Protect Our Investments

Click here to view the complete The Face of Connecticut Trust document. (You will need Adobe Reader to view document. Click on the icon below to download the latest version)