Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has proposed sending residents an energy rebate of up to $400 per family in his state of the state address to a joint session of the state General Assembly on Wednesday.
He said the $200-per-person or $400-per-family rebate will help families manage higher heating costs this winter.
“Look, every year we’ve been here I’ve tried to make life a little less expensive and a little more affordable,” Lamont said.
The rebate is possible because of higher state revenue from stock market capital gains.
Lamont said the state’s surplus has also allowed for a large deposit into the state’s universal free early childhood education endowment.
“Making it a little easier for parents to get back to work and giving your child the very best headstart in life,” he said.
The governor also supports a proposal to remove phones from the classroom.
“Let’s go one step further. No phones bell to bell in any of our schools,” Lamont said to applause.
He received his largest applause when he commended state and local police while criticizing ICE.
“We have some of the best-trained police in the world, making Connecticut one of the very safest states,” he said.
“But ICE is just the opposite. They see the world as us versus them. They are not trained to deescalate, I think they are barely trained at all.”
“ICE everywhere you go, violence follows. Go home. We are keeping our Connecticut safe without you,” Lamont said, mainly to applause from Democrats in the chamber.
It’s the governor’s strongest public rebuke of ICE, so far.
Republican leaders were critical of Lamont’s speech and said his plan to provide $200 tax rebates for people making less than $200,000 annually didn’t do enough for residents.
“It's ridiculous,” Senate Minority Leader Stephen Harding (R-Brookfield) said. “I don't know how someone could possibly vote for him. After hearing that speech.”
GOP leaders also said they’re unhappy with Lamont’s declaration, which allows him to continue spending the $500 million emergency fund created to offset federal cuts.
“The agreement was that we would come back into session and the legislature would now take control of the budget and make adjustments if we see any federal cuts,” House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora (R-North Branford) said. “It is disappointing for somebody who supported that fund initially that I'm watching another broken promise occur.”
Since it’s an election year, this session will be short — 13 weeks. It ends on May 6.
