If passed, Connecticut would join New Jersey as the only other state to require “fair share” housing plans for each municipality — as well as penalties if they fail to submit plans. And there’s a reason why New Jersey has remained alone for nearly five decades, as the state is number one in highest property taxes, according to Rocket Mortgage. Connecticut isn’t far behind. Passing H.B. 6633 will make a bad situation much worse in terms of affordability and overbearing government regulations. Our families and towns cannot afford this bill to pass.
Testimony in opposition of this legislation from the Western Council of Governments Executive Director Francis Pickering makes a clear and compelling case to oppose this legislation:
"The costs to local governments to comply with fair share are staggering...over the first ten years is between $15 billion and $30 billion, or an additional $1,300 to $2,600 in property taxes annually for each household."
"Since fair share was instituted, housing costs have grown 30% faster in New Jersey than in Connecticut."
Proponents of this legislation fail to note that programs like the state's housing voucher programs are already available to help those truly in need and often go underutilized by residents who are unaware of them or have not taken the initiative to apply for them. Advocates also think that the solution to housing concerns is to better centrally design housing policy for communities across the state which does not match the actual preferences of the households they claim to represent.