The What

The What: This Week in Southwest Connecticut

The What is your look around southwest Connecticut for the week of November 13.

Looking for something to do this week? Check out Gratitude on the Green in Norwalk on Monday, Nov. 13. (Photo by Kelly Prinz)

Monday, November 13

Happy Monday! Southwest Connecticut is home to thousands of residents who commute to New York City for work. A new report, “Commuter Dividend: The Economic Value of Commuters for City and Suburbs in the New York–New Jersey–Connecticut Region,” outlines how these commuters connect the region and provide economic benefits both to NYC and their home communities.

Some key takeaways:

About 47,000 Connecticut residents from Fairfield County and parts of New Haven and Litchfield counties commute to New York City, earning a total of $11.4 billion annually and supporting 76,000 jobs in Connecticut.
The tri-state area—New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut—remains interconnected, particularly economically, despite disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Commuters provide not only a benefit to New York City where they work, but also their home communities by using their earnings to support “businesses and jobs in home construction, retail stores, banks, professional services, and a range of other industries, and it generates income, sales, and property taxes for their states, cities, towns, and school districts.”
The report recommended ways that local communities could be doing more to support commuters, including supporting housing near transportation and making it easier for residents to get to those transit centers.

Learn more about the report or watch our video highlighting some of the key points.

Community members are invited to the third annual Gratitude on the Green event today, Monday, November 13, in Norwalk at 6 p.m. on the Norwalk Green.

“Hosted by organizations and faith communities located near The Green, all are welcome to join this annual event to celebrate community ahead of the traditional Thanksgiving holiday,” a statement from the organizers reads. “The program will focus on the importance of gratitude and how it benefits us all emotionally, physically and spiritually.”

Let’s see what else is happening around the region this week.

Stamford

Last week, proposed revisions to the city’s charter were soundly defeated by voters on Election Day, 11,101 to 8,485. However, at this week’s Steering Committee of the Board of Representatives, taking place on Monday, November 13 at 7 p.m., some board members are introducing a resolution to put the proposed changes back on the ballot next year. There would be a change—splitting up the proposed changes into multiple questions instead of just one.

“The Board of Representatives recognizes the hard work of the many volunteers involved in the 19th Charter Revision Commission and recognizes that it is possible that no additional work is needed to further revise the Final Draft of the 19th Charter Revision Commission,” the resolution reads. “The Board of Representatives has the intention to put that Final Draft of the 19th Charter Revision Commission to the public for referendum, via a 20th Charter Revision Commission, with multiple questions on the ballot and in the 2024 election.”

Mayor Caroline Simmons, who was against many of the proposed changes to the charter, issued a statement opposing this resolution.

“Stamford voters voted overwhelmingly to reject the proposed changes to the city charter,” she said in a statement. “Any attempt to reinitiate the Charter Revision process is disrespectful to the electorate, a waste of taxpayer money and resources, and a distraction from governing and making progress on the issues that matter most to Stamford residents.”