Election 2020: Letters of Endorsement

[Note: NewCanaanite.com through Oct. 21 will publish Election 2020 endorsement letters from New Canaan residents for candidates seeking to represent the town.]

Dear Editor:

I am writing to express my strong support of State Senator Alex Kasser in her campaign for re-election to the 36^th District of the Connecticut State Senate.

In 2018 Alex Kasser won her seat in a historic election after campaigning as a Democrat. She unseated the incumbent Republican, and her election marked the first time a Democrat had won this seat since 1933. Alex is very smart, highly educated, and passionate about the issues that really matter to her, including: women and children, the environment, the economy, and social justice.  As State Senator, Alex has been a tireless advocate for these issues. She has an outstanding record, having worked to reform the State’s pension system and to propose cutting estate and other taxes to benefit economic development.  Alex has worked for improvements in our State’s outdated infrastructure in order to modernize our economy and to attract businesses to our state.  The senator introduced bills to lower student debt and to reform our State’s electoral system. She supported the ban on plastic bags and a bill for coastal resiliency during this time of climate change. Alex helped to pass the paid family medical leave act, increasing the minimum wage, and greater fairness and transparency in our criminal justice system.  The senator also helped pass bills restricting vaping products to those over the age of 21, and bills to prohibit ghost guns and 3D printed guns. Earlier this year, Alex strongly advocated for “Jennifer’s law” to expand the definition of domestic violence to include non-physical violence or coercive control, which was supported by the Chief Administrative Judge in CT. Alex has worked to connect different elected officials from different parts of the State with one another to promote working together for the common good and progress. In every instance, Alex advocates for safety and a better quality of life for all of Connecticut’s citizens. That is why, no matter what your party, I hope you will join me in supporting Alex Kasser for re-election this November.

Sincerely Yours,

Christina Fagerstal
Chair, New Canaan DTC
Joined by Kathleen Corbet, Kit Devereaux, Colm Dobbyn,  Liz Donovan, Susan Edmands, Gerry Harrington, Angela Jameson, Alyssa MacKenzie, and Sandy Rama

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I would like to express my support for Kim Healy to represent our district in the state Senate.  As the head of the Housing Authority of New Canaan, I have witnessed firsthand the push by Hartford to try to usurp local control without regard to the fully predictable detrimental consequences of these actions.  Kim understands how important it is to ensure that local municipalities like New Canaan do not get steam rolled into policies that will harm our communities.  I encourage all to get informed on the proposals to eliminate local control of zoning when making your choice.

Sincerely,

Scott Hobbs

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Editor:

Vote to re-elect Alex Kasser to the 36^th State Senate District.  Alex has worked tirelessly on issues important to her district.  She has shown herself to be a creative problem solver who is willing to work across the aisle and who cares passionately about creating an environment in which business prospers and inequities are addressed.

As a commuter to NYC, I am delighted that Senator Kasser introduced bills for improvements to Talmadge Hill Train Station, to improve the New Canaan rail line with passing sidings, and to repair failing bridges and increase train speed between New Haven and NYC.  She also fought for and helped to deliver school funding without budget cuts.  She introduced SB72, the first Connecticut law to lower student debt and to incentivize businesses to hire Connecticut college graduates. 

Alex has demonstrated fiscal responsibility in Hartford, as well as a willingness to speak out when she disagrees with the majority point of view.  Alex introduced a bill to cap high-cost pensions, and to adopt shared-risk pensions and a state constitutional amendment to require full pension funding.  To finance infrastructure projects to make Connecticut a compelling place to live and to do business, she proposed setting up an infrastructure bank and allowing public-private partnerships.   

Connecticut needs state legislators like Alex Kasser who are smart, compassionate and think outside the box. Re-elect her so that she can continue the valuable work she has started. 

Angela Jameson

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I am writing my first ever letter to the editor, in support of Kim Healy for CT State Senate. My husband & I moved from NYC 24 years ago, to New Canaan, because of the exceptional schools. Our children attended NCPS K-12 and they were well prepared for college. I am compelled to write after what has transpired in Hartford over the last two years, on many levels, but specifically the one-party attempt to push through the school regionalization bill. Kim Healy’s opponent, Will Haskell, wholeheartedly supported this bill which takes over control from local school systems, thereby penalizing successful districts and over-burdening them with state bureaucracy and higher costs. The result would be increased taxes, compounded by a negative impact on our property values. Kim’s opponent has failed to represent his constituents, who are overwhelmingly against this bill, and many of whom sacrificed to live in an expensive town for their children’s education. Based on my experiences working in corporate America for 30+ years, Kim Healy is better qualified to represent New Canaan, and to lead CT in a more responsible way. She is against school regionalization, and against the newest overreach bill which would take zoning regulations away from our charming town and into the hands of the state! Kim has a strong track record as a leader, an independent thinker and consensus-builder, having been a successful CPA in the corporate world, a longtime volunteer in her community and a mother of four. I am respectfully asking you do the research on the two candidates, and the disparity of qualifications will be clear. Please consider voting for Kim Healy on November 3^rd, for the betterment of New Canaan and the State of CT.

-Maureen O’Hora