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March 30, 2022

Funding for transit, cannabis business loans, manufacturing on State Bond Commission agenda

HBJ FILE PHOTO The state Capitol building.
By Zachary Vasile

The State Bond Commission will consider millions of dollars worth of economic development efforts at its meeting Thursday, including money for highways and bridges; public transit infrastructure; low-interest loans for cannabis entrepreneurs and manufacturing apprenticeship programs.

The biggest ticket item is more than $212 million in special tax obligation bonds set aside for transportation projects, including road repairs, bridge improvement and rehabilitation work and bus and rail facilities and equipment.

Gov. Ned Lamont has spoken frequently of expanding and improving public rail options in the state, which remains heavily reliant on automobiles, and of lessening the time it takes to commute back and forth from Connecticut to New York City. Likely as a result, $103.6 million of the $212 million would go to the Bureau of Public Transportation.

Over $120 million would be used to promote economic and community development projects in various municipalities through the state’s “challenge grant” program, which aims to improve liveability and convenience, especially in distressed communities.

Among the proposed recipients are Hartford (improvements to neighborhoods and Pope Park); Mansfield (upgrades to town hall); Cheshire (cleaning up and remediating the former Ball & Socket Manufacturing Co.); the Naugatuck YMCA (infrastructure updates); Middletown (redevelopment of 545 Main St. into mixed-use space); and the Palace Theatre in Stamford (replacing seating, carpeting and lighting).

The Department of Economic and Community Development would receive $10 million to provide low-interest loans to social equity applicants seeking to start or maintain a cannabis establishment. Distribution of funds would be awarded based on applications submitted to the Social Equity Council.

A total of $3 million is being set aside as grant-in-aid to the Connecticut Center for Advanced Manufacturing in East Hartford, for use in apprenticeship programs and the Manufacturing Innovation Fund, which provides job training, matching funds and other resources to encourage growth in local manufacturing.

Other items on the agenda include money for replacing Whiting Forensic Hospital in Middletown, maintaining the state drinking water program and upgrading roads, emergency services buildings, senior centers, schools, sewers, libraries and facilities housing state agencies.

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