JIM MORELLI

Senior citizens make untold contributions to our communities. I consider myself an ardent advocate for seniors, particularly in housing opportunities and tax concessions for homeowners. Many seniors are on fixed incomes, and while we all feel the effects of the current staggering inflation, they feel it more intensely. This stems directly from the tax-and-spend mentality of the Democrats in Connecticut and nationally.
 
Fixed-income benefits are not keeping pace. We need to develop opportunities for those on fixed incomes to have more stable expenses. This might include food programs, fixed-cost housing, and tax incentives. I am dedicated to increasing benefits and investments for people with physical and intellectual disabilities. Technology is rapidly evolving to better
aid and serve those with disabilities. Our state should create avenues to supply this technology to those qualified individuals within our state and promote funding for positions that train and monitor this assistance. This includes security devices, cooking aids, transportation, learning aids and daily living assistance.
 
We should increase state programs that fund private developments for the disabled where affordable, supported housing is incorporated into multi-unit apartments. This dormitory style housing allows the disabled to live within a thriving community and have easy access to shopping and dining. The state needs to level the playing field on homecare wages for not-for-profit agencies like the Southington ARC and others. There currently is a significant disparity in the state reimbursement for providers vs. what the state actually pays caregivers. Like paramedics in this state, people who are passionate and caring are working for wages that pale in comparison to other professions that do not have the liability and responsibility of these occupations. The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees U.S. citizens the right to bear arms. This is a fundamental right of American citizens. The federal government under Democrats continues to threaten that right, and this threat flows down to our state, where Democratic leaders not only want not to tax ammunition but also seek to put income from gun licenses into the General Fund of the state budget. This money should be directed to supporting opportunities throughout the state that benefit those who pay these fees. Like gas and use taxes, these funds should be directed to road and infrastructure upgrades and not general funding. Threatening Second Amendment rights is yet another move by our Democratic leaders to favor criminals over law-abiding citizens.