Category: Tara Fehr
Connecticut Debates Keeping Transportation Money
By Tara Fehr
WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 – Connecticut residents will continue to travel on congested highways while paying high prices at the gasoline pumps as the Connecticut congressional delegation decides if it will redirect the state’s $2.5 billion for transportation projects to hurricane relief efforts.
Eastern Connecticut is scheduled to receive approximately $54 million, including $14.4 million to pay for the extension of Route 11.
Some members of Congress, such as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., are considering giving their share of Congress’ $286.4 billion transportation bill to help cover some of the costs of relief efforts in the Gulf Coast.
Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., who helped secure $130 million in discretionary funds toward improvements for transit service in the state, said he wouldn’t be opposed to redistributing some of Connecticut’s funds if it helps reconstruction in other parts of the country.
“I realize that there are greater emergencies and priorities today, then some of these projects that might have to wait a while,” Dodd said.
The senator also noted, though, that forgoing these funds wouldn’t be enough. He said the “burden” needs to be shared, referring to President Bush’s 2001 tax cuts that benefit the top one percent of wealth in the country.
“We’ve got a lot of responsibilities to meet, and to rob the poor to pay for the poor seems to me unfair,” Dodd said.
Rep. Robert Simmons R-Conn., on the other hand, doesn’t believe the state can afford to give up any of its funds, an aide said.
“The Connecticut transportation projects aren’t ‘pork,’” Simmons’s chief of staff, Todd Mitchell, said. “These dollars help create jobs and strengthen our region’s economy.”
Simmons also is concerned that redirecting these funds will run up against the current law requiring that transportation funds not used specifically for highway and transit projects must be returned to the highway trust fund, Mitchell said.
As for Katrina, Mitchell said Simmons thinks there are better ways to budget that does not include “jeopardizing jobs in Eastern Connecticut.”
“Congress has already appropriated more than $62 billion in the wake of Katrina,” Mitchell said. “Charity and contributions have gone over the $1 billion mark as well. Congress should reexamine the budget and see if there is any waste, fraud or abuse among federal programs.”
Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., who secured $50 million for safety, congestion mitigation and capacity improvements for I-95, had no comment on the transportation funds, but he said that funds for Katrina needed to be balanced and fair.
“We must do what is necessary to help the victims of this terrible tragedy,” Lieberman said. “The best way to do this is a combination of cutting spending for less critical programs and canceling the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.”
For now, at least, Connecticut’s transportation money will stay in the state. But regardless of the final decision, Katrina relief will remain a big responsibility.
“I think you’ll have a balanced approach,” Dodd said. “You’re going to have to take revenue from state-assisted programs, but you’re also going to have to have revenue raises to get this done, at least take off the table some of the ideas the administration insists upon–reform the estate tax, don’t repeal it entirely. Don’t make permanent these tax cuts of 2001.”
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Governor to Address Energy Concerns at October Summit
By Tara Fehr
WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 - Moving to deal with continuing uncertainty Connecticut residents face in terms of federal assistance for home heating costs, Gov. M. Jodi Rell this week called for an October summit of the state's leaders and congressional delegation to discuss strategy on the issue.
As state residents approach the cold New England winter months, the amount of federal funding to assist with fuel costs remains uncertain.
Rep. Robert Simmons, R-Conn., and 56 other House members earlier this month asked President Bush to provide more funds for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
In a letter to Bush, they requested an extra $900 million in the Hurricane Katrina relief package for low income heating funds. In a separate letter to the House appropriations committee Simmons and 29 other House members requested a total of $4 billion for low income assistance funds.
Against that backdrop, Rell called for a summit on Oct. 7 to meet with the Connecticut congressional delegation at the state Capitol to work on a plan of action for getting more federal heating fuel funds.
Last year Connecticut spent $47 million in federal assistance funds, but this year's Gulf Coast hurricanes are expected to spur a rise in energy prices and financial needs, the governor said in a press release. Rell is calling for a minimum $1 billion increase in federal low income heating funds nationwide from last year's $2 billion.
Local, non-profit energy organizations expect fuel prices to double, which could cause more people to need aid. If residents don't qualify for federal aid, they can apply for assistance from private, non-profit agencies.
Milton Cook, president of New London Energy Line Inc., said that his organization "picks up the slack" for state programs. Higher energy prices without increased funding will produce an influx of new customers, he said.
"At the rate we have to pay (for heating assistance), it's going to be double the money in order to give a person, for example, a decent tank of oil - it's a grave concern," Cook said.
The organization has limited funds, he said. It receives most of its money through Operation Fuel - a private, non-profit agency that assists poor, working families who do not qualify for federal funding. This is called the Exceptions Program, but the program might not have enough money for this year's projected energy needs.
"Once they've used up all of the funds from the state programs, the exceptions program deal with those clients," Cook said. "Because of limited funds there might not be an exceptions program this year."
If Connecticut receives insufficient federal funds, New London Energy Line will lobby the state Senate and House for extra money, Cook said. And, if necessary, the governor will use state funds, such as a built-in budget surplus of $8 million, to use for future energy costs, according to Adam Liegeot, spokesman for the governor.
"The bottom line is that Gov. Rell will make sure the state safety net is preserved," Liegeot said.
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Congress Hears More Kelo Testimony
By Tara Fehr
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22-Michael Cristofaro still vividly remembered telling his father that New London needed his property to build a sea wall that would protect the city's residents. Confused, but with little resistance, his parents, who emigrated from Italy, left their first and only home in the United States to protect their community.
The wall was never built. Instead, an office park replaced Cristofaro's childhood home.
Cristofaro is still affected when he passes the park, and now he's about to lose his home for a second time. After refusing to sell, the city and the New London Development Corp. issued an eminent domain order, declaring that his property was required for public use..
Cristofaro told his story Thursday afternoon to members of the House Judiciary Committee's Constitution Subcommittee at a hearing to examine the Supreme Court's June eminent domain decision in Kelo v. New London.
Critics of the ruling want Congress to adopt legislation defining "public use" to exclude private commercial development.
New London first informed Cristofaro and 14 other families in 2000 of its intention to acquire their land for economic development. The city wants to build hotels and condominiums in the Fort Trumbull area.
The argument discussed before the committee, then, was how to distinguish public from private development. Unlike 30 years ago, when his parents lost their home, Cristofaro, his family and their community decided to fight.
When the Supreme Court, by five to four, ruled in the city's favor, members of Congress decided to act..
"The Supreme Court's majority decision approving the government's taking of private property for commercial development has been met with strong disapproval by the American people," Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), chairman of the subcommittee, said in his opening statement.
Cristofaro was one of three witnesses arguing for limits on the use of eminent domain, along with Dana Berliner, one of his attorneys, and Hilary Shelton, the director of the NAACP's Washington office.
Indianapolis mayor Bart Peterson was the lone voice arguing against federal involvement, saying that eminent domain should remain a state decision.
"If cities did not have this tool it would be impossible for economic development or redevelopment," Peterson said.
Berliner disagreed. She believes the problem lies with local governments. "I do not believe this should be left to the local governments because that's how we got where we are today," she said.
Subcommittee members mainly disagreed with the Supreme Court's decision.
Rep. Thomas Feeney (R-Fla.) expressed his fear that the Constitution will be "morphed" into the biases of the Supreme Court.
Noting that the Constitution doesn't allow the government to take people's property "without due process of law," Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) said that life cannot exist without property.
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), the panel's senior Democrat, said he was torn. He didn't agree with how eminent domain was handled in the New London case, he said, but he also sees why it's needed.
The House has already passed a resolution, 365-33, expressing its disapproval of the Kelo decision.
Rep. Robert Simmons (R-Conn.), who voted for the resolution, sympathizes with his constituents, according to his chief of staff. Simmons experienced the consequences of eminent domain with his family in the 1960s when they were asked to move so that a highway could be built.
The next step is not defined yet, said Jeff Lungren, spokesman for Rep. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wisc.), the chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
"We're going to continue to pursue this issue, and it will be on the agenda," Lungren said.
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Inadequate Mass Transit Security Forces Local Systems to Use Own Resources
By Tara Fehr
WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 - Taking a break from hurricane relief discussions, the Senate homeland security and governmental affairs committee heard testimony Wednesday about how the nation's mass transit systems can be better protected.
Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Conn.), ranking member of the committee, said the nation cannot let its focus on Hurricane Katrina overshadow other security concerns. "We can't take our eyes off (the transit systems) because the terrorists won't," he said.
He thanked Sen. Susan M. Collins (R-Maine), the committee's chair, for proceeding with the hearing as scheduled, despite recent hurricane news.
According to Collins, Wednesday's testimony will help the committee "evaluate preparedness across all modes of public transportation."
Lieberman, who recommended the hearing, expressed his concerns for the country and Connecticut.
"My concern for inadequate security of mass transit begins at home," Lieberman said in an interview after the hearing.
Approximately 229,000 Connecticut residents use rail transit, either Amtrak or Metro-North, Lieberman said.
The Department of Homeland Security has relied on its K-9 teams and Behavior Pattern Recognition Training programs to protect public transportation, according to Kip Hawley, assistant secretary of homeland security for the Transportation Security Administration.
Hawley said at the hearing that even London, with one of the best underground security systems in the world, couldn't avoid an attack. But Lieberman and Collins said they believe more needs to be done, starting with more funding and a better surveillance system in rail lines.
After the attacks on London this summer, mass transit terror alerts in this country were raised to code orange, meaning specific protective measures were taken by all agencies. As a result, mass transit security and police coordinated efforts with national and local law enforcement agencies.
Since before September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Amtrak's Northeast division has coordinated efforts with local law enforcement agencies, enhancing the railroad's relationship with these agencies said Cliff Black, Amtrak director of media relations. .
"We rely on one another for intelligence, surveillance and enforcement," he added.
These relationships extend to New London.
Capt. William D. Dittman of the New London Police Department said in a telephone interview that responsibility for security of rail systems is shared by his department and transit police. "We work hand in hand," he said.
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Tax Proposed on High Oil Profits
By Tara Fehr
WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 - Charging that oil companies are keeping energy prices artificially high, a pair of Democratic senators proposed a new tax Tuesday on what they view as excessive profits.
Senators Christopher Dodd (Conn.-D) and Byron Dorgan (ND-D) introduced legislation that would tax what they call "windfall profits," returning the money to consumers in the form of rebates for the winter.
"We are convinced this is deliberate," Dodd said of rising oil company profits.
Under their proposal, the tax would be imposed on crude oil sales that exceed $40 a barrel and would exclude such profits invested in new domestic oil and gas exploration, building new refineries or alternative energy resources.
"I'm not begrudging the oil industry making profits," Dodd said. "Just excess profits."
The price of a barrel of oil rose to $67 Monday, according to the Associated Press. The senators estimated oil companies are pulling in an extra $7 billion in profits every month
"There are many other industries with higher profits," said Jane Van Ryan, senior manager of communication for the American Petroleum Institute.
It is unlikely that the Senate will act upon the proposal.
Even if it were enacted, it would only have a minimal mitigating effect for New England residents this winter: The rebates would not come until tax time next April.
"We are very concerned about the increase of cost in all forms," Chris Clouet, superintendent for the New London School District, said.
The district is a member of a Connecticut consortium for fuel and heating, but the resulting savings from its membership in the group still might not be enough for heating and transportation this year.
New London is still waiting for the city council to allocate its school funds, which is scheduled to take place Oct. 3. Regardless, Clouet said, the school district will need whatever savings likely to be achieved from its consortium membership.
"We're hopeful this winter isn't going to be as bad as it's projected to be," Clouet said.
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Big Steps for the U.S. Coast Guard in 2006
By Tara Fehr
WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 - The House of Representatives unanimously voted Thursday afternoon to authorize a budget of $8.7 billion for the Coast Guard for fiscal year 2006.
The Coast Guard Academy in New London would receive $39.7 million for renovations of its cadet barracks.
The rest of the New London budget will be decided after Congress appropriates the money, the next step in the budget process, said Coast Guard spokeswoman Jolie Schifflet.
The Coast Guard is happy with Congress' effort, Schifflet said.
"Congress has been very supportive over the past years for the Coast Guard, as has the administration," she said. "I hope that will continue."
Before the authorization vote Thursday, certain amendments stirred some controversy among the members.
Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., proposed an amendment that would ensure the safety of liquefied natural gas facilities, though the amendment failed 163-254. Rep. Robert Simmons, R-Conn., a member of the transportation committee's Coast Guard subcomittee, voted yes.
This is important to Connecticut because one such facility sits in the middle of the Long Island Sound.
"I supported it as a safety issue," Simmons said.
Schifflet said $5.5 billion of the budget would go to operating expenses to be split as follows: 28 percent will go to coastal security, 13 percent for search and rescue, another 13 percent for drug interdiction, 16 percent for navigation and 30 percent for other expenditures.
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Memoirs Presented to Holocaust Museum
By Tara Fehr
WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 2005 - With his family by his side, Old Lyme resident John Fried traveled through the dark halls of the Holocaust Memorial Museum that tells the history of the Nazi occupation of Europe. As a young boy Fried saw Hitler up close when the German leader visited Fried's hometown of Linz, Austria. Now as Fried passed walls of pictures of prisoners and videos of the German leader, he placed his hand over his face.
Fried was in Washington Wednesday to present his memoirs and an oral history to the museum , turning his memories, which he had kept private most of his life, into a permanent part of history.
This was the first time Fried, now 80 years old, has spoken publicly about growing up in Austria and escaping the Nazi occupation in 1939.
"It was a lot easier to talk about than I thought," Fried said. "I will always answer questions when people ask."
Fried said he talked from the heart, which shows in his face. He unleashes his smile when talking about his family, specifically finding his Uncle Leo who he thought died. But his eyes sadden as soon as he discusses the Holocaust, or events related to it. He said he often doesn't sleep at night.
Wednesday he relived his haunting memories when he walked through the halls that illustrated the past he lived, occasionally resting in a wheelchair.
"I don't want fame out of this," Fried said. "I am here because I want to help other people."
And that is why he wrote the memoir that consists of three thick binders holding items such as old letters, pictures and passports.
Marilyn Fried, his wife of 54 years, said that he chose this format because he didn't want publicity; this is also why the event at the museum consisted primarily of friends and family.
He wrote his memoirs, "Why Not Me?", with the help of his family and his good friend Linda Kidder. In fact, according to Marilyn Fried, their grandchildren inspired his work. He wrote the memoir for them, and planned the day at the museum for them as he and his wife explained the museum artifacts to the children.
Jennifer Kane, 8, said of her grandfather, that she "couldn't believe he wrote the whole book." Although she didn't understand what was in it, she listened intently as she joined her family throughout the exhibit, learning about his past.
Fried has two other grandchildren, Stephanie and Justin, 10, who are all the children of his only child, Debbie Kane, 48, and her husband, who live in Florida
Kane remembered traveling back to Czechoslovakia with her father when he found his uncle, and also to his hometown in Linz, Austria. She said this was a powerful experience for her and now she wants her children to share these experiences.
Yesterday was the beginning as Fried gave each child a personal copy of his book. Anyone else who wants to read it can find a copy in the museum library and oral history division.
"Today was a special event for him," Kane said.
Fried's wife agreed, describing it as the end to his "painstaking research."
Currently, the Fried family is loaning the museum its original copy and will decide at a later date whether the original will be donated, Kane said.
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