NewCanaanite.com recently received the following letters of endorsement. We will publish endorsement letters through Oct. 21.
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Let’s all re-elect Ryan Fazio to State Senate. Why? For one, we know we can count on Ryan to fight for continued local control of our schools – a jewel of our town. He will also fight to maintain local control of our planning and zoning rules, opposing Hartford’s efforts to impose more control. He works to keep abortion legal, and authored a bi-partisan law expanding women’s birth control access. Ryan is also leading the effort to reduce out-of-control energy costs, and the overall cost of living in Connecticut. In addition, we need his optimism, common sense and recognition that Connecticut’s social and economic underpinnings need independent and creative thinking. When Ryan Fazio makes a commitment, we know he really means it, and will deliver. He’s on our side.
So many approaches Hartford has been taking to the state’s economy and finances have not worked. What will work? Positive, responsible, bipartisan-led change that provides opportunities for all our communities. This is what we will always get from Ryan Fazio. Let’s keep him working with us for a safer, stronger, fairer Connecticut.
John J Kriz
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It is important that we elect Jason Bennett as our State Representative. As a Democrat, Jason will stand up for a woman’s right to choose. As a father of young children, he will help enact safe firearm regulations and will prioritize school safety legislation. As a Chief Technology Officer and a forward thinker, he understands today’s challenges whether it is climate change or rising energy costs. Jason, a former volunteer crisis counselor is well prepared to deal with all these issues and more.
Your Vote is important. Our Democracy is in danger, please Vote for Democrats to Win this Fall.
Ed Vollmer
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To the Editor –
Local control is the cornerstone of American democracy. The power to govern our own communities, to make local decisions that reflect our values and to preserve our preferred way of life, is not just a privilege—it is our fundamental right. Yet, this right is under siege by a state that seeks to impose one-size-fits-all mandates on our towns.
Representative Tom O’Dea understands the stakes. He has been at the forefront of the battle to preserve local control over zoning during his entire 12-year tenure as State Representative for the 125th District. As Deputy Republican Leader last term, Tom led the party’s efforts to push back against the overreach of Connecticut’s affordable housing mandate known as “8-30g”. This law, which allows developers to bypass local zoning regulations in the name of promoting the development affordable housing, threatens to undermine the character of New Canaan, transforming it into something unrecognizable. This is not a vague, undefined threat … we have seen firsthand the blighting effect that potential projects proposed under 8-30g could have on our beautiful town and we should consider ourselves very lucky that none of the 3 applications have progressed. It is not how it usually works and many of our neighboring towns have not been as fortunate.
As a member of the Affordable Housing Committee, I have seen firsthand the strong commitment that New Canaan has made to steadily increasing the number of affordable housing units in our community. We are leading from the front and delivering exceptional quality, permanently affordable housing options for our less fortunate. But I have also seen how the system is stacked against us, both in regard to the fiendishly complicated affordable housing laws on the books and the mercurial implementation of those laws by our state’s Department of Housing (DoH). We need fighters in Hartford willing to put in the work to improve the laws and force the DoH to simplify the related regulations.
Tom’s approach is both principled and pragmatic. He has earned a bipartisan reputation as one of the most effective, dedicated, and principled legislators in the General Assembly. During the 2024 legislative session, Tom managed to attach an amendment to a popular bill supported by Democratic leadership. The amendment, which passed into law, clarified the requirements to meet the 8-30g moratorium thresholds. He also got the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Housing to confirm on the floor of the Assembly that the clarifications were in line with the original legislative intent of the existing 8-30g law. Together, these actions completely undermined the state’s defense in New Canaan’s appeal of the rejection of our 2022 moratorium application and greatly simplified our path to future 8-30g moratoriums.
Tom’s opponent in the race has no public position on 8-30g. There is no record of his views online and it is not one of the 6 “priorities” on his campaign website, pretty extraordinary for someone looking to represent New Canaan. While that certainly matters, even if he was committed to fighting for changes in 8-30g, it would be a quixotic effort if he were elected. The Democratic leadership in Hartford has lots of experience sidelining Fairfield County Dems whose priorities don’t align with theirs. Even worse, he will be gang-pressed into supporting the latest string of ever more onerous housing bills introduced by Democrats each legislative session in Hartford. You simply cannot fight the battle for local control of zoning from inside the Democratic machine.
A vote for Republican Tom O’Dea is a vote for the preservation of our town’s character. It is a vote to give our town government a very capable and proven ally in Hartford. Let’s re-elect Tom and keep New Canaan the community we know and love.
Sincerely,
Chris Wilson
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To the Editor:
I want to share my enthusiasm for our State Senate candidate Ceci Maher. My children and friends ask me why I feel this way. Simply put, Ceci is smart, works hard, and has values that I admire and has demonstrated as much in her first term
I have personally seen her in action helping thousands as the past leader of Person to Person in Darien and witnessed first-hand her ability to motivate and mobilize people in service of creating better lives for neighbors.
Like many of us, I do not stay up on every development in Hartford so it is important to me to know we are represented by someone who is results oriented, compassion ate, practical, and prizes efficiency. These values will help produce a government that gets the outcomes we hope for.
So please send Ceci back to Hartford as part of a government we can be proud of!
Sincerely,
Rodgers Harper
Ryan Fazio (and Tom O’Dea for that matter) voted *against* the legislation protecting abortion access in CT that was passed after the SCOTUS overturned Roe. Claiming he “works to protect abortion” here is pure revisionist history. Some might even call it an outright lie.
The vote that my friend Hillary is referencing is a vote in 2022 on a bill referred to as HB5414. It was not a bill to legalize abortion; Abortion has been legal under Connecticut law since 1990. The bill was primarily a response to the Texas Heartbeat Act, the extreme Texas anti-abortion law known for allowing abortion “bounties”. HB5414 prevented the enforcement in Connecticut of judgements obtained in lawsuits filed against abortion providers, patients and those who facilitate them under the Texas Heartbeat Law and similar bills elsewhere.
If that was all that was in the HB5414, the Bill would have had enjoyed nearly unanimous approval in the Legislature. Instead, the Democrats added several more controversial provisions, including allowing non-physician providers to perform certain types of abortions. These other provisions naturally garnered Republican opposition which, it turns out, was the point. In politics, this is known as a ‘messaging’ bill. The bill offered Democrats a key talking point when running against incumbent Republicans. It has been very useful for Nick Simmons, who has made it the centrepiece of his campaign against Ryan Fazio, and it was the basis for Hillary’s comment.
Here is the reality – abortion is not under any threat in Connecticut. It has been legal since 1990 and there has been no recent effort to overturn it. Fazio has been clear both in interviews and on his website that he supports keeping abortion legal in Connecticut.
Why the Democrat’s obsession with abortion if it is not at risk? It is better than talking about the bills that have actually been proposed by Democrats in recent legislative sessions in Hartford – things like a statewide property tax (HB5673 in 2023), school regionalization (SB769 in 2023) and Live Work Ride (HB5390 in 2024), an even more onerous housing bill than the infamous 8-30g law. These are real possibilities if the Democrats flip Fazio’s seat and should be the focus of New Canaan voters when making their decisions this November.
Or we could talk about the bills that actually have been passed by the majority the adverse consequences of those bills. Maybe that is why the Democrats have declined to do a debate in New Canaan for the first time in recent memory?
A few examples of consequences of majority’s policies here in CT:
1) Out of control energy costs = CT has the 3rd highest in U.S. and residents experienced a steep increase in rates this summer for “public benefits” charges. It doesn’t help that the regulatory agency in CT is not separated from the political whims since it is under the control of CT Dept of Energy. CT’s green policies have not had a rigorous cost benefit analysis and the costs of implementation were not added into the state budget, but instead pushed onto the backs of residents and businesses in CT. Gov. Lamont acknowledged that new businesses are not likely to invest in CT due to high energy costs. Lamont delayed finalizing any wind power contracts until after the November election. Unfortunately, current mandates for clean energy sources neglect to strategically consider all clean energy options and compare their costs, which is especially concerning given that offshore wind energy costs are expected to be double or even triple current nuclear energy rates.
https://yankeeinstitute.org/2024/09/12/lamont-and-dykes-silent-on-offshore-wind-whats-the-secret/
2) The state continues its attempts to take away local decision making on zoning. Fair Share Phase 1 “Study” results are expected in Nov., again conveniently AFTER the election and these affordable development mandates on every town will be discussed in housing bills next session along with consequences for towns should the units not get built by the private sector. Fair Share has driven NJ – the only state since 1975 to have adopted Fair Shares – into a quagmire of mandated units and endless litigation with the state. NJ currently has the highest local property taxes in the U.S., and CT is currently #3 and will likely rise to the top should this bill pass. Ironically, the consequence in NJ for not building your Fair Shares, is being subject to 8-30g projects – yet CT is already subject to 8-30g! Even more onerous consequences can be expected should the almost 2/3 Majority in Hartford decide to pass Fair Share Phase 2 next session.
3) Statewide K-3 reading mandates were recently implemented and the state denied waivers to high performing school districts like New Canaan (just ranked the #1 district in CT) and are instead forcing all districts to purchase state mandated “off the shelf” reading programs. This raises local property taxes when towns are responsible for paying for that UNFUNDED state education MANDATE to adopt a likely subpar program. NCPS has always written its own curriculum, and it has served our students very well. Our Supt. Bryan Luizzi spoke about this issue on the Lisa Wexler show and he mentioned that New Canaan and other top performing districts have offered to share their curriculum development learnings with the state, as they are the true experts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lisa-wexler-show/id1063388065?i=1000642137108 Unfortunately, providing waivers to high performing districts, did not align with the majority’s equity agenda nor does working collaboratively with the state’s top performing school district leaders to achieve better results for all students in CT.
4) CT has become increasingly unaffordable for its residents. An anemic state economy (suffering from high taxes and high energy costs as stated above) coupled with the majority’s anti-business policies directed at even the smallest of employers, stifles job creation and salary growth, prevents economic investment in our state and drives many businesses and residents out of CT. The lack of salary growth, coupled with recent inflationary pressures has made CT more unaffordable for everyone. Fairfield County’s proximity to the Metro NY economic engine means our housing values and salaries are higher than the rest of the state, which puts our residents in the crosshairs of majority legislators who look to our area and our residents as “the purse” for CT and for their policy making agendas.
An endorsement letter for Ryan Fazio explicitly states that he “works to keep abortion legal” in CT. How, exactly? He voted NO on the most major abortion bill in CT–on a incredibly spurious basis. We trust and allow licensed NPs and midwives to perform far riskier procedures that non-medical abortions–including, notably, childbirth!
Voters reading this–if recent years have taught us anything, it’s not to believe a Republican when they say your reproductive rights are not threatened. All it would take in CT is the legislature to flip R to threaten your rights. And let’s not forget–At least 3 SCOTUS candidates (now justices) appointed by Trump assured us during their hearings that Roe was precedent and would be respected and at the first chance, they overturned it. JD Vance has explicitly called for a national ban. Trump? Who knows–his opinion on it changes with whoever his target audience is. And make no mistake–the New Canaan RTC is now fully behind Trump/Vance. Don’t let them gaslight you into thinking this is a non-issue.
The commenter above knows full well that the New Canaan League of Women Voters decided not to host a debate this year. New Canaan Democrats did not “decline to debate”. When all of her arguments are peppered with lies it makes them hard to assess accurately. If she really believes in the validity of her stances, why does she feel the need to pack them with things that are untrue?
As for protecting the right to access abortion, and the myriad healthcare needs that fall under that right, being seen as a “messaging bill” is part of the issue – the New Canaan Republicans and candidates like Fazio see their support of the right to choose as just “messaging”. With robust efforts to enact a national ban underway and no sign that the current Supreme Court will protect us from it, it is more important than ever to make sure our legislators are committed to maintaining safe access to the healthcare women need. Ryan Fazio, who wrote that Roe v Wade was “offensive to the rule of law and to millions of informed and motivated voters” and received a “perfect score” from CT’s leading anti-abortion group, is not that person. The same goes for gun safety and other issues where Fazio’s positions are too extreme for him to be open and honest about them during the election cycle.
The Republicans reached out to the Democrats to organize a debate, many debates are held outside of the LWV as is happening in Greenwich. The comment from the DTC headquarters chair was that the candidates are “too busy” with 4 debates in Greenwich and in other towns. I strongly believe New Canaan deserves its own debate and this only perpetuates low information voting. Our voters should be able to discuss the issues of concern to our town, in our own town.
Hladick’s language is right off the negative campaign mailers, nice job staying “on message” – all of those issues I mentioned that are impacting affordability for our residents, the education of our children, a feckless and disjointed energy policy that resulted in the downgrading of our state because of the “politics” of PURA being under DEEP, which again just raises our energy costs in CT are not important then? Nothing to see here I guess?
Clearly Jenn and Hilary forget that they live in CT where Democrats have an almost 2/3 majority in BOTH the senate and state rep seats for DECADES. However, with just 1 more Senate seat and 3 more house seats won by a Democrat gives a Supermajority of Democrats who can even override the Governor’s veto. (Those of us concerned about zoning know that a Governor’s veto of an expected Fair Share bill may end up being the last firewall against that horrific bill if passed by the Democrat almost 2/3 majority in the CT legislature. House and Senate Democrats caved on Fair Share Phase 1 being sold that it was “just a study” in 2023 and then in 2024 the House Dems caved on Work Live Ride, another bad bill – so the reliability of votes by Democrats on zoning matters is absolutely in question and justifications of it being “less bad” offer little as consolation – you can’t negotiate against your own town’s best interests, or at least you shouldn’t!)
You have to go back to 1996 for the last time the Republicans had even a simple majority in the Senate and none in the House at all going as far back as 1992.
So it is “extreme” hyperbole to say that there is any risk at all on abortion or guns for that matter, especially when all candidates agree on women’s right to choose and abortion was codified in CT in 1990. It is not “spurious” that some legislators voted Nay in the interest of safety of the patient, having heard from physicians who did not support the expansion of care to APRN, and others as the accessibility of surgical care by physicians was not an issue necessitating the expansion of services. Nonetheless, some of this bill’s content was also in the Budget Implementer in 2023 and Ryan Fazio voted Yay for that bill, for what it is worth.
How else do we know there is no risk on these topics? Just look at the legislative process:
Anyone who pays attention to zoning issues or follows any bills in any other committees knows what it means that Democrats have a 2/3 majority:
1) no bill or concept gets a pubic hearing without the Democrat Leadership on that committee putting it on an agenda. Most Republican bills never event get on the agenda, let alone see the light of day at a public hearing. Then the Democrats committee leaders control the public hearing and the 2/3 Democrat majority can approve or vote down any bill trying to come out of committee to possibly be called on the floor. Again, it is Democrat leadership that decides what bills are a go or no go. Always.
2) Democrat committee leaders write the bill or concept language and committee members from both sides of the aisle often don’t see the language getting voted out of committee to the floor, or the language in an omnibus 100+ page bill at 2AM on a Saturday morning until right before the bill is called. Democrats are told by their party leaders to “trust us” and vote Yea. Republicans end up having to talk that bill for an hour or more so other legislators can read that language that is actually in the bill while the bill is being talked, otherwise they would just be voting for the bill without having read it. Great process, right? Where is the state press watchdog btw?
3) Democrats can pass any bill out of committee to the floor and can pass any bill on the floor of both houses just on a party line vote without a single republican in support and very often Democrats do vote party line when it comes to the controversial concepts.
4) Democrats strong-arm their members by threatening them with loss of committee leadership positions if they don’t “go along to get along” on their controversial concepts. Or they offer them a sweetener on some other bill they want just to get their votes on highly controversial bills like Fair Share Phase 1 that passed in 2023.
5) There are at least 3 Democrat legislators not running again for office this fall because their party machine likely felt they were advocating for their town or city’s interests rather than their party’s ideological agenda. They were primaried by more aggressive Democratic candidates who won and took the “Blue Dog” Democrats out. This will no doubt make the next long session (Jan – June) more challenging for those of us concerned about Fair Share and other zoning policies.
After 4+ years of closely following all housing and zoning issues in Hartford and the “sausage making” in the P&D, Housing, Transportation and other committees and watching bills move through the legislative process to the floor, I can’t unsee all that I have seen. We need better process for sure, and better solutions on the other very real issues that are being ignored by the legacy media or again, mischaracterized, like affordability issues, K-3 reading mandates and lack of waivers, education that is not meeting the needs of students and a strategic and sustainable energy policy.
The majority leaders have completely eroded the bona fide committee and public hearing legislative process. The focus on power and control vs finding creative solutions to solve CT’s problems collaboratively is…. unfortunate.
In the meantime without a Debate, there is a Legislative Forum being held on Oct 16, 7Pm at the New Canaan Museum and Historical Society to discuss issues for the coming long session. Kim Healy can share her experience being appointed to the State’s K-3 state reading leadership council. (The Democrats disbanded that committee, but the Republican leadership reappointed her again while the other Democrats that she collaborated closely with – like the head of the teachers’ union were not reappointed.) AND NOW the committee is looking at K-12 state top down unfunded education mandates. Will high performing districts like New Canaan yet again be denied waivers from state mandated substandard unfunded curriculum programs? What could possibly go wrong???
To really understand who controls CT, Link to Party control info from Ballotpedia and look at the graphic.
https://ballotpedia.org/Party_control_of_Connecticut_state_government
Thanks everyone, this thread is closed.