We-Ha.com is offering our readers the opportunity to meet the candidates running for election on Nov. 4, 2014.

Compiled by Ronni Newton

Brian Becker. Submitted photo.

“Meet the Candidate” is designed to help West Hartford residents get to know the candidates running for office in the Nov. 4, 2014 election.

Questionnaires have been sent to all major party candidates, and each profile received has been submitted directly to We-Ha.com by the candidate or the candidate’s campaign management. The responses have not been edited.

As profiles are received, they will be published on We-Ha.com under the “Government” tab. We-Ha.com is not making endorsements of any political candidates.

If you are a candidate and wish to submit a profile, please return it by email to [email protected] by Oct. 30.

Name: Brian Becker

Age: 52

Party, position seeking: Democrat, 19^th District State Representative

Family information: Lives in West Hartford with his wife, Laura, with whom he has two adult sons, Casey and Cary.

Other occupation, if applicable:  Attorney at Becker Law Offices, LLC in West Hartford

Political experience:  Was first elected to the General Assembly in 2010.

Other relevant experience: In my role as State Representative I serve as Vice Chairman of the Commerce Committee, and as a member of the Energy and Technology, Finance Revenue and Bonding, and Program Review and Investigation Committees.  Last December, I was named Co-Chair of the Special Education Select Working Group of the M.O.R.E. Commission, which is tasked with studying ways to improve the efficacy and efficiency of special education.

Prior to working with my wife in our own law practice I was Senior Vice President, Associate General Counsel, Director of Corporate Law and Corporate Secretary at The Hartford with responsibility for enterprise-wide corporate legal matters.

I am a graduate of Hall High School, the University of Pennsylvania (B.A., Economics and History) and Boston University School of Law (J.D.).

Over the years, I have been an active volunteer in the community including, serving on Foodshare’s Board of Directors (where I am still an Honorary Director), driving for Meals-On-Wheels, coaching youth sports, reading as a literacy volunteer, and serving on the West Hartford Housing Code Appeals Board. I also founded and was the first president of the Emanuel Synagogue Brotherhood, and served on the synagogue’s board of trustees.

Why are you running for office?  I am running for re-election because our work is not done.  While we have made progress in job creation (unemployment is now at a five-year low), government efficiency (we are saving $2.2 million per year in energy costs due to the “Lead By Example” Program I co-authored), and education (we expanded educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and are moving toward universal pre-school), we need to keep moving forward.

What issue(s) are your primary area of focus?  We need to keep focusing on job creation until everyone who wants a job has one.  Energy efficiency and renewable energy technology continue to be a focus of mine as I believe these are 21^st century jobs we can create right here in our state.  The innovative steps we make in the energy field will help everyone in our state – businesses and consumers alike.  Special education also needs our attention and we must find more effective ways of delivering services to our neediest students to help them lead independent, productive lives while maintaining the quality of education for all our students.

What do you feel is the biggest issue facing West Hartford today? In each of the years I have served, we have maintained (and in some instances increased) municipal aid to the town.  We need to continue to work to make sure that West Hartford gets its fair share of state funding so that property taxes will not be adversely affected.

 (Optional) Anything else you would like to share? For more information, please visit my website at: brianbeckerforstaterep.com.