CT YMCA Legislative Advisory Council

Borrowing the phrase-du-jour in Washington these days, Connecticut State Senator Robert Duff urged Connecticut’s YMCAs to be figuratively “shovel-ready” as The Constitution State’s General Assembly enters its biennial “long session” buffeted by the winds of the global financial crisis. Specifically, Senator Duff (D – Norwalk and New Canaan) challenged YMCAs to. . . .

Deliver high-quality and effective services;

Demonstrate accountability and responsible stewardship of resources;

Promote healthy living to combat a rising incidence of heart disease, obesity and diabetes;

Champion the YMCAs' collective community benefit

Avoid duplication of services

Citing unprecedented drops in income, sales, corporate and gasoline tax revenue, Duff warned of a state budget deficit one-third the size of the annual state budget. Senator Duff noted that the state budget crisis occurs just as unemployment, health care, energy and housing costs are rising and demand for social services, improvements to education, transportation, infrastructure are increasing.

On January 13th the Connecticut YMCA Alliance’s Legislative Advisory Council met for its annual meeting at The Hartford Club in the state’s Capitol City.

The Legislative Advisory Council is comprised of six state legislators who offer counsel to the Connecticut YMCA Alliance on matters of public policy. The Connecticut YMCA Alliance is unique among state YMCA alliances in having such a Council. Serving on this bi-partisan Legislative Advisory Council are: State Senators Robert Duff, Thomas Gaffey, and John McKinney, and State Representatives John Geragosian, Mary Mushinsky, and Pamela Sawyer.

As the Connecticut General Assembly opened its 2009 session on January 7th , the Legislative Advisory Council this week offered observations on the legislative agenda for this “long session”, which extends through June 3rd . This luncheon was an opportunity for YMCA CEOs and volunteers to learn about legislative initiatives which will impact YMCAs in this session, and to express appreciation to the members of the Legislative Advisory Council for their support of public policy favorable to YMCAs and those whom YMCAs in this state serve. The luncheon afforded the Connecticut YMCA Alliance the opportunity to inform legislators of the mission and programs of the twenty-three independent YMCAs across the state