Mother lobbies Senator Son: Don’t cut State Aid to Hospitals

State Senator Tony Guglielmo (R-Stafford) joined his 95 year old mother, Mary Guglielmo, a volunteer at Johnson and Memorial Hospital at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford on Thursday, for Hospital Day at the Capitol. Mrs. Guglielmo was lobbying lawmakers like her son to preserve state aid given to hospitals around Connecticut. Governor Dannel Malloy has proposed a $550 million cut to hospitals in his state budget. Mary Guglielmo has logged more than 25,000 hours volunteering at Johnson and Memorial Hospital for the last 32 years. At a press conference Connecticut Hospital Association President and CEO Jennifer Jackson told the crowd the Governor’s proposed cuts would be devastating. Adding, it would impact patient care, force facilities to close, result in layoffs, and increase premiums. Sen. Guglielmo agreed it was very important to lobby saying, “Government has three main roles -- public safety, public health and public education. We should not be wasting taxpayer dollars on building stadiums and a busway to nowhere. I urge you to call your legislator and be polite but persistent. Tell them these cuts are not sustainable.” In addition to his mother’s hospital service, Sen. Guglielmo’s daughter is a registered nurse.