
SHELTON, CT – Governor Dannel P. Malloy took a break from Connecticut’s fiscal mess Thursday afternoon to enjoy a glass of wine.
But the glass of Pinot Grigio was actually part of Malloy’s job – as he toasted by Agriculture Commissioner Steven K. Reviczky as part of a promotion of the state’s Passport to Connecticut Farm Wineries program – the annual promotion offering incentives to visitors who support the local businesses.
A press conference was held at Jones Winery in Shelton, one of the 37 farm wineries in the state that participate in the promotional program.
“We want to continue to grow the wine industry in the state,” Malloy said, adding that Connecticut has seen more growth in the industry than any other state in New England.
“We made 800,000 bottles of Connecticut farm wine last year,” Malloy said, adding that over 60,000 passports were distributed under the program last year, helping to generate an estimated $1 million in direct sales for the wineries.
“This is a great time of year to visit a vineyard, and Connecticut is a great destination for people looking to explore quality, farm wineries,” Malloy said. “We have more than three dozen vineyards that produce a number of high-quality wines. Our state’s Passport to Connecticut Farm Wineries program offers folks a perfect opportunity to explore the diversity that each of our unique farm wineries have to offer.”
To participate, guests can obtain a booklet – which was designed to look like an actual passport – at any of the state’s 37 farm wineries. Each time they visit a new winery during the season, they should bring the passport with them and have it stamped. Once they have obtained at least 16 stamps, they can enter to win a number of prizes, including a two-week trip to Spain.
A complete listing of Connecticut’s wineries and additional information is available at www.passporttoctfarmwine.com.
“This program really highlights the diversity of what each of our unique farm wineries has to offer,” Reviczky said. “It’s a great way to promote the hard work of our growers and to encourage visitors to make these wineries a destination.”
Participants must be at least 21 years of age and can only submit one passport per person in the drawing. The program is operated by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture and runs from May 5 to Nov. 5, 2017. The drawing will be held on Dec. 7, 2017.

Malloy is no stranger to the Jones family farm, which is now in its seventh generation.
“I’ve cut my Christmas tree down here for the past 33 years,” the governor said.
Jamie Jones, who is from the sixth generation of Jones’, runs the wine operation for the family
“The passport program is really important to our business,” Jones said. “We’ve probably doubled our wine business in the past six years,” pointing out that’s the amount of time that Malloy has been governor.
Malloy came to Shelton after giving an address at the state’s annual tourism conference in Hartford.
Malloy’s budget calls for $8.3 million in tourism spending next year, which is an increase from this year’s $6.5 million but nearly $4 million below what the state spent in 2014.
Connecticut tourism industry officials are worried that the state’s multi-billion deficit could lead lawmakers to reduce tourism spending even below the level recommended by Malloy.
They add that ideally the state would go back to its old system of funding tourism, which was setting aside 3 percent of the state occupancy tax on hotel rooms and other lodging to be dedicated, solely, to promoting tourism.
Malloy said he understood that concern, but added that “before I became governor, we spent zip, nada on tourism.”
“I am proposing spending $8.3 million. We should be spending $15 million,” Malloy said. “That money would pay for itself if the legislature would let it,” instead of taking money that tourism brings in redirecting it into the general fund.
Support authentic, locally owned and operated public service journalism!
The tourism budget was cut back in 2009 when Connecticut faced a two-year more than $8 billion deficit, which is smaller than the $5.1 billion two-year deficit it currently faces.
That year, former Gov. M. Jodi Rell toured the state promoting the idea of a “Staycation,” where Connecticut residents would remain in the state and visit its attractions, state parks, museums, and other destinations.
That was the same year that Rell allowed the budget to go into effect without her signature on Sept. 1. It was the longest Connecticut had been without a budget since the 1991 when they first adopted the income tax.
More State Budget news

Stefanowski Talks Abortion, Employee Raises & Budget In First Press Conference
For a half-hour Wednesday, Bob Stefanowski stood outside the state Capitol and fielded questions on abortion rights and state employee raises in a sign the Republican candidate plans to run a more conventional campaign in this year’s rematch with Gov. Ned Lamont.
Keep reading
Lamont Signs The Budget
Alongside Democratic legislative leaders, Gov. Ned Lamont signed the $24 billion budget adjustment Monday that includes $600 million in tax relief. That’s more than they anticipated they would be able to offer Connecticut residents this Election year because revenue came in higher than expected, but it still creates about an $800 million deficit in 2024. …
Keep reading
ANALYSIS | It’s A Wrap: The Winners and Losers of the 2022 Session
It was a short legislative session, but the House and the Senate were able to move a lot of business this year, including the passage of a $24-billion budget with around $600 million in tax cuts.
Keep reading
Connecticut Acts To Help Its Lead-Poisoned Children
After decades of inertia, Connecticut is finally moving to help its thousands of lead-poisoned children and prevent thousands of other young children from being damaged by the widespread neurotoxin.
Keep reading
Bill Bolstering Contracting Oversight Board In Jeopardy After Lamont Administration Raises Concerns
It passed unanimously in the Senate, but a bill that would give the State Contracting Standards Board greater oversight over state contracting appeared stalled in the House Wednesday on the last day of session. “The governor and I have not talked about the bill,” House Speaker Matt Ritter said. “The commissioners have sent us a…
Keep reading
Senate Approves Tax Cuts, Sends $24B Budget to the Governor
The state Senate gave final approval late Tuesday to a $24 billion election year budget plan that includes around $600 million in tax relief while enabling the state to make an $3.5 billion payment on its unfunded pension debt. Senators voted 24-12 at around 10:30 p.m. to send the midterm budget adjustment to the desk…
Keep reading
House Green-Lights $24B Budget
On a party-line vote early Tuesday, the House passed a $24 billion budget adjustment package containing more than $600 million in tax cuts which Democrats heralded as “historic” and Republicans derided as temporary. Lawmakers voted 95 – 52 at around 12:20 a.m. to send the 673-page budget document to the Senate for consideration before the…
Keep reading
Budget Materials
The General Assembly is preparing to debate adjustments to the $24 billion state budget. Below are a few of the documents we’ve been provided as back-up materials. The budget, HB 5506. Town runs. Car tax impact on municipalities. Finance Committee Power Point.
Keep reading
Lawmakers May Vote for First Pay Increase in 20 Years
With legislative retirements mounting, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle were considering Monday raising the salaries of General Assembly members for the first time in more than two decades and indexing their pay in the future. During a morning press briefing, House Speaker Matt Ritter told reporters that funding for pay raises had been…
Keep reading
Amid Surging Revenue, House Prepares to Vote on Budget Adjustments
Connecticut’s House of Representatives was expected to vote Monday on a $24 billion budget adjustment package, buoyed by revised revenue predictions that exceeded expectations by more than $350 million. The revised consensus figures released Monday confirm the surge in revenues that enabled Gov. Ned Lamont and legislative Democrats to reach an agreement last week on…
Keep reading
Dems Detail Budget Deal With $500 Mil in Tax Cuts, Extension of Gas Tax Holiday
Legislative Democrats and Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration announced Wednesday the details of a $24.2 billion budget adjustment package, which they say provides around $500 million in tax relief including extending a gas tax holiday until December. Lamont and legislative leaders outlined the agreement during an afternoon press conference in the state Capitol building. Both chambers…
Keep reading
Health Care Workers Call for New Hires
After a record number of health care workers are expected to retire this year, health care staff called on Gov. Ned Lamont to commit to filling 1,000 vacant positions by August 1 of this year. A record 1,137 state workers who notified the state that they will retire this year comes at a moment of…
Keep reading
Senate Joins House And Votes To Give Raises, Bonuses To State Employees
The Senate gave final approval by a 22-13 vote on a plan to give unionized state workers a set of raises and bonuses. The plan, negotiated by Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration and a coalition of public sector labor unions, provides three years of 2.5% raises and step increases as well as a total of $3,500…
Keep reading
House Advances Labor Deal In Historic Vote
Lawmakers in Connecticut’s House of Representatives signed off on a plan to give state workers a set of raises and bonuses Thursday in a mostly partisan vote on a negotiated labor agreement. The House voted 96 to 52 in support of the deal with 1 Republican, Rep. Tom Delnicki of South Windsor, joining all Democrats…
Keep reading
Republicans Propose Last-Minute Tax Package
Legislative Republicans pitched a $1.2 billion tax relief plan Thursday which reduces state income, sales and gas taxes and proposes to join other states in suing the federal government to challenge restrictions on spending pandemic relief funds. House and Senate Republicans announced the plan during a state Capitol press conference Thursday morning. It cuts the…
Keep reading
The Budget Battle Begins To Take Shape
Tax collections have improved and pushed Connecticut’s budget surplus to $4 billion, but the state budget still relies heavily on federal funding and without it the state would end up running a “sizeable operating deficit.” The Office of Policy and Management told state Comptroller Natalie Braswell Wednesday that if not for the use of the…
Keep reading