Author Archives: Norman Needleman

Letter to the Editor: Sen. Needleman Looks Back at ’24 Election, Forward to Opportunities, Challenges Ahead

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To the Editor:

Happy New Year and Happy Legislative Session! On January 8 in Hartford, legislators from around the state including myself were sworn in for our two-year terms in office. There’s a lot of work ahead of us, but as I look forward, I’m also looking back, too.

I am grateful to all of the voters of the 33rd Senate District, across 12 different towns, for their participation in the election this past year. It was certainly consequential and will represent significant changes in Connecticut and the United States, but the most important part is how many people turned out to make their voices heard. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all who voted for me, and am also grateful to those who voted against me; your voices matter, and I will not forget your needs.

I’m looking forward to my fourth term in the State Senate and am ready to get down to business as soon as I’m sworn in. I’m focused on the Energy & Technology Committee, which I chair. Last summer’s high heat and expensive power bills reaffirmed that our residents deserve a high-quality, reliable and affordable power grid that’s built for the needs of the present as well as the future. With costs putting a damper on families’ budgets, I know this is an issue we must address, and I will do whatever I can to find short- and long-term solutions accordingly.

I’m also excited, and ready for more work, in my additional committees. As the Vice Chair of the Planning and Development Committee, I am mindful of our state’s housing crunch and will work alongside my colleagues to find new strategies and avenues that can create new housing units and help support our communities, businesses and families. As well, I’ll keep my eye on the Commerce, Finance, Revenue and Bonding and Transportation Committees as a member, making sure our roads, finances and funding remains in order.

There are plenty of additional issues that I will need to weigh in on in the Senate chambers, and my priorities will include supporting the businesses of Connecticut, finding ways to provide financial relief to families across the state and balancing our budget amid financial pressures within our borders and across the country. The new Presidential administration may also lead to changes in how our state operates, and I will be ready to address new approaches that may be necessary in the coming months.

Overall, the new legislative session represents five months of hard work, but it also represents real opportunities to give back to the people of our state and find ways to improve Connecticut now and in the future. I’m ready to do whatever I can to help our communities and our state.

To learn more about what’s going on in Hartford or to contact my office, please visit https://www.senatedems.ct.gov/senator/norm-needleman.

Sincerely,

Norman Needleman,
Essex, CT

Editor’s Note: The author is the State Senator (D) representing Connecticut’s 33rd Senate District, which includes the Town of Lyme, along with the Towns of Chester, Clinton, Colchester, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Deep River, Haddam, Portland, Westbrook, and part of Old Saybrook.

Letter to the Editor: Needleman Says, “The Election Is Over … Let’s Get To Work”

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To the Editor:

The voters of the 33rd District have chosen me to be their advocate in the State Senate for the next two years. The depth of my gratitude to the voters and to the hundreds of volunteers who helped throughout the campaign is beyond my ability to express.

The electioneering is finished, and now we will confront the hard work: get the state back on track, and secure a fair share of support for the towns in our district.  My opponent and I differed in our approach to addressing those issues, but we agreed that the core challenge is restoring the state’s financial health and economic vitality. There is no quick fix, but in my view the path we must travel is clear.

First, we have to bridge the partisan divide that stands in the way of good ideas and sensible solutions. Partisan politics have crippled our state, and it should be obvious by now that retreating to an ideological corner is lethal to the kind of cooperation we badly need. As I said throughout the campaign, I will work with anyone who is committed to finding real solutions, regardless of political affiliation.

Second, renovating our approach to developing revenue projections and budgets is vitally important, but is not the only component of the path to recovery. As importantly, the state needs a comprehensive economic development plan that clearly defines strategies and tactics for creating jobs. We need a plan that builds a compelling and durable appeal to businesses of all sizes…a plan that creates a marketing and communications framework for coalescing the state’s many attributes and advantages into a compelling message. Without a comprehensive plan, the road to economic vitality will be random and reactive, instead of well directed and focused.

Third, I will tirelessly advocate to make certain that every town in our district receives its fair share of support from Hartford. The perspective I have gained from real world experience in budgeting and managing town and business operations will add both credibility and impact to the voice our towns have in the State Senate.

But we also need to address issues that go beyond the state’s finances. We can never stop advocating for measures that address the quality of life in our towns: women’s issues; primary, secondary, and higher education; benefits to our seniors; support for small businesses; and job training for the thousands of unfilled, high paying technical and manufacturing jobs.

I make the same pledge to those who voted for me and to those who didn’t: I will listen to your concerns, I will give you straight answers, and I will never stop working for you. The challenges and the issues that concern you will always be my focus.

It is time to bridge the partisan gap and start on the road to finding solutions. I’m optimistic, because I believe all of us recognize that we have to set aside our differences and truly work together.  That’s the approach and the attitude I will bring to Hartford as your state senator.

Thanks to all of you for your encouragement and support.

Sincerely,

Norm Needleman,
Essex.

Editor’s Note: The author is the first selectman of Essex and state senator-elect for the 33rd Senate District.

Letter to the Editor: Essex First Selectman Endorses Bjornberg

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To The Editor:

As a business owner and the First Selectman of Essex, I am keenly aware of the difficulties companies and municipalities face here in Connecticut. Small towns like are taking on an unfair share of the burden and are feeling the weight of an increasing number of unfunded mandates from the state.

We need a stronger voice in Hartford, and that’s why I am endorsing Emily Bjornberg for State Senate in the 33rd District. She has the life experience, tenacity and drive to effect real change in Hartford.

Representing our region in Hartford needs to be more than casting a partisan protest vote against the state budget and then blaming the state’s problem on others. What our region needs is someone who will be at the table as important decisions are being made to represent the needs of our towns.

She understands the needs of small business, having grown up working with her family who owns Reynolds Subaru in Lyme. It’s through that family, made up of prominent local Republicans and Democrats, who have instilled in her the ability to find the common ground necessary to bring about constructive and positive change.

I ask that you join me in voting for Emily on November 4.

Sincerely,

Norman Needleman,
Essex

Editor’s Note: The writer is the First Selectman of Essex.