Up Next For Belsito - A Meeting in Tolland

Fresh off a town hall meeting in Willington, state Rep. Sam Belsito is setting his sights next on his hometown. 

Belsito is teaming up with state Rep. Timothy Ackert to host a town hall meeting in Tolland on Tuesday. 

The gathering is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. at the Hicks Municipal Center. 

It is expected to take on a similar pattern as the one on Jan. 15 in Willington - an open discussion on the upcoming 2014 legislative session.

“I felt it was important to have an open conversation on some of the major issues facing Connecticut, and to gather some input and ideas from constituents, before I head into my first legislative session,” Belsito said. “The meeting was extremely productive, yet it has become painfully clear just how frustrated people have become with the negative direction our state has been taking. High taxes and bad business policies have been driving employers and families out of our state for several years now, and if we don’t start to reverse some of the polices that we have in place, our problems are only going to get worse.” 

During the meeting, Belsito provided members of the audience with a handout detailing state expenditures and sources of revenue. The handout also provided Willington residents with an analysis of the major issues facing the legislature this year, such as Connecticut’s lagging unemployment rate and struggling economy.

Belsito also spent time discussing some of the proposals he plans on advocating for at the start of the legislative session, which begins on Feb. 5. 

“I have several ideas, both from constituents and myself, that I would like to see a discussion on as the legislative session starts to take shape, most of which concentrate on boosting business production and making Connecticut a more affordable place to live and raise a family – two areas that certainly need some work," said Belsito, who was recently appointed to the Appropriations, Environment and Planning and Development Committees. 

On Monday, Feb. 10, Belsito and state Sen. Tony Guglielmo have scheduled a town hall meeting from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Knowlton Memorial Hall on Ashford.