Legislative Debate Showcases Candidates’ Ideas, Hopes, And Plans

By John Voket & Shannon Hicks

Statehouse candidates for the 106th and 112th Districts met on the stage at Edmond Town Hall on Monday, October 20, for the only local legislative debate, sponsored by The Newtown Bee. The debate was filmed for the local CommuniTyVision cable access channel, and a full audio transcript is available at www.NewtownBee.com.

The debate was moderated by Newtown Bee Editor Curtiss Clark.

In opening remarks, 106th District Republican candidate and current Legislative Council Chairman Will Rodgers said he wants to see the overall size of government, and the corresponding state tax burden, diminished. He then said his first priority, if elected, might seem out of context.

“As a legislator, my priority is not going to be legislation,” Mr Rodgers said. “I’m not rushing to find a law as a first response to a need. I’m going to look to see if there’s an existing system to address it, or if it can be handled on the local level.”

Mr Rodgers said he was interested in getting more tax dollars returned to Newtown by working behind the scenes in a bipartisan fashion with state officials. He said he has already worked with legislators in Hartford, while helping to negotiate numerous municipal budgets in his capacity as a local council representative.

The only incumbent on stage, three-term 112th District Republican DebraLee Hovey told the town hall audience that she has worked in bipartisan fashion during her tenure to bring more than $7 million back to the district, without breaking out the amount she has been able to secure for Newtown.

“I promised you I would work to cut spending and prevent increases, and I have,” Rep Hovey said before going on the attack against her opponent, Michele Mount, Bridgeport’s former legislative liaison.

“Our state legislature is bullied by lobbyists or liaisons like my opponent, who work for the big cities. And because of that, all the formulas benefit the cities and are unfair to our small towns,” Rep Hovey said, adding that while her district gets back between 9 and 21 cents for every dollar sent to Hartford, Bridgeport gets back $6.

Freshman council member and Democratic candidate for the 106th District seat, Christopher Lyddy, said Newtown needs and deserves an energetic representative.

“We need change,” Mr Lyddy said. “But we need the right person with the right qualities to bring us through the process. We need to promote leaders who are able to listen, learn, and lead in today’s environment.”

Mr Lyddy referenced the perception of a Newtown divided, which he said he could better unite by listening to his constituents.

“I believe it is a representative’s responsibility to know what is going on in the community, and advise town leaders what state legislation may be coming, or has arrived,” Mr Lyddy said, adding that his opponent “wants to think small and tinker around the edges with things that will not address big problems,” like escalating property taxes, access to affordable health care, and promoting world-class educational opportunities.

Family Ties Inspired

Monroe attorney Michele Mount, the Democratic challenger to the 112th District, took a few moments to introduce herself, and to reassure voters that while she indeed represented Bridgeport as a legislative liaison, she took advantage of the opportunity to make contacts there with an eye on achieving her goal to successfully represent Monroe and several thousand families in the southwest section of Newtown.

She also discussed family ties that provided a lifelong proximity to state and local politics.

“The year I was born, my father was elected to the [state] legislature,” she said of her dad, Carl Ajello. “He became the house majority leader and ended his career by being attorney general for eight years. I grew up with an understanding what an honor it is to serve the people you represent.”

Ms Mount said Newtown needs “effective representation in Hartford.”

“My opponent has been in the legislature for six years, and never, not once, has ever got a bill she introduced out of committee, never mind passed,” Ms Mount said.

In her capacity working with Bridgeport, she also served on the board of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities. In that capacity, Ms Mount said she worked beside both local and state leaders, and “the relationships I have built with the majority of the [legislative] leadership will get me a seat at the table from day one.”

Over the course of the next hour, the candidates discussed their views of Newtown, and why they might be the town’s best representative in Hartford; and how the slowing economy will impact state reimbursements back to local communities, especially in regard to education, transportation, and property tax reform.

The candidates responded to questions about the relationship between the state and its towns; the viability of regional cooperation to enhance economic development; and which initiatives the candidates might support to afford the best quality health care.

While the debate participants were each afforded ample time to question their opponents, or the cross district challengers, all declined. Using additional questions submitted by Newtown Bee readers, Mr Clark asked each candidate’s opinion on the proposed Constitutional Convention (see related story in this edition), the proposal to allow 17-year-olds who will be 18 by election day to vote in primary elections, and a move to reduce the drinking age from 21 to 18.

A Receptive Audience

Most people were in their seat by the time the debate started at 7:30 pm, with a few more arriving during the opening remarks.

The audience appeared attentive, and honored the moderator’s request to with hold applause and comment until the debate concluded at 9 pm.

One of the few questions that elicited some hushed chatter and head nodding came when Mr Clark asked Mr Lyddy why constituents should elect him to the state position when he has not finished his first full elected term on the local council.

There were also a few chuckles after Mr Rodger’s response to a question concerning 17-year-olds voting in primaries: “I don’t think lives are hanging in the balance over the question.” Additional laughter followed when Ms Mount pointed out all candidates seemed “in complete and unanimous consent on this issue” once all four tendered similar positions on the proposal.

Attendee Robin Buchanan of Sandy Hook said she had already decided to support Will Rodgers on November 4, but attended the debate because she is still looking for answers concerning the economy.

“I would like to know what their plan is, when whoever gets elected gets to Hartford, to help not only our country but also our state through this economic mess.”

George Schmidt has also publicly announced his support for Will Rodgers (including a letter to the editor in a past issue of The Bee) but was also interested, he said, “in what the candidates have to say.”

“The critical issue, to me, is the state tax burden,” he said. “I think that’s the root cause of a number of issues in this state.

“I think the time of reckoning has come home. Most of Connecticut has been living pretty well for a few years. Our time is coming, and it’s going to hurt,” Mr Schmidt continued. “The folks who will be elected to the next term will have some tough decisions to make. I think Will has the guts to stand up and speak when he has to make tough choices. I don’t know that his opponent has the same intestinal fortitude.”

Following the debate, Jenny Desrosiers, 17, a Newtown High School senior who lives in the 106th District, said she is taking a government class and “mostly wanted to get information similar to what we’ve been learning about.”

She arrived at the program not knowing who she would vote for if she were eligible to vote, but left saying, “After tonight I think I would know who I would vote for.” She declined to say who that would be, but also said she would “study a little more about the candidates and the issues” before making her final decision.

Jenny was at the debate with her mother, Kathleen Desrosiers, and both women kept copious notes during the run of the program, filling pages of yellow legal pads.

“I saw notes in the paper for years about the debates that used to be held at the Fireside,” said Mrs Desrosiers. “Jenny said she was coming [to tonight’s debate] so I decided to join her. It was fun.”

Mrs Desrosiers was not sure going in who she would vote for, “but seeing them interact and speak in person made a huge difference,” she said. “I will think a little but more, but I would say yes, I’m leaning a little more toward one person after tonight.”

She liked the format of the debate, and said that having questions from readers as well as the newspaper staff was a good idea.

“The evening was very helpful,” she said. “Again, you read about the candidates and the issues, but then you hear them talk about things and it’s helpful.”

She was happy with the issues that were covered, she said. “General education and economic concerns was really what I was hoping to hear.”

“I thought they would talk about the high school more, and the expansion,” her daughter added, as the pair headed home for the evening.

(Listen or download an mp3 of the entire 2008 Newtown Bee legislative debate by clicking the button on our home page at NewtownBee.com. The debate is set to air on Charter CommuniTyVision 21 on October 26 at 2 pm and 7 pm, then on November 2 at 7 pm.)