Sen. Cicarella Statement on Farmland Assessment Reversal

Photo above (left to right): William Dellacamera, Sen. Cicarella, and Eric Henry at the Jan. 20 farmers’ forum at the State Capitol.

HARTFORD — State Sen. Paul Cicarella (R-34) issued the following statement following a Jan. 20 farmers forum hosted by CT Senate Republicans, in response to recent changes to Public Act 490 announced on Jan. 19.

“Farmers and landowners were right to be concerned about the sudden and steep increases in farmland assessments. These changes would have placed unnecessary strain on family farms and threatened the preservation of open space across Connecticut. Gov. Ned Lamont’s decision to reverse those increases is an important step in the right direction, but more work remains.

At yesterday’s public forum, farmers from our district made clear just how serious the consequences of these assessment changes would have been. William Dellacamera of Cecarelli’s Harrison Hill Farm in Northford reminded us that this issue goes beyond politics, saying, ‘This is not a right-versus-left issue, it’s a right-versus-wrong issue.’ He also emphasized the importance of transparency, noting that if the state truly wants to be transparent, farmers must be brought to the table and shown how these decisions were made.

Eric Henry of Blue Hills Orchard in Wallingford shared that his farm’s land valuation would have increased by nearly half a million dollars overnight, a change that would have placed enormous strain on his operation. While he expressed appreciation for the pause on these increases, he made clear that the methodology and process that led to this situation must be corrected so it does not happen again.

A newly created online petition – www.SaveCTLand.org – already has 20,700 signatures. These voices underscore why transparency, fairness, and farmer involvement are essential moving forward. My Republican colleagues and I will continue advocating for policies that protect Connecticut farmers, preserve open space, and ensure this kind of overreach does not happen again.”