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(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont is applauding both chambers of the Connecticut General Assembly for voting today in favor of approving an agreement reached between his administration and the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC) on the wage reopener for 2024-2025, as required under the current operating contract.

The Senate approved it by a vote of 24 to 12 (Senate Resolution 12) and the House of Representatives approved it by a vote of 106 to 44 (House Resolution 15). These votes are the final steps necessary as required by state law for the agreement to take effect.

“State employees deliver many vital services to the residents of Connecticut, such as educating our children, protecting our families, ensuring the roads on which we drive are safe, and taking care of our most vulnerable residents,” Governor Lamont said. “This wage increase helps ensure that we have a top-quality state workforce that can fill these important roles. I thank the General Assembly and everyone involved in negotiating this reasonable wage adjustment that balances the needs of our state workers and taxpayers.”

The agreement takes effect on July 1, 2024, and continues the current pattern of 2.5% general wage increases and step increases for an additional year. Funding for the agreement is included in the fiscal year 2025 budget that was approved by the legislature and signed into law by the governor last year.

Twitter: @GovNedLamont

Facebook: Office of Governor Ned Lamont

CES MMA presents a world championship doubleheader on Friday, May 3rd with "CES MMA 77," featuring 13-time UFC veteran Charles "Boston Strong" Rosa against Josh "Hook On" Harvey for the vacant CES MMA Lightweight Championship and Yorgan DeCastro clashing with Kevin "King Kevi" Sears for the vacant CES MMA Heavyweight title.  The card will be held at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT

Governor Lamont Announces Victory Parade and Rally Honoring UConn Men's Basketball Scheduled for This Saturday in Hartford

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the State of Connecticut, the City of Hartford, and the Hartford Business Improvement District will host a victory parade and rally in downtown Hartford on Saturday, April 13, 2024, to congratulate the UConn men’s basketball team for winning the 2024 NCAA National Championship.

UConn won its sixth men’s basketball national title last night after a 75-60 victory over the Purdue Boilermakers at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

The parade will begin at 11:00 a.m. and will step off at the State Capitol building at the intersection of Trinity Street and Elm Street. From there, it will proceed north on Trinity Street, go through the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, turn right (east) onto Jewell Street, turn left (north) onto Trumbull Street, and end at the intersection of Asylum Street and Trumbull Street.

The rally will begin at approximately 11:30 a.m. and will be held outside of the main entrance of the XL Center on Trumbull Street, where the players, coaches, and other guests will be invited to give speeches.

“For the second year in a row, the UConn men’s basketball team wowed the nation by dominating the NCAA tournament, and now it’s time for Connecticut to give them the victory celebration they deserve,” Governor Lamont said. “I urge basketball fans from all over Connecticut to come to Hartford on Saturday morning and show the Huskies how much this team means to our state and how proud we are of their accomplishments.”

Sponsorship opportunities

Parade and rally organizers are relying on private donations and business sponsorships to finance the event. No state or city funding is used.

As in previous years, this 2024 event is produced by the Hartford Business Improvement District in collaboration with the State of Connecticut and City of Hartford, as well as a number of civic and business organizations.

To sponsor the event, businesses may choose from several sponsorship levels ranging from $10,000 to $2,500 or less. Those interested in sponsorship opportunities should contact Chip McCabe at the Hartford Business Improvement District as soon as possible at 860-770-0788 or cmccabe@hartfordbid.com.

Twitter: @GovNedLamont

Facebook: Office of Governor Ned Lamont

Governor Lamont Reminds Connecticut Residents: Low-To-Moderate Income Individuals and Families Are Eligible for Significant Boost in Income Tax Credits This Year

Newly Enacted Rate Change in the Earned Income Tax Credit Comes in Addition to the Recent Cut in Income Tax Rates for Middle-Income Workers

Governor Ned Lamont today is reminding Connecticut residents that thousands of low-to-moderate income individuals and families in the state are eligible to receive a significant boost in tax credits when they file their personal income tax returns this year due to a newly enacted rate change in the Connecticut Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which has increased from the most recent rate of 30.5% for the 2022 income year to the new rate of 40% for the 2023 income year.

The rate change – which was enacted as a result of the state budget bill that the legislature approved and Governor Lamont signed into law last year and which also includes several other significant tax relief measures – means that lower-income filers will receive several hundred dollars in additional tax credits this year above what they received the prior year, depending on their income and number of dependents. Typically, more than 95% of filers who receive this credit have families with children.

“Increasing the rate of the Connecticut Earned Income Tax Credit is one of the most impactful provisions in the recently enacted state budget because it will provide direct relief to low-to-moderate income workers who are providing for their families,” Governor Lamont said. “Numerous studies have shown that this tax credit is one of the best anti-poverty tools we can use because it encourages work, boosts economic stability, and uplifts generations to come. Ultimately, these tax credits improve entire communities because these dollars are being invested right back into our local economy through groceries, transportation, clothing, rent, utilities, and other necessary expenses. I want to make sure Connecticut’s working families know about this tax credit and claim it.”

“The Department of Revenue Services is proud to administer the Earned Income Tax Credit, as it provides direct relief to working families across Connecticut,” Connecticut Department of Revenue Services Commissioner Mark Boughton said. “Our dedicated DRS staff are happy to help all taxpayers who qualify for this credit to claim it on their tax returns. Additionally, individuals who qualify may utilize assistance from the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program.”

The Connecticut EITC is based on the amount of the federal EITC. It is available to those earning less than:

• $56,838 ($63,698 married filing jointly) with 3 or more qualifying children
• $52,918 ($59,478 married filing jointly) with 2 qualifying children
• $46,560 ($53,120 married filing jointly) with 1 qualifying child
• $17,640 ($24,210 married filing jointly) with no qualifying children

It is estimated that approximately 211,000 households in Connecticut are eligible.

The Connecticut EITC was created in 2011 and has had varying rates over the last decade, including 30% in 2012, 25% in 2013, 27.5% from 2014 to 2016, 23% from 2017 to 2020, and 30.5% in 2021 and 2022.

This new 40% rate makes Connecticut among the top five states in the nation with the largest EITC rates.

EITC rate increase comes in addition to the income tax cut for middle-income households that took effect January 1, 2024

In addition to the rate change in the Connecticut EITC, the state budget bill that Governor Lamont signed last year includes cuts to the state’s income tax rates that are targeted toward providing relief to middle-income households earning less than $150,000 for single filers and $300,000 for joint filers. Those cuts, which went into effect on January 1, 2024, reduced the two lowest rates of the state’s progressive tax structure by:

• Decreasing the rate on the first $10,000 earned by single filers and the first $20,000 by joint filers from 3% to 2%; and
• Decreasing the rate on the next $40,000 earned by single filers and the next $80,000 by joint filers from 5% to 4.5%.

This is the first time that income tax rates have been cut in Connecticut since the mid-1990s. It is also the single largest income tax cut enacted in state history.

The income tax cut is estimated to benefit more than one million tax filers.

Twitter: @GovNedLamont

Facebook: Office of Governor Ned Lamont

Meet Boston's newest sports franchise, the Boston Butchers, on Thursday, April 4 at Peter Welch's Gym in South Boston.  The event begins at 1pm and is open to the public.