By Linda Lemmon

Town Crier Editor

U.S. Congressman Joseph Courtney said that the "pushback" has already begun in Washington D.C. to save programs vital to eastern Connecticut that are on the proposed federal budget chopping block.

Many of the programs that Courtney described as "lifeline programs" that are especially important to small rural areas, such as eastern Connecticut, have been underfunded or unfunded in the proposed budget. Programs like Meals on Wheels, important to this area, would be hurt. Other programs in the USDA have also been cut. The Rural Development funds in the USDA have funded several major projects in Putnam including water and sewer improvements, the East Putnam Fire Department building on Rt. 44 and recreational projects and the Farmer's Market pavilion.

Zero funding is proposed for the Department of Interior's National Heritage Corridor areas. The Last Green Valley and the other 48 National Heritage areas would receive nothing.  Courtney said some view these programs as too heavy handed in terms of government involvement, but that is not the case. "The Last Green Valley does not stifle. It works in a collaborative way," he said. 

Courtney said that eastern Connecticut has a "good team relationship" with two Connecticut members of the Appropriations Committee --- Christopher Murphy on the Senate side and Rosa DeLauro on the house side. "We're lucky to have the two of them there," Courtney said. 

Courtney last week signed a letter of support in Washington for the National Heritage areas. The letter was sent to Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations.

The letter said: "We write to thank the Subcommittee  for its previous support of the Heritage Partnership Program and to request that you provide funding for the coming fiscal year that is sufficiently robust so as to allow National Heritage Areas to continue their unprecedented levels of growth and success. The Heritage Partnership Programs received $19.821 million in FY 2016.

The 49 National Heritage Areas across the country preserve and revitalize cultural, historic and natural resources, delivering recreational and educational opportunities to visitors, residents and entire regions. Through innovative public-private partnerships, National Heritage Areas have effectively leveraged federal resources, attracting an average of $5.50 of private funding for each dollar appropriated.

Heritage Areas have a proven record of fostering job creation and advancing economic, cultural, historic, natural, and community development.  In addition to creating jobs, National Heritage Areas generate valuable revenue for local governments and sustain communities through revitalization and heritage tourism. Lastly, Heritage Areas have undergone rigorous independent evaluations by the National Park Service which document the program’s worth.

As a way of building on these successes, we respectfully urge the Subcommittee to ensure an enhanced level of funding for the Heritage Partnership Program in FY 2018 so all Areas can continue their important work. This vital funding will enable communities and regions to effectively tell the stories of their past for the benefit of present and future generations." It was signed by more than 70 congressman, including Courtney.

Courtney said the federal budget process is still in its earliest stages and he called on communities to continue to stay involved.

"We going to be all over this," he added.