FISCAL POLICY
MY FISCAL POLICY IS NON-PARTISAN. I HAVE A PROVEN RECORD OF FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
I voted AGAINST the state budget, twice, because it did not adequately address major fiscal problems in our state and added new and unnecessary taxes.
I also voted AGAINST state employee labor contracts that increase costs because we can't spend more until we reconcile current expenses and revenues. And I introduced a bill to restructure the state employee pension plan and address unfunded pension liabilities.
I also fought hard for TAX CUTS - eliminating estate and gift tax and lowering certain business taxes to generate a more robust economy and new job opportunities.
I introduced and PASSED in the Senate the ONLY bill in 2019-2020 that would have allowed Public-Private Partnerships for infrastructure financing.
I proposed a comprehensive solution to the infrastructure crisis that handicaps our state, poses an enormous tax burden on residents and creates gridlock. It would have:
1) enabled CT to draw millions in new revenue from non-CT residents and access billions in private funding.
2) made CT eligible for a $100,000,000 grant from the federal government.
3) created an independent and sustainable funding source to transform and modernize our roads, rails, ports and energy systems.
4) and REDUCED YOUR TAX BURDEN because half the bill would be paid for by out-of-state drivers.
Why pay 100% of the cost for upgrading bridges, roads and trains when we could get half the bill paid for us?
Tolls plus an Infrastructure Bank are the common sense and fiscally responsible solutions to pay for modernizing infrastructure in Connecticut. I'll keep fighting for them!
ECONOMY
TAXES, INFRASTRUCTURE, BUSINESS, JOBS, PENSIONS:
CORRECTING EXCESS SPENDING, INVESTING IN GROWTH
Taxes
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Introduced bill to eliminate Estate/Gift Taxes in CT
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Introduced bill to reinstate Film/Digital production tax credits
Infrastructure
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Introduced and PASSED (in Senate) the first State Infrastructure Bank in CT.
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Introduced bill to create an HOV lane on I-95 for energy-efficient cars
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Introduced first bill on Tolls and fought for this low-cost alternative to Taxes
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Introduced bill to redevelop Stamford Train Station as a business gateway
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Introduced bill for improvements to Talmadge Hill Train station – DONE!
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Introduced bill to repair the 4 failing bridges/increase train speed between NH and NYC
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Introduced bill to improve New Canaan rail line with passing sidings
Businesses/Job Opportunities
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Sponsored bills to promote various sectors including advanced manufacturing, biotechnology and the film and digital industry.
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Sponsored bills to enhance workforce development and training for skilled jobs.
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Introduced bill to open State Employee Health Plan to small businesses to give owners and employees access to high-quality, low-cost health insurance.
Unfunded Pension Liability
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Introduced bill to cap certain high-cost pensions
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Introduced bill to adopt shared-risk pension plans and a Constitutional amendment to require full pension funding so legislators can no longer "kick the can down the road."
EDUCATION
FIGHTING FOR EDUCATION FUNDING AND EQUITY -
Investing in Students and Schools and Lower College Debt
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Fought for and delivered School Funding without budget cuts. Investing in education is key to growing our economy, attracting new residents to CT and maintaining property values. Plus, it's the right thing to do for our kids.
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Introduced and PASSED SB72 – the first Connecticut law to lower student debt, incentivize businesses to hire CT college graduates and give them a reason to live/work/settle and buy property in CT.
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The CT Real Estate Association supported this bill because it allows young people to buy homes years before they otherwise could.
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Introduced a bill to end Period Poverty by requiring period products in all school bathrooms so no one ever misses school because they can't afford basic supplies.
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Sponsored multiple bills to help students and teachers by:
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addressing food insecurity
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establishing apprenticeships for students
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adding mental health services and support
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enhancing early childhood education funding
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requiring climate change to be taught in school.
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ELECTIONS
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY AND VOTING RIGHTS -
FIGHTING FOR TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
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Fighting to allow Absentee Ballots for the 2020 elections. No one should have to choose between their right to vote and their safety.
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Fighting for the modernization of elections - to allow online registration for Absentee Ballots (which many states have and already exists for voter registration).
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Proposed a bill requiring 10-year term limits for state legislature. Fifteen states including CA, FL, ME and MI have term limits for state legislators, with an average of 8 years. Limiting terms would prevent one person from gaining too much power. Plus, it would bring in new energy and new perspectives.
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Introduced a bill to allow Early Voting – PASSED in the House, but without a single Republican vote in the Senate, it failed to reach the the 2/3 majority necessary to amend the Constitution. I will keep fighting to expand the restrictive voting laws in Connecticut. 39 other states allow early in-person voting, and we should too.
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Introduced a bill requiring disclosure of presidential candidates’ tax returns. Because people have the right to know what their leaders financial interests are. State legislators disclose their holdings. Presidents should too.
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Introduced a bill to require disclosure of dark money and increase transparency in campaign finance and elections. Because people have the right to know who is really behind their candidates.
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Introduced bill to explore Ranked Choice Voting.
FIGHTING FOR CLEAN ENERGY, AIR, SOIL AND WATER -
AND THE SURVIVAL OF OUR PLANET
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Introduced a bill to establish carbon pricing in CT
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Introduced a bill to allow municipalities to restrict the use of pesticides
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Introduced a bill to prohibit PFOA in food packaging and firefighter foam
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Introduced a bill requiring cosmetics in CT to meet EU safety standards
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Introduced a bill requiring State Water Plan – DONE!
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Introduced a bill expanding Green Bank to allow for Environmental Infrastructure
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Introduced a bill prohibiting purchase of toxic turf by state or municipalities
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Sponsored a bill eliminating the use of chlorpyrifos
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Sponsored a bill to minimize food waste by promoting anaerobic digestion facilities
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Sponsored a bill to eliminate single-use plastic straws
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Sponsored a bill to ban fracking waste
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Sponsored a bill to eliminate single use plastic and paper bags – PASSED
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Sponsored a bill on climate change and coastal resiliency - PASSED
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Convened a first-ever meeting for local and state-wide environmental advocacy groups to build a collective set of legislative priorities. Instead of working in silos and making small incremental change, we could work together and leverage the power of grassroots advocacy to make big, bold environmental policy. Changing the way things are done creates new possibilities for progress.
ENVIRONMENT
EQUALITY
UNTIL EVERY PERSON IS TREATED EQUALLY - REGARDLESS OF RACE, GENDER, SEXUALITY, RELIGION - I WILL KEEP FIGHTING.
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I support criminal justice reforms, an end to unnecessary use of force and police accountability. I am working to address systemic racism in all facets of life - education, housing, healthcare, economic opportunity and food equity. Racism must end now.
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Sponsored an Act Increasing Fairness and Transparency in Criminal Justice System – PASSED
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Sponsored Paid Family Medical Leave - PASSED
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Sponsored Minimum Wage – PASSED
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Introduced a bill to establish Economic Equality for Women
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Introduced “Jennifer’s Law” to expand the definition of Domestic Violence to include non-physical violence -- coercive control. This bill would also require family court judges to first determine if DV exists in a family before deciding other factors in child custody. The Chief Administrative Judge in CT published an OpEd on behalf of the judicial branch supporting this initiative.
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Sponsored the CT Parentage Act to allow same-sex parents to be recognized legally and not have to undergo costly adoption proceedings for their own natural born children.
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Sponsored Equal Pay for Equal Work bill
HEALTHCARE
WE ARE PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL TO ALL HEALTHCARE AND FRONT LINE WORKERS. YOU ARE ALL HEROES.
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Introduced a bill to lower health insurance costs for small business owners and employees by allowing them to opt into the State Employee Health Plan. This does not increase costs to the state!
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Introduced a bill to reduce the cost of prescription drugs and allow importation from Canada
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Introduced bills to restrict Vaping products – PASSED an increase to the age limit of 21
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Sponsored the public option health insurance bill
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Introduced a bill to outsource social services to local non-profits so quality of care would improve and costs would be lowered.
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Introduced a bill to require free period supplies in school bathrooms
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Sponsored a bill to protect women’s health
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Sponsored a bill to make DSS assessments more transparent
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Unequivocally supports and defends a woman's right to choose and everyone's right to affordable, accessible contraception.
PUBLIC SAFETY
WE ARE ALL CONNECTED. I'M FIGHTING FOR THE HEALTH
AND SAFETY OF EVERY PERSON IN EVERY COMMUNITY
DURING COVID:
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Was the first legislator to ask for a "shelter in place order" when CT had more than100 COVID cases.
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Wrote the Safe Store Guidelines that were eventually adopted by the Administration during the COVID crisis.
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Fought for more testing for Stamford and all of Fairfield County. Sent letters to the Administration asking for rapid test sites in Stamford to match those in New Haven.
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Asked the Administration critical questions about public health metrics to ensure ReOpen preparedness.
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Connected Yale scientist who developed an early testing assay with a nursing home facility to test it.
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Delayed hair salon opening because allowing CT salons to open before every state around us would be asking for trouble. Coordinating with other states is key.
GUN SAFETY
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Introduced a bill to prohibit ghost guns – PASSED
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Introduced a bill to require safe storage of firearms - PASSED
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Introduced/sponsored a bill to prohibit 3D printed guns - PASSED
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Introduced a bill to require gun permit holder to show permit to law enforcement
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Introduced ground-breaking legislation to protect victims of domestic violence. This bill would have allowed family court judges to protect victims whose abuser use coercive control before escalating to physical violence.
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
Myths and misinformation about the new law are everywhere. Get the facts here.