Date: Fri 30-Oct-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

election-profile-Noe

Full Text:

ELECTION PROFILE: Assembly District 106 -- Independent Charles Noe

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

Independent candidate Charles Noe of Bethel is mounting his second challenge

for the 106th District State Assembly seat against Republican incumbent State

Rep Julia Wasserman of Newtown.

The Democratic Party is not fielding a candidate for the assembly seat.

In the 1996 election, Mr Noe drew about 10 percent of the vote, with Mrs

Wasserman receiving the remainder.

In an interview at his Greenwood Avenue home recently, Mr Noe said he

considers the 10 percent vote he attracted a good show of support.

Mr Noe is self-employed, working as a handyman, carter, hauler, and auto body

repairman.

Mr Noe views providing tax relief to senior citizens through tax reduction and

eventual tax elimination as an important issue. After a certain point, senior

citizens have "paid their dues" to society, the Independent candidate said.

Mr Noe calls for the restructuring of the state's Department of Children and

Families (DCF), the agency charged with enforcing child protection in domestic

situations. "DCF doesn't now work properly," he said. "They've made too many

mistakes," he added. "One mistake is one mistake too many," he said. Mr Noe

charged that investigations into child safety done by DCF are conducted

haphazardly. DCF should be more careful in deciding where children are placed

for their protection, he stressed.

Another major issue facing the state is improving public education, Mr Noe

said. He calls for replacing the conventional "Kindergarten-Grade 12" with

schools based on a merit system. In such school systems, each student would

move at their own academic pace. Some students might finish the 13-year

program in 12 years, while others might take 16 years to do so, he said.

Under such a plan, student mastery tests would be given twice a year, instead

of once a year, to better gauge students' academic progress, he said.

Mr Noe also calls for reducing crime on the streets and in the schools. He

advocates improved police services.

Mr Noe questions the way state assembly districts are geographically

organized, noting that the 106th District includes sections of Newtown and

Bethel. The issues and concerns of residents in the two towns are different,

he said, suggesting that state representatives represent a single town rather

than sections of more than one town.

"I'm not a politician. I am pro-children, pro-people, pro-senior citizens. I

am... not a person to sit on my butt, collect a check and hope to be

re-elected again," he said.

"I don't consider myself to be a conservative or a liberal. I consider myself

to be in the best interest of the people. I'm not judgmental. I'm not one to

take anything lightly," he said.

"I'd listen to the people. The problem with most politicians today is they

forgot how to listen. They jabber and jabber and jabber," he said.

Mr Noe said he supports the candidacy of Democrat Barbara Kennelly for

governor as well as the candidacy of Democrat James Maloney for reelection to

5th District Congressional seat.

"I like (Republican) Jodi Rell for lieutenant governor. I am not thrilled with

(Republican Governor) John Rowland. I think she (Rell) is more qualified to be

governor than the current governor," Mr Noe said.

Also, Mr Noe supports the candidacy of Republican Gary Franks for US Senate.