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State Senator Norm Needleman

Biography

State Senator Norm Needleman, seeking his second term in Hartford, is chair of the Energy & Technology Committee. Owner and CEO of Centerbrook’s Tower Laboratories and First Selectman of Essex, now in his fifth term in that role.

Senator Needleman is serious about putting partisan politics aside and finding solutions that benefit all of Connecticut, from finding new solutions in energy generation to supporting legislation to clean our lakes and rivers. He is currently working on the ‘Take Back Our Grid Act,’ energy-focused legislation that would require utilities to be monitored and judged based on performance, assisting ratepayers.

1.  What do you believe are currently the three most pressing issues in the state of Connecticut?

Here are the three challenges I believe require the immediate and intense focus of legislators.

• Manage the COVID-19 pandemic so that individuals, businesses, and schools can return to normal life as soon as possible. Use science, data, and proven medical technology to develop fact-based policies that minimize the spread of the virus. At the same time, make certain that individuals and businesses can access the help they need to confront the difficulties the virus imposes on families and employers. The challenge is to maintain a credible voice in developing policies for managing COVID-19, and  have worked tirelessly to help individuals and businesses in their time of need.
• Advocate to protect our basic rights. The core values of our democracy are at stake in this election. The collapse of both reason and the rule of law at the federal level…in the White House, in congress, and in the judiciary…has profound implications right here where we live. Our state government is the firewall protecting  basic rights like healthcare, a women’s right to choose, and the right to vote. The advocate we send to Hartford must confront challenges to these basic rights, and make certain that the state government remains a pillar of fairness, inclusion, and opportunity for every individual in the state.

Confront the tough decisions that keep the state on the path to fiscal stability. Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 virus, the state has made progress in managing the budget. Without raising  the income tax or sales tax, we have accrued the largest rainy day fund in the state’s history. That fund was a vital resource in managing the COVID-19 crisis. We need to continue to manage the state’s budget process, including making difficult decisions about funding, in order to provide the long term financial stability that is essential for job creation, a healthy business environment, and a robust economy.

2. From the three issues you cite in your response to Question1, identify the one that you think is the most pressing and explain your choice. Then expand on steps you believe should be taken to resolve it and how you could contribute to that resolution process?

The three issues I have cited impact the life of every individual in every one of our towns. But protecting the health and safety of our citizens comes first. COVID-19 is a threat to every element of our society. If we don’t actively protect or citizens,  every aspect of daily life – jobs, schools, recreation, social activity, family life, health, culture –– is affected.  Managing the spread of the virus until medical science gives us vaccines and treatments is vital to our families, our businesses, and our state government.

There are three areas where I can contribute to managing  and controlling the COVID-19 virus.  First, I can continue to actively contribute to developing fact-based policies to confront the virus.  I can help the state senate and the administration maintain a sharp focus on science and data in managing the virus. Common sense, data-driven decisions have kept our state among the best at controlling the first wave of the virus. I will continue to advocate policy development based on science and data.

Second, I can help develop processes and procedures that accelerate the safe reopening of schools and businesses. Making common sense decisions about how and when to reopen schools and businesses is vitally important to returning society to full function as soon as possible. My background in business and town management have been helpful in shaping the policies we used to safely reopen businesses in our state. Undoubtedly, we will need to continually refine what we do and how we do it. I can and will continue to work with the administration in developing forward-looking processes and procedures.

Third, I will work tirelessly to help my constituents access the help they need when confronted with the virus. I have helped secure unemployment benefits for hundreds of constituents, and have helped many businesses identify and secure the support they need to survive the  challenges of the pandemic. Over the course of the months since the onset of the pandemic, I have been sustained by my belief that my job is to help people.

3. What personal characteristics do you embody that justify why people should vote for you?

Here is a list of characteristics that collectively comprise the reason I believe I am the best qualified candidate to represent the people of the 33rd District in the State Senate.

• I have over 20 years of public service experience. In that time, I have learned how important it is to base decisions on facts and common sense. 
• I approach policy making with the perspective that comes from the real world experience of having managed the finances and delivery of services in a town. 
• I believe that an inclusive, bipartisan dialogue is the key to solving problems.  
• I’m not a politician, and I have no political ambitions. I’m in the state senate to help people, not to build a platform for higher office.
• I believe in our state and in the towns in our district.  We are blessed with a great place to live, and  it is my responsibility to do everything I can to make it better for our generation, and for our children. 
• I have been fortunate in my life, but my proudest achievement is helping people through their hard times, and helping them reach and sustain a better life.
• I am motivated by the belief that I am in the state senate to help make certain that our state government remains a pillar of fairness, inclusion, and opportunity for every individual.

Brendan Saunders

Biography

Brendan Saunders lives in Clinton today, but got into politics young. While growing up in Westbrook, he distributed lawn signs for Ed Munster’s Congressional Campaign and volunteered on the committee to elect Town Clerk, Tanya Lane. He helped former State Senator Art Linares and former State Representative Jesse MacLachlan.

He received his MA from Capital Seminary in Maryland. As ordained minister,  he founded Lighthouse Community Church, Westbrook, and stepped down to create the Fusion Podcast for young adults. He is  a self-described Reagan Republican and tireless advocate for freedom, fairness and opportunity for district’s residents and businesses. 

1. What do you believe are currently the three most pressing issues in the state of Connecticut?

1. High Cost of Living

High taxes, fees, regulations, electricity costs have made it expensive to live and operate a business in this state.  

2. Business Climate

The pandemic made the situation worse. Prior, CT business climate was poor. Large companies left and small businesses suffered under the high cost of doing business here. 

3. Policing

Since passing the Police Accountability Bill (6004), recruitment is undermined and the relationship between the state and police officers is tenuous.

2. From the three issues you cite in your response to Question 1, identify the one that you think is the most pressing and explain your choice. Then expand on steps you believe should be taken to resolve it and how you could contribute to that resolution process.

The issue of the Ct’s high cost of living must be met head on. Raising taxes must stop.  Adding additional taxes must be curtailed.  Fees must be rolled back.  At the same time, Hartford must trim spending.

Basic economics teaches that we cannot tax our way to prosperity.  The current migration of people out of New York City and into Connecticut is an example of this.  On the other hand, lowering the cost of living creates an inviting environment for business and individuals.

If elected I will work to roll back taxes and fees that have hurt small businesses like the Pass-Through Entity tax and excessive LLC filing fees.  I will work to restore the R&D tax credit and expand the state’s apprenticeship tax credit program.  I will not vote for tax increases or adding the sales tax to additional items or services.  I will work to find areas of government to cut with a goal of streamlining and creating efficiency in our agencies and departments. 

3. What personal characteristics do you embody that justify why people should vote for you?. 

Honesty and compassion.  I  served in ministry and am known as a man of my word.  I seek to unify, and not divide.  I have not used negative attacks against my opponent or deceptive tactics to erroneously describe his views.

David Rubino

Biography

I am a lawyer who has worked nationally and internationally for most of my career in support of people in need. I have operated at the highest levels of government globally, working with legislatures, parliaments and presidential administrations throughout the world.

Currently I sit on the Old Lyme Economic Development Commission. I am a small business owner with my own law firm on Halls Road in Old Lyme.  My wife Alecia is an English teacher at Daniel Hand High School in Madison.  We have two daughters, Bea (9) and Frida (5) in the Region 18 public school system.

1. What do you believe are currently the three most pressing issues in the state of Connecticut?

The primary concern heading into the next session has to be responding to COVID.  This is a moving target. We have no idea where we are going to be in October, never mind January. And there are a lot of issues to cover. I am a parent, the husband of a teacher and a small business owner.  So I have a lot of skin in the game.  I would say that we need to be vigilant about a surge in cases and be sure to appropriately protect our frontline medical workers, teachers and students.  This means ensuring that we have ample PPE and that resources are directed to hospitals and medical providers.  With regard to schools, I think that we need to be smart and follow the science.

Secondly, and relatedly we’ll need to look to sustain and grow Connecticut’s economy.  We are likely to be facing a lengthy recession due to COVID and it is imperative that we take the appropriate actions to protect and grow our small businesses.  This means ensuring that there is support in place for businesses that may be suffering as a result of the virus and likewise ensuring that workers who either lose jobs or have reduced hours can make ends meet. It also means investing in our economy to stimulate job growth.

Finally, I think in the wake of all this, we cannot forget about climate change. Though there is a lot going on in the world, the country, the state and the district, climate change remains an existential threat. We need to set aside political differences and embrace clean energy policies to protect the environment, while creating crucial opportunities for job growth and economic stability.

2. From the three issues you cite in your response to Question 1, identify the one that you think is the most pressing and explain your choice. Then expand on steps you believe should be taken to resolve it and how you could contribute to that resolution process?

I think the economic response to COVID is tantamount.  People social-distance, they wear masks, they wash hands.  In general we are better situated to combat the “physical” side of the virus than we were six or eight months ago.  Moreover, if a vaccine is available in the coming months, the public health concerns will be able to be reduced even further.  But that is simply not the case with the economic effects.

The economy has been hit and it has been hit hard.  So we need to do all we can to address the repercussions.  For me the first step will be to look at Governor Lamont’s executive orders and determine which ones we need to codify.  To date we have been reactive to the virus. It’s time to get proactive.  We need to help those who are struggling and for that we need revenue.  Therefore, I would look at increasing our sources of revenue and widening our tax base. With regard to the former, I would advocate for pursuing the legalization, regulation, and taxation, of marijuana in our state.  We are currently losing revenue to neighboring states, and getting ahead of the inevitable national legalization of marijuana will allow us to quickly take advantage of upwards of $100 million/year in tax revenue.

Finally, I would look to take advantage of the “new normal.” One upside of the virus is that we have seen that remote work is now an acceptable part of our cultural fabric. Industry is less location-dependent and an office in New York or Boston is no longer a prerequisite to success. Suddenly our state, and our district, has a business allure that it arguably never had before. I envision an economic future that involves attracting small business and entrepreneurs via incubators and co-working spaces, and will propose that the state invest in a solid marketing campaign to leverage all that we have to offer.

3. What personal characteristics do you embody that justify why people should vote for you?

I have spent the better part of my career fighting for the rule of law, for human rights and for Democracy. I know what good governance looks like, because my job for over a decade was to promote it.  But I think perhaps my greatest strength – especially for the moment we are currently in – is my track record of responding to adversity.

I have lived and worked in many developing countries and the crux of my work focused on human rights, women’s rights, anti-corruption, human trafficking, elections, and legislative reform. I have decades of practical, real world experience overcoming difficult and often unprecedented challenges.  I have helped to draft legislation for various countries on issues of national and international import.  I have specifically designed programs geared toward creating environments for small businesses to grow and thrive.  Fighting the kind of fight we are in has been my life’s work.

Significantly, all of my international work was bipartisan in nature – supported by funding from the Bush administration, then the Obama administration, and finally by the Trump administration.  Some American values know no party affiliation.  I hope to adapt this apolitical approach to problem-solving to my work in Hartford.  We have a lot of work to do to bring this country back together and it starts right here in our own backyard.