Rigby, who represents seven Northwest Corner towns, urged his constituents to register for CT Alert via a recently-launched Web site www.ctalert.gov. The system provides a way for authorities to get critical information to hundreds of thousands of residents and businesses in times of emergencies, such as natural disasters or even a public health crisis. Local and state officials teamed to develop it.

Some communities in Connecticut used the system during headline-grabbing spring storms that knocked out power and wreaked havoc in the lives of residents.

Sign up for the alert announcements here.

The announcement from Colebrook resident Rigby and Witkos comes as the news media reports MDC officials say they’re considering prohibiting access to popular recreation hot spots, such as Lake McDonough in Barkhamsted—a community the two legislators represent in Hartford.

Talk about padlocking MDC trails, etc., was triggered by a jury verdict awarding a Rocky Hill resident nearly $3 million after she crashed her bicycle on a trail at an MDC reservoir in West Hartford.

MDC officials say such costs come out of the pockets of ratepayers.

“An afternoon swim in Lake McDonough is quintessential Barkhamsted,” said Rigby, adding that it’s also a popular recreation destination from folks outside the area. “I grew up swimming there. My children go there today, and their friends go there too. I look forward to working with MDC staff to craft legislation they need to protect them from similar lawsuits and keep these areas open to the public.”

Witkos, who represents the 8th Senatorial District, expressed a similar opinion.

“In this economy many people are foregoing their vacations and staying closer to home, we really need to do everything we can to ensure that the MDC locations remain open,” he said. “While I am certainly cognizant of the issue at hand, I don’t believe it should prevent people from enjoying these outdoor recreation areas.”

MDC will hold a July 20 hearing in Hartford on the issue of closing its recreation areas.

Lawmakers in April approved a reduction to the costs of fishing and hunting licenses as part of a larger effort to eliminate this fiscal year’s budget deficit. The Democrat-led legislature increased the fees during last year’s budget-balancing act—a measure Rigby opposed.

While April’s reduction in fees was welcome news for Connecticut sportsmen, many found little reason to celebrate because they already bought their licenses at the old, higher rate.

According to the legislation pushed by Rigby, the Department of Environmental Protection would give credits to sportsman who forked over money for their fees at the increased rates approved last year. If Gov. M. Jodi Rell signs the bill, the sportsmen would get credits the following year to make up the difference between the more expensive rate and the new fee.

“A lot of folks in my district felt as though they were on a yo-yo string,” said Rigby, of Colebrook. “First the legislature increases the fees, and then it knocked the prices down after people bought them. It was an issue we just had to address before the end of the legislative session.”

Rigby said his office received many telephone calls from people demanding refunds.

It awaits signature from Gov. M. Jodi Rell.

Rep. John Rigby represents the 63rd General Assembly District covering Winsted, North Canaan, Colebrook, Canaan, Hartland, Norfolk and Barkhamsted.

What’s more, the proposal pushed by the two Litchfield County legislators called for Jobs Impact Statements to accompany bills and amendments—a move addressing the business community’s complaint that the legislature habitually passes bills without considering how they affect employers.

Several Democrats spoke in favor of the proposal touted by Rigby, Piscopo and their colleagues, yet those super-majority legislators inexplicably voted against it.

“If you talked to any legislator three months ago, ‘jobs’ was among the first words from their mouths,” Rigby said. “But today, with only a few days left until the session’s end, we’ve little, if anything to show for it. This plan is immediate—it’s something that would give unemployed people a bit of hope.”

Piscopo, a Finance Committee member like Rigby, agreed and said Connecticut sits at a crucial point.

“Unfortunately, the word is out about our state legislature and its history for giving employers the cold shoulder,” Piscopo said. “We’ve got too many mandates, too many taxes. This plan would break the ice—it would signal that we’re ready to give businesses the freedom and support they need to thrive here.”

Republicans attached their pro-jobs proposal to a Democrat plan to create a commission to study how the state can generate more revenue—in other words, tax residents and businesses.

The Republican proposal was rejected 105-38.

The jobs-creation proposal included:

• Repeal of the Business Entity Tax on all businesses.
• Creates Small business revolving loan fund (direct loans only)–$25 million cap on the program.
• Job Creation Tax Credit Program—creates a tax credit for employers who employ 100 employees or less. Employers may receive a $4,800/per employee credit for every hire off of unemployment.
• Requires that Jobs Impact Statements accompany bills and amendments
• Create DECD ombudsman to help streamline the permitting process for businesses.

“We can’t continue to kick the can down the road—we have to fill the budget hole in three weeks without increasing taxes and without devastating social service programs,” Rigby said. “That means streamlining government, ending ineffective programs we just can’t afford to fund. Residents have already made these tough decisions, and I’m sure they expect the people they chose to represent them to do the same.”

The proposal offers a flexible menu of choices to create savings from concessions that have all been validated by the non-partisan Office of Fiscal Analysis.

The hallmarks of the savings:
•  $58 million in line item cuts to 2009 levels;
•  $64 million in early retirement for state workers;
•  $10 million in state agency consolidations;
•  $6.4 million to shed state office leases;
•  $20 million in privatization of state functions;
•  $150 million in state worker concessions, including wage freezes, furlough days and health care;
•  $3.8 million in legislative pay cuts, elimination of franked mail and travel.

The budget also makes significant investments in job creation and retirement security:
•  $200 million will be paid into the state employee pensions;
•  The Business Entity Tax is eliminated to save companies $32 million;
•  A Small Business Revolving Loan Fund of $25 million is created;
•  Tax credits of up to $17.5 million will be available to companies that hire off unemployment rolls.

Rigby said that the legislature took the first step toward filling the state’s budget hole Tuesday when the House voted to erase the current state budget deficit of $350 million for 2010. The legislature cannot adjourn on May 5 without finishing the job and addressing the $700 million that looms July 1.

Republicans outlined a variety of small and large potential savings in the state work force. Rigby noted that if all state workers agree to freeze wages for one year it would save $183 million. One furlough days results in a $9 million savings, he noted.

He called upon Democrats to immediately come together as we did on April 13 and work toward a reasonable solution.

The Appropriations Committee budget offered today includes no cuts of any significance and will only add to the long-term debt the state continues to run up, said Rigby, a member of the Finance Committee.

“Since I took office Connecticut’s financial troubles have been beyond serious, yet the folks steering the ship continue a band-aid approach that just isn’t working,” he said. “From where I sit, unemployment figures approaching 10 percent just isn’t acceptable. Spending more money and growing the size of government while our debt mounts is just plain irresponsible.”

Rigby and his Republican colleagues have repeatedly offered alternative budget proposals that consolidate state agencies, eliminate waste and reduce costs and the size of government.

Meanwhile, Connecticut has lost more than 90,000 jobs.

The committee passed the proposal.

“It’s time for the majority party wake up and make tough choices,” Rigby said. “We’re hundreds of millions of dollars in the hole, and they’re proposing spending more money. It’s beyond unacceptable.”

Republicans have pleaded with the Democratic majority to act on a deficit mitigation plan months ago to eliminate the current $500 million deficit to no avail.

Now there are just two months left in the fiscal year and no chance to enact savings.