[Danbury News-Times, Letter to the Editor] State Senator lauds resident for speaking up

Letter to the Editor as it appeared in the Danbury News-Times

I want to thank Frieda Denenmark for coming to the State Capitol last week to join me in testifying in favor of a bill that can positively impact seniors in Southbury’s Heritage Village.

There is a new law on the books that levies an extra monthly charge on Connecticut Light & Power Co. bills for the next eight years. Some have called it a “hidden tax.”

It means that a typical customer could spend close to $400 by the time the collection period is over. For those who use more electricity, the bill could be closer to $1,000.

The charge will hit Heritage Village residents especially hard because they heat their condominiums with electricity.

People should not be penalized just because they heat with electricity. Frieda and I testified in support of a proposal to study the reintroduction of a special electric rate for people age 55 and older who heat their homes exclusively with electricity.

As president of the Heritage Village Civic Association, Frieda’s testimony carried a lot of weight. She told state legislators how angry the residents of Heritage Village are about these unfair levies. She noted how these extra charges are ill thought out and how they are imposed on those least able to pay.

Frieda has led the charge for reform in this area, and her words made a big impact on the Energy and Technology Committee. Hartford heard Heritage Village loud and clear.

I will continue to fight for the residents of Heritage Village and for seniors across my district. On this bill, Frieda helped me take the fight to Hartford.

Rob Kane
State Senator