News
-
Opinion: Economic development has the support of the people
As published in the Stamford Advocate: If past is prologue, this region has the capacity to grow and thrive, leading the way for our state and our families. But that is not assured, and it is not what we oftentimes hear from the loudest voices or see in the boldest headlines across our local communities.…
-
Driving Decisions For All the Right Reasons
We knew, anecdotally and instinctively, that Fairfield County has been the driving force behind whatever progress Connecticut has been making to add jobs, attract businesses, and rebuild a sluggish and at time sputtering economy during the past decade. Now, there’s frontline data – from a variety of sources – which reflects that is indeed what…
-
The Connecticut Rail Experts at CTDOT say it’s TIME FOR CT
It is sometimes easy to overlook the role passenger rail plays in Connecticut’s economy. We are a car-centric state, to be sure. That generalization tends to ignore the extraordinary effect rail has on housing markets, equity and access to jobs and educational opportunity, economic development, and the quality of life. Where rail investments are made…
-
CT Can Attract New Residents
The COVID-19 pandemic brought upon many changes to everyday life with shifts to remote learning, telehealth, and work from home with many offices choosing to remain remote until further notice. Now, with more people than ever working from home and the need to stay socially distant from others to stay healthy, many families are choosing…
-
A much needed update to Stamford Intersection
A major intersection that drives traffic through Greenwich to Stamford has seen some major improvements. The construction, which began in 2018, was a $2.7 million project and added much-needed left-turn lanes to both streets (West Main Street and West Avenue) as a way to ease the infamous bottlenecks at the intersection.
-
Transportation Climate Initiative
Once again, Governor Lamont’s transportation investment plans did not come to fruition. Like earlier efforts to secure new transportation funds via tolling, this year’s proposed Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI) legislation — a multi-state cap and invest program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes and Deputy Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto wrote about…
-
CT’s New Budget – Something for Everyone to be Happy About
When Governor Lamont took office two and half years ago, no one could have envisioned a bipartisan budget with across-the-board increases for education, municipalities and numerous social programs without any significant tax increases. While the last 16 months have been very rough, today with federal relief money in hand and a full $3.5 billion rainy…
-
Will People Return to the Office?
As COVID-19 cases fall and vaccination numbers rise, work places are reopening. However, employees are reluctant to return to their offices. Bloomberg Opinion takes a look at what this could mean for the future of offices spaces across the country.
-
Governor’s Climate Bills Would Make a Healthier, More Resilient Fairfield County
By: DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes and DOT Deputy Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto The scientific evidence is indisputable and overwhelming. Connecticut residents are impacted every day by the climate crisis. Inaction now would worsen and extend the real consequences already being felt. Here in Connecticut, as in every other part of the world, we are already experiencing…
-
Congressman Announces List of Transportation & Community-Based Projects
At the end of April, Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04), announced a final list of projects he will submit for funding through the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Member-Designated Projects process and Appropriations Committee Community Project Funding (CPF) process. Such projects are aimed to enrich Fairfield County and some of New Haven County. Some of the projects…
-
Fairfield County sees boom in housing market
A recent article in CT Insider highlighted the spike in Connecticut’s housing market that our state and specifically Fairfield County is seeing in the midst of a global pandemic. Our state has truly never fully recovered from the hit it took over the last decade during the Great Recession. Investment and interest in walkable hip…
-
Overview of Governor Ned Lamont’s 2021 Budget
With public hearings in full swing on Governor Lamont’s proposed FY22-23 budget, Catalyst wanted to provide a quick overview on the budget and its impact on southwest Connecticut. The $46 billion two-year budget would close deficits of more than $1 billion in each of the next two years without broad based tax increases – a…
-
Catalyst Presents on Historic Preservation Considerations
Thank you for taking the time to listen to Catalyst for Connecticut’s testimony in December regarding the amended language to section 7.3 of the Zoning Regulations and for agreeing to hold the vote until the general public was able to learn more about the language. As we move closer to future public meetings, we would…
-
Supporting Small Businesses
The COVID-19 global pandemic brought upon many changes for us all. However, our small businesses, particularly those in the hospitality industry, saw the most changes. Both faced tremendous challenges over the last year just to keep the doors open. Throughout the pandemic, in addition to Congressional action, our state leaders and a few municipal leaders…