| November 1, 2019 -- The Legislative Committee continues along its journey with past members, Gordon Gibson, Charles Dimmick and I. We welcomed two new members: Noel Miller of Coventry Grange and Susan Masino of Simsbury Grange to the team. The committee met in December to review the Connecticut State Grange Legislative Policy Handbook and add any new resolutions pertaining to state and national issues to it. Copies of this guide were distributed to all Connecticut General Assembly members as well as the Governor and Lt. Governor.
Gordon Gibson acted as our communicator on behalf of the Connecticut State Grange at the Connecticut Legislative Session. Gordon worked in conjunction with Working Lands Alliance and other agricultural organizations following bills pertaining to Grange interests. He did testify on one bill this year in support of Proposed Bill No. 208, An Act Exempting From The Personal Income Tax Proceeds From The Sale Of Agricultural Land Development Rights To The State. This bill proposed exempting from income tax the proceeds that farmers received when they sold their development rights to the state. We recommend that this also be modified to exempt income tax from the sale of development rights to municipalities and nonprofit organizations such as Connecticut Farmland Trust, Inc.
In March I joined George Russell, J Allen Cameron and Alexa Miller in manning the Grange Booth at the Connecticut Agricultural Day at the Capitol. We were pleased when past Agricultural Commissioners Phil Prelli and Steven Reviczky stopped by to say hello., Gordon Gibson attended the Working Land Alliance annual meeting this year. Gordon is also a member of the Board of Directors for that organization. The Grange is a partner of this organization.
I would like to recognize one of our past Legislative Committee members. George Ward had been a member of the Connecticut State Grange Legislative Committee for over 32 years. He started as a member of this committee when Bud Beecher was State Master. He has been a faithful and insightful member of this committee and we all enjoyed working with him. I would like to formally thank him for his years of service. We would also like to recognize George for his years of service by appointing him as an Honorary Member of the State Grange Legislative Committee.
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