Rep. Smith Calls On State To Release Town Road Money

DANBURY, CT — State Rep. Richard Smith (R-108) is calling for the state to release $30 million in town road aid grants as continuous nor'easter storms damage local roads.

“If state officials do not release TAR grants to municipalities now, it will have devastating effects on the condition of local roads in the spring,” Smith said. “Northern Fairfield County has experienced three nor’easters in the past month, with another one possible this week."

Smith accused Gov. Dannel Malloy of playing games by withholding the money after he claimed there wasn't enough revenue to cover the grants.

“Given our state’s unending fiscal crisis, municipalities have been forced to endure uncertainty regarding their funding, but the biggest thing they have asked for is to not cut promised funding mid-year like this,” he said. “I spent all of 2017 advocating ways the state could achieve savings without raising taxes or cutting local funding by making structural reforms to state government, and that’s where we should still be looking."

Smith is aksing Malloy to put grants on the agenda for the next State Bond Commission meeting.