To The Editor:

Connecticut residents deserve a legislative process that is transparent, honest, and accountable. Unfortunately, the recent “emergency session” used to advance HB 8002 reflected none of these values.

An emergency session should be reserved for true crises, yet many of the bill’s major provisions do not take effect until 2026, 2027, or even 2028. Tax deductions and first-time homebuyer incentives begin years from now, and pilot voucher programs are similarly delayed. These timelines contradict the very premise of an emergency and mirror the same procedural shortcuts used with HB 5002.

Just as troubling is the impact on local control. HB 8002 ties housing mandates to municipal aid, raising serious concerns for small towns like mine, where denser development directly affects property taxes. As a newly elected member of Newtown’s Board of Finance, I am very concerned about the fiscal pressure this bill will place on communities that already fund the majority of their services through local taxpayers.

The legislation also hands broad authority to state officials, allowing the Housing Commissioner to override municipal approvals if new historic districts render zoning non-compliant. This contradicts longstanding practices, undermines home rule principles, and introduces confusion for towns, zoning boards, and developers.

Equally concerning is the lack of public input. Lawmakers were given a 104-page revised document at 9 am the morning of the vote. In any professional environment policy, law, contracting, or finance, a document of that scope requires days or weeks of review. Instead, it was rushed through without a public hearing, without municipal testimony, and without bipartisan collaboration.

Connecticut’s strength has always been its diverse towns, each with its own history, infrastructure, and priorities. HB 8002 replaces that with a one-size-fits-all mandate crafted far from the communities who will live with the consequences. Housing solutions matter, but so does process. When leaders use slogans like “People need housing. End of sentence.” to shut down debate, it weakens public trust and silences valid concerns.

This bill received bipartisan opposition in the emergency session, an unmistakable sign that Connecticut residents deserve a reset, not a rushed mandate. As the moderate he claims to be, Governor Lamont should veto HB 8002 on principle alone and begin again in the regular legislative session, where the public, municipalities, and experts can participate in a transparent and honest process.

Connecticut needs thoughtful, community-driven policy, not procedural shortcuts and political tactics that override honest governance. Our residents deserve better.

Amybeth LaRoche

Newtown