UPDATE (October 26, 2018): This story has been updated to correct the town of residence for Rep JP Sredzinski to Monroe. 

Editor's Note: Video of the Candidates' Forum is found at the end of this story.

Speaking at a candidates’ forum before an audience of approximately 150 on Tuesday, October 23, seven candidates for state General Assembly seats in the November 6 general elections explained their views on a range of public issues facing legislators.

Candidates for the one state senatorial seat and three state representative seats that cover Newtown discussed their positions at the event sponsored by The Newtown Bee at the Edmond Town Hall auditorium.

Topics covered included special education, the state budget gap, paid family medical leave, state pension reform, issues facing senior citizens, retaining a young adult population in Connecticut, and attracting new businesses to the state.

In response to a query about the administration and funding of special education, Republican State Senator Tony Hwang (R-28) of Fairfield said, “One of the most critical goals of government is (providing) an education for every child.”

Mr Hwang described his legislative efforts toward helping children diagnosed with autism. “Special education needs special attention,” he stressed.

Michelle Lapine McCabe of Fairfield, the Democratic challenger for the 28th District seat, said one of her educational goals is bringing together school superintendents, parents, and teachers to learn what they consider necessary to provide improved special education services. Those three groups, plus special education students, need to collaborate to guide the actions of the General Assembly, Ms McCabe said.

“Serving families is a core function of government,” said Republican State Representative Mitch Bolinsky (R-106) of Newtown. The General Assembly has approved measures addressing the early diagnosis of dyslexia and also has considered the issues posed by children on the autism spectrum, he said.

Rebekah Harriman-Stites of Newtown, the Democratic challenger for the 106th District seat, noted she is a Newtown Board of Education member and has fought to ensure that all students get the services they need. She said she has supported creation of a contingency fund for special education to address unforeseen situations.

Republican State Representative William Duff (R-2) of Bethel said he formerly served on a local school board. The state government should fully fund the special education needs of students rather than cutting such funding, he said.

Raghib Allie-Brennan of Bethel, the Democratic challenger for the 2nd District seat, said the General Assembly needs to consider the needs of special education students because legislators are not now suitably addressing special education issues.

State Budget

When asked what steps are necessary to close a state budget gap currently projected to range between $4.5 billion and $5 billion across the next two fiscal years, the candidates offered their views.

Ms McCabe said the state government needs to attract more new businesses to Connecticut to expand the tax base and strengthen its economy. She urged the formation of various public/private partnerships toward that goal. She also suggested creating a program to aid former college students repay their student loans, provided that they agree to remain and work in the state for a specified time period.

Ms Harriman-Stites said the state government needs to become a more efficient organization. The state should work to have more businesses move to Connecticut, she added. Noting her ownership of a small business, she said the state government needs to encourage entrepreneurship. “Connecticut should be more friendly to small businesses,” she said.

The state “should not balance the budget on the backs of working families,” said Mr Allie-Brennan. State Department of Correction spending can be cut in light of a decreasing crime rate, and he noted that “Small businesses are the lifeblood of this town.”

State Rep Duff observed, “We need to make Connecticut a business-friendly state.” He urged that obtaining the required permits to operate such businesses be simplified.

“Twenty-five years of uncontrolled spending has driven Connecticut to the brink of insolvency,” State Rep Bolinsky said. He added, “ [Connecticut] is not an affordable place, and it is not business-friendly.” Reduced state spending is necessary, he said.

State Sen Hwang said the state budget deficit affects all facets of life in communities. To deal with the situation, he suggested considering reforms in the state’s pension benefit system.

Queries

Newtown Bee Editor Nancy Crevier, who served as forum moderator, asked participants what measures the state government should take to attract and retain businesses as well as retaining its young and aging populations.

State Rep Bolinsky answered, “We need to make the cost of doing business in Connecticut a little more affordable.”

State Rep Duff reiterated the reduction of “red tape,” urging that business permit processes be shortened.

The biotechnology industry, said Sen Hwang, could be an important aspect of the state’s future economy. Also, creating a sense of urgency to replace a current sense of complacency is necessary to stimulate the state’s economy, he added.

Mr Allie-Brennan suggested that state offer businesses financial incentives to locate here as well as to stay here.

Ms Harriman-Stites said measures should be taken to have young adults remain and work in the state after they have finished their college educations. To encourage that, the state’s transportation system should be modernized, she commented.

Senior citizens and young adults are seeking housing options other than buying single-family houses, Ms McCabe observed.

When asked whether they support the state enacting a law to require businesses to provide workers with paid family medical leave, and if so, how such paid leave would be financed, the candidates responded.

State Rep Duff spoke in favor of enacting such a law.

Mr Allie-Brennan said he also supports such a law, adding that businesses would contribute money to a fund that would be used to cover such costs.

Ms Harriman-Stites said such a system could use employee contributions to cover costs.

Businesses could contribute funds to a financial pool to cover such expenses, said Ms McCabe. The state government would create the legal mechanism through which such a system would operate, she added.

State Sen Hwang said he has supported legislative proposals for paid leave, but added, “The devil is in the details.” Such a paid leave program is important, he added.

State Rep Bolinsky voiced support for a paid leave system, but he said it should not be implemented in the form of a state mandate to businesses.

New York State has a paid leave system, Ms Harriman-Stites pointed out, which could serve as a model for a similar system in Connecticut.

Senior Citizens

The candidates offered their views on the needs of senior citizens and how those needs can best be addressed.

Health care is expensive, Mr Allie-Brennan noted. Prescription drugs need to be made affordable, and the federal Affordable Care Act needs to be improved, he added.

Ms Harriman-Stites said that providing suitable home health care for aging residents should be encouraged by the state.

Ms McCabe said the issues facing seniors include living at home as they age, receiving suitable transportation, and having suitable prescription drug price protections.

Bipartisan action is necessary, Mr Duff said, in terms of measures needed to allow seniors to continue living at home as they age.

State Rep Bolinsky noted that rising property taxes financially hurt senior citizens. He said that the costs associated with allowing seniors to remain living in their home are about one-quarter of the costs of residency in a nursing home.

“Our active seniors are true treasures in our community... we will prioritize to honor and take care of our seniors,” stated Sen Hwang.

Republican State Representative JP Sredzinski (R-112) of Monroe is running for reelection without opposition. In remarks offered at the opening of the candidates’ forum,

Mr Sredzinski said, in part, the state needs to be more business-friendly. Repeated state tax increases must stop, he said, noting that such tax hikes make Connecticut a less affordable place to live.