The Senate Appropriations Committee allocates roughly $9.6 million to Connecticut

by Christine Moyer

WASHINGTON - The Senate Appropriations Committee has allocated roughly $9.6 million for Connecticut to meet some of the state's economic and environmental needs.

The funds were included in the fiscal year 2004 appropriations bill for the Housing and Urban Development Department, the Veterans Affairs Department and some independent agencies. The measure, which cleared the committee last week, awaits consideration by the full Senate.

"It's critically important that we invest in Connecticut's future, and that's exactly what these funds do - help our state's economy, environment and infrastructure," Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) said in a statement on Tuesday.

Connecticut projects that stand to benefit include New Britain's water treatment program and low income home buyer assistance, Hartford's Southside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance's Cityscape Initiative and the University of Connecticut's Green Chemistry Project.

Dodd said, "While we still have much work to do to ensure that these projects are ultimately funded, this is a tremendously important first step in helping to better the lives of people in our state."

Dodd's fellow Connecticut Democratic Senator, Joseph I. Lieberman, said in a separate statement on Tuesday, "This money invests not only in Connecticut's economy, but also its people, its precious natural environment and its future." New Britain's Mayor, Lucian J. Pawlak, called the announcment "great news." He added, "I understand that times are tough, so I do appreciate it."

Walter Jacowitz, the finance and administrative manager for New Britain's water department, said he appreciated the $500,000 the bill allocated for the plant's replacement program, saying, "I am very pleased with the additional money."

Jacowitz said the plant received four federal grants totaling a bit over $6 million in recent years. "We have received larger grants in previous years," he said. "But it's a different time."

Pawlak said that the goal for the plant replacement program is $10 million to $12 million in grants. He said the program now has over half the desired funds.

Though he appreciates the new allocation, Pawlak said that he would still return to Washington to lobby for more money: "Tell the folks in Washington that I'll be back."

Luis Caban, the executive director of SINA's Cityscape Initiative which provides homeownership opportunities to first-time homebuyers, said he was"elated," about the $250,000 the legislation would allocate to SINA. "There are a lot of non-construction expenses such as paying lawyers, architects and assessors. Money for that is hard to come by."