O’Neill Leads House in Pledge

State Representative Arthur O’Neill (R-Southbury) leads the House of Representatives in the Pledge of Allegiance prior to the start of Tuesday’s session, May 4, 2010.

Rep. O’Neill Welcomes Pomperaug High School Swim and Dive Team to Capitol

State Representative Arthur O’Neill (R-Southbury) joined colleagues Sen. Rob Kane, Rep. David Labriola and Rep. Tony D’Amelio in welcoming the Pomperaug High School Boy’s Dive and Swim Team to the State Capitol on Tuesday, May 4th.  The Pomperaug High School Boys Swim and Dive Team having won the Southwest Conference Championship, the State Class L Championship, and the State Open Championship for the 2010 season.

The team, lead by head coach Fran Pentino and assistant coaches Russ Davey and Jen Gowen, is undefeated in dual meet competition for the last four years over fifty-six meets and have been ranked number two in the nation each of the last three years.

O’Neill Proposes Job Creation Legislation

Rep. Arthur O’Neill today co-sponsored legislation that would immediately stimulate Connecticut’s long-suffering job market by repealing the state’s Business Entity Tax and offering tax credits to companies that create full-time positions.

The proposal would also require that a Jobs Impact Statements accompany bills and amendments—a move addressing the business community’s complaint that the legislature habitually passes bills without considering how they affect employers.

Some Democrats spoke in favor of the proposal offered by Rep. O’Neill and his Republican colleagues or praised its content, yet the majority ultimately voted against it.

House Passes Bill Increasing Child Pornography Penalties

Representative Arthur J. O’Neill (R-Southbury) voted today in favor of legislation aimed at increasing penalties on child pornographers.

The bill, HB 5030, An Act Concerning the Forfeiture of Money and Property Related to Child Sexual Exploitation and Human Traficking and the Possession of Child Pornography, was proposed by Governor M. Jodi Rell. Provisions of the bill allow for law enforcement to seize the property and wealth obtained from disseminating and distributing child pornography from those found guilty of such charges. The property would be sold at public auction under the Commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services.

The measure passed unanimously out of the Judiciary Committee earlier this month on a motion by Rep. O’Neill who serves as the committee’s Ranking Member.

O’Neill Votes for Bipartisan Deficit Mitigation Plan

State Representative Arthur O’Neill voted today in favor of a bipartisan measure which closes the current $350 million deficit for the fiscal year ending this June 30. The measure closes the current deficit without raising taxes is step forward in the budget process. However, O’Neill noted that the legislature still needed to address a $700 million deficit starting July 1 and it must be fixed before the Democratic-controlled legislature adjourns in May.

“It has taken House Republicans many months of opposing repeated proposals of tax increases by the majority to finally get to the point where we have an agreement that does not raise taxes,” said Rep. O’Neill. “Over the course of the last few months we have seen proposals to raise taxes on income, estates, electric bills, hospitals and hotel rooms. We have also seen the Finance Committee approve a $500 million tax increase a mere nineteen days ago. This new deficit mitigation package does not enact any of the job-killing measures the majority has been advancing this session and doesn’t put the burden of balancing it squarely on the taxpayer.”

The deficit mitigation plan put forth today does not tackle the looming deficit that kicks in within the next 10 weeks but Republicans pledged to address that within the coming days.