House Republican Press Release

January 11, 2007

Press Office: 860-240-8700

Rep. D’Amelio Appointed to Appropriations Committee

Will Serve on Transportation, Insurance & Real Estate Committees As Well

State Representative Anthony J. D’Amelio, R-71^st District, has been appointed to the Connecticut General Assembly’s Appropriations Committee for the 2007 – 2008 legislative session, House Republican Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr., R-142^nd District, announced today.

Representative D’Amelio also was appointed to the Insurance and Real Estate and Transportation committees, Representative Cafero said. 

“Tony D’Amelio has been a voice for fiscal sanity since he was first elected to the Connecticut General Assembly in a special election in 1996. He understands that excessive state spending is the main reason why the citizens of Connecticut are among the most heavily taxed in the United States and can make an effective case for responsible state spending. He will be a forceful advocate for our state’s overburdened taxpayers and that is why I appointed him to the Appropriations Committee,” Representative Cafero said.

“There will be enormous pressure at the state legislature this year to pass expensive new spending programs that if put in place, will almost certainly mean higher taxes for the people of Middlebury and Waterbury – and for hard-working middle income taxpayers throughout Connecticut,” Representative D’Amelio said. “As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I will closely examine proposals for new spending programs to determine whether they are the best solutions to the problems facing our state. If a proposal appears realistic and cost-effective, it will have my support. If it seems unworkable and a waste of taxpayer dollars, I will oppose it.”

“One of my most important goals for the 2007 legislative session is to improve access to health care for the people of Connecticut. As a member of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee, I will be supporting measures that provide for portable health plans that people can retain when they change jobs. I also will work to enact legislation to authorize flexible health plans for businesses and insurance companies that are free of mandates and more affordable for younger adults aged 19 to 26,” Representative D’Amelio said.

“As a member of the Transportation Committee, I will be closely monitoring the state’s on-going transportation infrastructure projects, particularly those in the Greater Waterbury area that affect my constituents,” Representative D’Amelio said. “The I-84 improvement project that includes the widening of the highway near Waterbury where major problems were discovered involving the installation of new drainage systems is one of my principal concerns. I will be working to ensure that the corrective actions that need to be taken are done right and completed on a timely basis at the lowest possible cost to Connecticut taxpayers.”