House Republican Press Release

April 18, 2007

Press Office: 860-240-8700

SENATOR CAPPIELLO, REPRESENTATIVE SCRIBNER: LEGISLATION TO FUND BETHEL OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION MOVING FORWARD

HARTFORD- State Senator David Cappiello (R-24) State Representative David A. Scribner (R-107) today announced the Legislature’s Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee has approved a bonding package that would provide $2 million to the Town of Bethel for open space acquisition. The bond package was approved by the committee on Tuesday, April 17 and now goes before the full State Senate for consideration.

If approved by the full Legislature and Governor M. Jodi Rell, the allocation would be delivered to Bethel in either fiscal year 2007-08 or 2008-09. Sen. Cappiello and Rep. Scribner have worked to include the Bethel funding in response to interest and requests from local officials. Rep. Scribner has served on the Finance Committee throughout his nine-year tenure in Hartford and also serves as a  member of the General Bonding Subcommittee, which is charged with evaluating all bonding for all state agencies and presenting a bond package for consideration by the full Finance Committee

“The committee’s approval is the first step toward moving this funding forward,” said Rep. Scribner, who voted in favor of the package as a committee member on Tuesday. “The allocation would certainly help Bethel maintain its small town character and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to move it forward.”

"This certainly bodes well for the future of open space preservation in Bethel," said Sen. Cappiello.  "It provides a shot in the arm that will ultimately pay huge dividends in the future, making it a smart and responsible investment."