Category Archives: Politics

State Rep. Devin Carney Endorsed for Another Term in 23rd District

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State Rep. Devin Carney has been endorsed by local Republicans for another term in the 23rd District, which includes both Lyme and Old Lyme.

LYME/OLD LYME — (press release from Devin Carney) On Tuesday, May 19, Republican delegates from Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, and Westbrook unanimously endorsed State Representative Devin Carney for a fourth term as representative for the 23rd District.

The delegates held a convention by web conference to endorse Carney, making his campaign for another two-year term as State Representative official. Delegates gave remarks on State Representative Carney’s dedicated and effective record of public service as well as being a knowledgeable and accessible legislator for the four communities.

“Representing the 23rd District – the place where my family lives, where I was raised, where I went to school, where I work and volunteer – has truly been the honor of a lifetime,” said Carney.  “I am proud to be your voice in Hartford to advocate for fiscal responsibility, small business growth, our wonderful public schools, and our precious shoreline coast. We are facing an uncertain future and need experienced leaders who put people over politics – something I have always done.”

Lyme-Old Lyme Board of Education Member, Dr. Mary Powell-St. Louis, nominated Carney.“Devin has done a wonderful job representing people here in the 23rd District. He listens, cares, and is a real voice of reason”, said Powell-St. Louis. “As a Region 18 parent and Board of Education member, I was particularly pleased with how hard he worked against state forced expanded school regionalization last year.”

Old Saybrook First Selectman Carl Fortuna seconded Carney’s nomination.

“It has been a pleasure working with Devin over the past several years. He has been a strong advocate for small towns and small businesses and has worked diligently to ensure our needs are met,” Fortuna said. “His knowledge of state and local issues, active community outreach, and his legislative experience are exactly what we need as the state works through the COVID-19 crisis and its aftermath.”

Judy Tooker, Old Lyme’s Tax Collector, added, “Devin understands the unique needs of our community members, from healthcare and transportation to employment and jobs, and he will focus on the district – not partisan politics. We need his strong voice in Hartford now more than ever.”

In addition to receiving the Republican nomination on Tuesday, Carney reported that he had raised the necessary contributions to qualify for the state’s Citizens’ Clean Election Program.

Carney, who works in finance and real estate, was first elected to the legislature in 2014. He was born and raised in Old Saybrook and lives in Old Lyme with his significant other, Lisa. He currently serves as Ranking Member of the Transportation Bonding Subcommittee and serves on the legislative committees overseeing Transportation, Planning & Development, and Finance, Revenue, and Bonding. He was named a 2019 Environmental Champion by the League of Conservation Voters for his work supporting renewable energy and received the Legislative Service Award from the Connecticut Counseling Association for his work on mental health issues and opioid addiction.

In district, he serves on the Boards of the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center and Saye Brook Senior Housing. He is also an active member of the Old Saybrook Rotary Club, both the Lyme-Old Lyme and Old Saybrook Chambers of Commerce, and with Grace Church in Old Saybrook. In addition to his duties as State Representative, he serves as an alternate to the Old Lyme Zoning Board of Appeals.

 

Human Rights Attorney Dave Rubino Nominated to Challenge Carney for 23rd House District Seat

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Dave Rubin is the endorsed candidate nominated by local Democrats to contest the 23rd District seat.

OLD LYME — (Press release from Rubino 2020) On Monday night, the 23rd House District Democratic Convention in the towns of Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook and Westbrook nominated Dave Rubino to challenge State Representative Devin Carney for the 23rd District House Seat. Rubino has spent most of his career promoting American democratic values abroad, and his campaign says his skill set will be invaluable in these difficult times.

“Rebuilding and preserving our economy and regional treasures will require real leadership, creative ideas and an understanding of what the stakes are,” said Old Lyme Selectwoman Mary Jo Nosal. “Dave is a successful small-business owner and lawyer. His wife is a teacher. He is navigating the distance-learning of two young children. He has decades of practical, real-world experience overcoming adversity, with positive outcomes that bring people together.”

Rubino’s campaign will focus on addressing the repercussions of the COVID-19 crisis while planning a future that keeps the area attractive to businesses and supports working families. He advocates for a minimum wage that can provide for a family, an overhaul of our toxic student debt system, a functioning and affordable public healthcare system, and environmental policies that reflect a realistic understanding of the risks and challenges we face.

But these solutions, he says, will require true collaboration across the aisle.

“We can’t function with this level of polarization,” said Rubino.  “Although I am a progressive Democrat, all of my international work has been bipartisan in nature – supported by funding from the Bush administration, then the Obama administration, and finally by the Trump administration. I have helped draft laws for various countries on issues of national and international import. I know how to bring people to the table when it counts.”

According to campaign manager Anna Reiter, “Dave believes in an inclusive democracy and an equitable economy. But first and foremost he’s a professional who knows how to get things done with integrity and leadership. He will stand up for our values. That’s what we need right now.”

“I’m proud to stand with someone whose values I believe in,” said former Secretary of the State Miles Rapoport. “I have known Dave for years, and I’ve watched his work with great admiration.  Dave has litigated national voting rights cases, fought against government corruption, supported the rights of women, and been effective on every issue he has worked on. He is just the kind of person we need in the Connecticut legislature in these challenging times.”

Rubino will be funding his campaign via public financing through Connecticut’s Clean Elections Program. People wishing to support his campaign can  donate or volunteer at www.rubino2020.com.

Gov. Lamont Signs Executive Order Allowing All Eligible CT Residents to Vote Absentee in Aug. 11 Primary Elections

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Photo by Elements Digital on Unsplash.

HARTFORD/LYME/OLD LYME – (from a press release issued by the Governor’s office) Governor Ned Lamont yesterday announced that because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, he has signed an executive order allowing all registered voters in Connecticut to vote absentee in the Aug. 11, 2020 primary elections.

Current state law authorizes the use of an absentee ballot for six reasons, including a voter’s active service in the Armed Forces; absence from town during all of the hours of voting; own illness; religious beliefs; duties as an election official; and physical disability.

Governor Lamont said that as the highly contagious virus continues to spread and nearly 3,500 people in the state who have contracted the disease have died within the last two months, it is critical that state government make reasonable adjustments that reflect the current state of emergency while ensuring that the democratic process continues safely and securely.

“Nobody should need to make a decision between their health and their right to vote,” Governor Lamont said. “Our state has taken every responsible step to this point to ensure that our residents are safe, and the next step we must take is to mitigate the risk of the spread of COVID-19 when Connecticut residents cast their ballots. We must guarantee access to the ballot, and this is a way to do that during these extraordinary circumstances. I do not take this decision lightly, and it is with the public health and welfare of residents in mind.”

Secretary of the State Denise Merrill has announced that she intends to mail every registered voter in the state an application they will need to fill out and return in order to obtain an absentee ballot. That application, which will be sent via U.S. Postal Service, will include a postage paid return envelope.

After processing the applications at the local level, all voters who requested an absentee ballot will receive the ballots in the mail, which will also include a postage paid return envelope. Each town will also have a secure dropbox in a prominent location to allow voters to deliver their absentee ballots in person without close personal contact.

Connecticut’s 2020 presidential primary was initially scheduled to be held on April 28, but to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19, Governor Lamont signed executive orders rescheduling it, first to June 2 and then to August 11, the same date that the state was already scheduled to hold primaries for other federal, state, and local offices.

Moving the presidential primary to this date enables the primary for president to appear on the same ballot as those for other offices, and eliminates the need for the state to hold two separate primary elections.

Gov. Lamont Reschedules Presidential Primary … Again, This Time to Aug. 11

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HARTFORD/LYME/OLD LYME – Last Thursday, April 17, Gov. Ned Lamont announced in Executive Order 7BB that he is ordering Connecticut’s 2020 presidential primary election to be rescheduled to Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020, due to the ongoing public health crisis caused by COVID-19. He stated this action is being taken in coordination with Secretary of the State Denise Merrill.

This is the second time the governor has rescheduled the presidential preference primary due to the pandemic. It was originally scheduled to be held April 28 and then ordered last month to be rescheduled to June 2.

Voting on Aug. 11 will take place from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Lyme Town Hall for Lyme residents and Cross Lane Firehouse for Old Lyme residents.

Absentee Ballot Applications already received by the Lyme and Old Lyme Town Clerks will be used for the new date. Visit this link to request an absentee ballot for the Primary.

For more information on the local Primaries, visit the Town of Lyme website or the Town of Old Lyme website.

The state is already scheduled to hold primaries for other federal, state, and local offices on August 11. Moving the presidential primary to this date will enable the presidential primary to appear on the same ballot as those other races.

“To protect the health and safety of voters, poll workers, and the most vulnerable populations, it just makes most sense to extend the date out to August,” Governor Lamont said. “I appreciate the continued contact with Secretary Merrill, as well as all of our town clerks and registrars who’ve worked with us each step of the way through this crisis to respond and make necessary adjustments.”

“I support the governor’s decision to move the primary to August 11 to coincide with our state and federal primary,” Secretary Merrill said. “This date change will allow us to make it easier to protect the health and safety of voters and local election officials, prepare for the anticipated increase in demand for absentee ballots, save towns money, and let voters make their voices heard in the presidential primary process, all by holding one primary instead of two.”

Non-Essential Businesses Must Close by 8pm Monday, DECD Defines ‘Essential’ Businesses That Can Stay Open

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LYME/OLD LYME — State Representative Devin Carney (R-23), whose District includes Lyme and Old Lyme, sent us the detailed information announced yesterday by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) regarding which businesses are deemed essential in the state pursuant to Executive Order 7H.

That order had directed all businesses and nonprofit entities in the State of Connecticut to utilize, to the maximum extent possible, any telecommuting or work from home procedures that they can safely employ.

Executive Order 7H also directed that, no later than today, Monday, March 23, at 8 p.m., each non-essential business or nonprofit entity must reduce the in-person workforce at each business location by 100% from pre-state of emergency declaration employment levels.

This order excludes any state or local government agencies, quasi-public agencies, political subdivisions or other entities that do not constitute businesses or nonprofits.

The details announced yesterday by the DECD identify all essential businesses in a docment titled, Business Exemptions for Coronavirus – Executive Order 7H, which includes 12 different categories of businesses.

If the function of your business is not listed as one of the Business Exemptions, but you believe that it is essential or it is an entity providing essential services or functions, you may request designation as an Essential Business.

Requests by businesses to be designated an essential function as described above, should ONLY be made if they are NOT covered by the guidance.

To request designation as an Essential Business, click here.

Any business that only has a single occupant/employee (e.g. attendant) is deemed exempt and need not submit a request to be designated as an Essential Business.

If you have further questions not answered above, submit them to DECD at decd.covid19@ct.gov.

If you have questions for State Rep. Carney, email him at Devin.Carney@housegop.ct.gov or call 800-842-1423.