The one-week event eliminates Connecticut’s 6 percent sales tax on all clothing and footwear costing less than $300 per item from the third Sunday in August through the following Saturday. The increased exemption replaces the standard $50 exemption for clothing and footwear.

Since sales tax is calculated after the use of any coupons or discounts, if the final price is less than $300, the sale is exempt from taxes. Clothing or footwear under $300 either rented or put on layaway is also tax-free.  Purchases totaling more than $300 will have sales tax calculated on the full cost.

This free event is open to the public and will be held Wednesday, June 2, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. at Shelton Intermediate School.

Rep. Miller addresses the CABE legislative breakfast Friday morning as Sheila Mckay, Government Relations for CABE, left, and Patrice McCarthy, Deputy Director/General Counsel for CABE, look on.

Rep. Miller joined Rep. Laura Hoydick (R-Stratford) and other area legislators at the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education Inc. (CABE)  Area 6 legislative breakfast at Flood Middle School in Stratford Friday morning.  More than 25 people, including Stratford Mayor John Harkins and Superintendent of Schools Irene Cornish, gathered for the breakfast where Rep. Miller addressed concerns and answered questions about state education funding, unfunded mandates and Race To The Top.

Casey Cisero, of Sunnyside Middle School, reads his winning essay as State Rep. Larry Miller, R-122, left, Shelton alderman Eric McPherson, R-2nd ward, center, and State Rep. Jason Perillo, R-113, listen during an awards ceremony at the Plumb Memorial Library in Shelton Wednesday night. The contest theme, “If I Were An Elected Official- How Would I Make My Community A better Place To Live?” featured answers that ranged from tax cuts for volunteerism to better services for teens and the elderly.

Watch a video

State Representatives Larry Miller (R-Stratford, Shelton) and Jason Perillo (R-Shelton) joined representatives from Naugatuck Valley Savings and Loan Wednesday night in congratulating middle school students from Shelton for an essay contest with the theme of improving their community.  State Senator Dan Debicella was also involved in the contest but was unable to attend the ceremony.

The contest, “If You Were an Elected Official- How Would You Make Your Community a Better Place to Live?” was created with the idea of getting local students to think about issues from a larger perspective.  The ideas ranged from tax breaks for volunteerism and using hybrid vehicles, improving roads, reducing litter and recycling to building dog parks, creating kid friendly activity centers and providing senior citizens with better housing.

“The winning essays were incredibly detailed and loaded with good ideas,” Rep. Perillo said.  “The thought and commitment these kids put into their essays shows they care about the issues and policies our government crafts on both the local and state level.  I’m impressed with how thoughtful the suggestions were”

Representative Miller agreed.  “Some of their ideas, like tax breaks for people that volunteer a percentage of time in the community, demonstrate their commitment to being responsible citizens of the community,” Rep. Miller said.  “It’s important to have our school kids engaged in local issues and I believe this contest provided a different perspective for them to be engaged.”

Contest sponsor Naugatuck Valley Savings and Loan provided savings bonds to the winners and runners-up. The winners each received a $100 savings bond and the runners-up were each awarded a $50 savings bond.

“Naugatuck Valley Savings and Loan is a community bank with 10 branches, including 3 in the lower Naugatuck Valley, and we use our resources and try to give back to the community,” said Senior Vice President William C. Nimons.  “We give to the community in the form of contributions, lending and services.  We’re always happy to help, that’s what community banks do.”

More than 30 parents, friends, teachers and family crowded into the community room of Shelton’s Plumb Memorial Library for the ceremony.  There were two winners each from three schools.

Sunnyside Middle School

Alexis Zhitomi, Runner-Up

Casey Cisero, winner

St. Joseph Middle School

Nicole Todd, Runner-Up

Jake Cartiglia, winner

St. Lawrence Middle School

Dominika Tomczyk, Runner-Up

Kaeli DeCesare, Winner

“Despite the cold weather it was great to be able to raise money for such a worthy organization,” Rep. Miller said.  “The Salvation Army does a lot to help people in need and I’m pleased I was able to help them with their mission.”

During the hour of bell-ringing Representatives Miller and Perillo were able to add $103.58 to the famous red kettle. Wal-Mart has agreed to match that amount with a dollar-for-dollar contribution to the Salvation Army bringing the total for the hour to $207.16.

“Volunteering with the Salvation Army was a wonderful experience,” Rep. Perillo said. “Knowing the money we raised is going to help those who need it most is exactly what this season is about.”

To watch a video of this event click here.

December 3, 2009

That didn’t take long.

No sooner had Governor Rell released her latest deficit mitigation plan, designed to correct the $624 million shortfall left by the atrocity of a budget passed by legislative Democrats, did the caterwauling begin from all manner of groups reliant on the government gravy train.

We hear cries about how this program or that agency has been “underfunded” for years, and how the mean-old-Governor’s latest round of budget cuts will eviscerate the people they serve.  It seems that “shared sacrifice”, to those who receive funding from the state, means “shared among everyone but me”.

They’re likely to find allies among Legislative Democrats who set the agenda in Hartford and squelch all dissent with their supermajority numbers in the House and Senate.  The General Assembly is run by among the most liberal, spendthrift, big-government partisans in the country.

Some programs have indeed been underfunded.  Some vulnerable populations are, despite our best efforts, underserved by the helping hand of government.  Many remain in need.  None of this is pleasant.  Unfortunately, in this economic climate, none of it matters either.

The state is broke and dipping further into the red every day.  Taxpayers, the ones funding the services and programs now on the chopping block, are stretched thin to the point that revenues have dropped sharply even after the largest tax increase in Connecticut history was passed this year.  Joblessness continues to rise, and those fortunate enough to have jobs are sacrificing heavily by taking salary cuts, forgoing raises, and working longer and harder hours.

The taxpayers have contributed more than their share of the burden in this time of economic crisis.  It is now time for those doing the spending to pull their weight.  That means a reduction in the size and cost of government.  It means that for the first time since the introduction of the income tax in 1991, state government must spend less in the future than we have in the past.

To be sure, some services will out of necessity need to be curtailed- a painful consequence of the fact that government cannot be all things to all people all the time.  However, let us not fall into the trap of assuming less money results in an equal reduction of services. 

State government is laden with layer upon layer of needless offices and sub-agencies and bureaucracy that rob valuable resources from those who need them in the form of overhead and administrative costs.  Eliminating these costs is essential to the long-term financial health of our state.  Admittedly, it will mean more work for those civil servants who remain.  However, those employed in the private sector are picking up the slack every single day- and without the extremely generous fringe benefits and pensions that are offered by state government.

As difficult, gut wrenching, and painful as it is to say “no” to things we’d like to have- failure to make difficult choices now carries a far greater consequence.  If we do not bring the cost of state government back in line with the taxpayer’s ability to pay for it today, we will continue to lose jobs, hemorrhage revenue, and drown in debt in the future.  If and when this happens, state government will be unable to help anybody at all.
State Representative Lawrence Miller (R-122^nd) represents the towns of Shelton and Stratford in the General Assembly.

By: Patricia Villers, New Haven Register

November 18, 2009

Four Greater New Haven residents were among 11 veterans to receive a prestigious honor Tuesday when they were inducted into the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame.www.ct.gov/ctva.pvillers@nhregister.com.

Honorees include Shelton resident Alphonse N. Sabetta; Branford resident John “Jack” Joseph Dougherty; and Daniel A. Vece Jr. of Clinton. The fourth area honoree, the late state Rep. Richard O. Belden of Shelton, received the award posthumously.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell started the Hall of Fame in 2005 to pay tribute to those who have served the nation with distinction in the military and then returned home to serve their communities. Rell and Commissioner of Veterans Affairs Linda S. Schwartz inducted the veterans during a ceremony at the Legislative Office Building.

Rell said, “This is an exceptionally distinguished class of inductees — but they represent the dedicated military and public service of the many veterans in our state. They have made countless and important contributions to others with deeds and accomplishments that span a lifetime.”

Belden served in the Air Force from 1955 through 1961. Known as “The Dean of the House,” he served in the General Assembly continuously from 1974 until his death in 2007. He held many key leadership positions in the Legislature including assistant House Republican leader and deputy speaker of the House.

Sabetta, 78, is an Army veteran of the Korean War. He attained the rank of staff sergeant and earned two bronze stars and a presidential citation.

He and other Korean War veterans have always felt it was “the forgotten war,” Sabetta said. “It was always classified as a police action or conflict, but it was a war.” In 2008 he was inducted into the Department of Connecticut Hall of Fame.

Sabetta is past commander of Sutter-Terlizzi Post 16, American Legion in Shelton and serves as adjutant. He has served as chairman of Boys’ State selections and fundraising, oratorical contests, walkathons and community programs sponsored by Sutter-Terlizzi Post.

Sabetta was local coordinator of the 50th anniversary commemoration of the Korean War and is coordinator in anticipation of the 60th anniversary.

Carolyn Ivanoff, housemaster at Shelton Intermediate School, nominated Sabetta for the honor. “I nominated Al because he has worked very closely with the community and the schools for many years to advocate for the veterans,” Ivanoff said.

Sabetta is Shelton’s registrar of veterans’ graves and he heads the Permanent War Memorial Commission in Shelton. He is also a member of the Shelton Civil War Monument Committee.

Dougherty enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1966. In Vietnam, he served as an infantryman and squad leader and participated in Operation Robin South Hill 685 (Phou Noui), during which he was wounded and awarded the Purple Heart. A volunteer since 1982 with the Boy Scouts of America, he is also a member of the Disabled American Veterans and the Military Order of the Devil Dogs. He serves as finance officer of the Military Order of the Purple Heart and has been a member and officer of the Marine Corps League.

The Marine Corps League named him the Connecticut Detachment Marine of the Year in 2008. Dougherty also received the New England Division Roland G. Knapp Award in 2008, the Marine Corps League Distinguished Bronze Service Medal and the Distinguished Silver Citizen Medal.

Vece enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1943 before graduating from high school. He fought at the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II and is an organizer of the Iwo Jima Memorial in New Britain. He is a member of the Iwo Jima Survivors Association.

He served as Clinton’s first selectman and held office on the Board of Selectmen for 13 years. A lifetime member of the Clinton Volunteer Fire Department and fire chief for 25 years, the Clinton Fire Department’s annual “Firefighter of the Year” award is named after him. During Vece’s tenure as chief, he helped bring regional 24-hour EMS services to Shoreline towns and was appointed by Gov. Ella Grasso to serve as chairman of the Emergency 911 Implementation Committee, which made Connecticut the second state in the nation to join the E-911 program. He is an active member of the American Legion, VFW and Lions Clubs.

Other honorees are Robert L. Genovese of Naugatuck, Dr. Harvey J. Grinsell Jr. of Putnam/Woodstock, Brig Gen. John J. King, formerly of Hartford (posthumous award), the Rev. William D. McGee of Winsted, Brig. Gen. Daniel J. McHale of Avon, Theodore J. Plamondon, Jr. of Enfield, and Homer L. Wise, formerly of Stamford (posthumous award).

Nomination packets for the 2010 Hall of Fame must be received by June 30, 2010. For information, visit

Patricia Villers can be reached at

“Representative Miller attended a Veteran’s Day ceremony at American Legion Post 16 in Shelton on Wednesday, November 11,  2009″

SHELTON — Faced with lightning-fast changes in technology, now more than ever parents need to keep open the lines of communication with their children.

That was the message Wednesday night at a forum sponsored by Republican state Reps. Jason Perillo, R-Shelton; Larry Miller, R-Stratford; and Themis Klarides, R-Derby. The two-hour event drew a handful of parents to the Shelton Intermediate School auditorium.

The forum focused on sexting, a term used to describe sending sexually explicit photos and messages via electronic means.

Perillo said the main goal is to educate parents and students about the potential repercussions of technology. “It evolves so quickly,” he said.

Miller spoke about his grandchildren and how their use of electronic devices scares him. “It’s something that has got to be addressed,” he said.

Klarides said, “I don’t think we’ll ever get in front of it. We want to educate (parents). The House Republican Caucus feels very strongly about (the issue),” she said.

Sitting on the panel with the lawmakers were: Shelton Intermediate School Headmaster Kenneth Saranich; Shelton High School Headmaster Beth Smith; Derby High School Principal Fran Thompson; Shelton Police Detective Ben Trabka; Derby Police Officer Joseph Massetti; state police Sgt. James Smith from the Computer Crimes Unit; Richard Colangelo, a prosecutor representing the chief state’s attorney’s office; and Erin McLeod, a counselor with the Rape Crisis Center of Milford.

Thompson said, “The technology is fantastic if it’s used correctly.”

Trabka said he has investigated sex crimes for the past 18 years, and “technology is in the forefront for sexual predators.”

He said it’s difficult for parents to police texting. “You have to get them (the children) to realize that what they send is preserved forever,” Trabka said.

Massetti, who works as a resource officer at Derby High School, encouraged parents to talk to their children.

Smith and Colangelo talked about the possible criminal charges that text senders and recipients could face. Smith showed videos of TV interviews, one of which dealt with an 18-year-old’s suicide after her sexually explicit photos were sent out by an ex-boyfriend.

Colangelo said a prosecutor’s challenge is to determine if the activity is “severe enough” to prosecute.

Some questions that need to be answered are whether photos were involved, or if only written messages were sent about sexually explicit conduct; were “other youths or adults involved in the activity”; and what was the “range of harm to the child depicted, to the recipients and to the community,” Colangelo said.

McLeod said it’s important to pay attention to the emotional ramifications of sexting. She said such activity can cause “a lot of fear, shame, guilt, humiliation and reaction from peers.”