West Hartford continues to lead the state with the most number of early voting ballots cast, and the League of Women Voters of Greater Hartford has provided the final updates to submitted candidate profiles.

By Ronni Newton

With less than a week to go before Election Day, West Hartford voters continue to turn out in force to take advantage of the first ever opportunity to participate in early voting for a general election.

As of 1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31, there were 11,976 early voting ballots cast in West Hartford – the highest number of any municipality in Connecticut, according to a spokesperson from the Secretary of the State’s Office. Norwalk is second, with 11,691 early voters.

West Hartford has 42,242 registered voters, and the percentage of those who have utilized the early voting option now exceeds 28%.

Statewide, as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, there were 484,592 early voting ballots cast, according to the Secretary of the State’s Office.

In 2023, Gov. Ned Lamont signed “An Act Implementing Early Voting,” making Connecticut the 47th state in the country to implement early voting. West Hartford’s Town Council approved the use of Town Hall as the sole polling place for early voting, which was also held on a smaller scale for the Presidential Preference Primary in April 2024 and for August 2024 primaries.

Early voting will continue at West Hartford Town Hall through Sunday, Nov. 3. For the remaining days, the hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day, with extended hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31.

According to Town Clerk Leon Davidoff, Monday, Nov. 4, is the last day that the Office of the Town Clerk will process absentee ballot applications. In addition, Connecticut’s Secretary of the State’s Office informed municipalities on Monday that the online portal for obtaining absentee ballot applications would be turned off at 11:49 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 28, so downloading an application is no longer an option.

“If anyone needs an absentee ballot, they must come to the Town Clerk’s Office,” Davidoff said Tuesday.

As of Thursday, Davidoff said 3,464 absentee ballots had been issued in West Hartford, including supervised ballots. There have been 2,726 completed ballots returned as of Thursday – a 78.7% return rate.

All absentee ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5. That means the ballots must either be deposited in one of the official ballot drop boxes (at the main entrance to Town Hall or in the parking lot of the Faxon Library) or dropped off in person at the Town Clerk’s Office at Town Hall, 50 South Main Street, Room 313. Mailing in the ballot is not recommended because the completed ballot must be delivered – not just postmarked – by 8 p.m. on Nov. 5 in order to count.

The general election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, and traditional voting will be held at eight different polling places throughout town with the polls open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m.

For more information about early voting and the location of polling places in West Hartford, click here.

Any additional questions can also be addressed by contacting the Office of the Town Clerk at 860-561-7430.

Candidate Profiles for West Hartford 

The following information about candidates for State Senate and State House who are running to represent West Hartford is an extract from the League of Women Voters online Voter Guide, Vote411.org, which has been shared with We-Ha.com. Information about candidates running for President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives is not provided here.

According to the League of Women Voters, candidates were given the opportunity to answer questions in both English and Spanish.  When the candidate responded only in English, the questions asked in Spanish have been deleted. 

Race: State Representative District 6

Description: Together, the House of Representatives and the Senate constitute the Connecticut General Assembly (CGA). The General Assembly enacts legislation dealing with state appropriations and finance, public welfare, the environment, public works, housing, education, civil and criminal laws, and other matters. The Senate tries all impeachments of executive and judicial branch officials. In Connecticut, members of the state’s legislative body, the General Assembly, must be at least eighteen years old and reside in the district they represent. Senate and House members serve two-year terms. Candidates were asked to respond to questions developed by local Leagues of Women Voters (LWV).  Candidates enter their replies directly into Vote411, and  replies are not edited by the LWV.This is the link to the CGA website:  https://www.cga.ct.gov/

Candidates:

Alyssa Peterson

Party: Petitioning

Questions:

• Q: Please provide a brief biography and explain why you are running for office.
• A: – no response –
• Q: Connecticut’s fiscal guardrail law, which limits how budget surpluses can be used, should be changed to allow for more flexible spending.
• A: – no response –
• Q: Please explain your position concerning CT’s fiscal guardrail law.
• A: – no response –
• Q: What measures would you support to achieve equity in education in Connecticut?
• A: – no response –
• Q: What are the most important issues facing your district and how would you address them?
• A: – no response –
• Q: What is your recommended policy approach on the affordable housing supply in Connecticut?
• A: – no response –

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James “Jimmy” Sanchez

Party: Democratic

Campaign Phone: 860-270-9473

Campaign Email: [email protected]

Questions:

• Q: Please provide a brief biography and explain why you are running for office.
• A: James B. Sánchez currently serves the people of Hartford & West Hartford in the General Assembly. He formerly served with distinction on the Hartford City Council. Sánchez is a proud veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a proud 30-year union member, a Democratic Town Committee member (6th district), former president of the Hartford Diversity Lions Club. As a father, grandfather & great grandfather he represents the largest ethnic group in Hartford, has achieved much for the people of Hartford and West Hartford—working with public officials & families to make streets safer, increase economic opportunity, end urban blight, address environmental issues, improve equitable employment & housing, and reinforce our Capital city.
• Q: Favor de proveer una pequena biografia y explicar porque esta corriendo para un puesto (limitado a 750 caracteres)
• A: James B. Sánchez actualmente sirve al pueblo de Hartford y West Hartford en la Asamblea General. Anteriormente sirvió con distinción en el Concejo Municipal de Hartford. Sánchez es un orgulloso veterano de la Infantería de Marina de los Estados Unidos y un orgulloso sindicato de 30 años. miembro, miembro del Comité Municipal Demócrata (sexto distrito), ex presidente del Hartford Diversity Lions Club. Como padre, abuelo y bisabuelo, representa al grupo étnico más grande de Hartford, ha logrado mucho para la gente de Hartford y West Hartford: trabaja con funcionarios públicos y familias para hacer las calles más seguras, aumentar las oportunidades económicas, poner fin al deterioro urbano, abordar el problema ambiental. problemas, mejorar el
• Q: Connecticut’s fiscal guardrail law, which limits how budget surpluses can be used, should be changed to allow for more flexible spending. [Las leyes fiscales en Connecticut de contracarril, limitan como el presupuesto restante puede ser utilizado.  Esto deberia ser cambiado para que haya mas flexibilidad en el uso de fondos? Completamente en desacuerdo; De acuerdo; Ni de acuerdo ni en desacuerdo; De acuerdo; Completament de acuerdo]
• A: Agree
• Q: Please explain your position concerning CT’s fiscal guardrail law.
• A: I agree that the fiscal guardrails need to remain in place. At the same time, when budget surpluses go far beyond expectations, I think some of that money should be used to meet the needs of the public. For example, if we project a surplus of 10%, those extra dollars should go toward our rainy day fund and paying down our long-term burdensome pension debt, but if the surplus reaches an unexpected 14%, I think that the extra 4% still available should be used to help the people of Connecticut, eit
• Q: Por favor explique su respuesta con relacion a las leyes fiscales de contracarril (Limitado a 500 caracteres)
• A: Estoy de acuerdo en que las barreras fiscales deben permanecer vigentes. Al mismo tiempo, cuando los superavits presupuestarios superan con creces las expectativas, creo que parte de ese dinero deberia utilizarse para satisfacer las necesidades del publico. Por ejemplo, si proyectamos un superavit del 10%, esos dolares adicionales deberian destinarse a nuestro fondo de emergencia y al pago de nuestra onerosa deuda de pensiones a largo plazo, pero si el superavit alcanza un inesperado 14%, cre
• Q: What measures would you support to achieve equity in education in Connecticut?
• A: Every child deserves a great school and a great education. To guarantee that happens, we will need to fully fund PILOT, fully fund ECS, and limit additional expansion of CREC, which is often taking great students out of great neighborhood schools. I am a product of both the Hartford school system and the parochial school system. And throughout the years, I’ve seen the deterioration of our neighborhood schools. There’s a true need to reinvest in these schools.
• Q: Que medidas usted apoyaria para lograr equidad (igualdad) en el Sistema Educativo de Connecticut? (Limitado a 800 caracteres)
• A: Cada niño merece una gran escuela y una gran educacion. Para garantizar que eso suceda, necesitaremos financiar completamente PILOT, financiar completamente ECS y limitar la expansion adicional de CREC, que a menudo saca a excelentes estudiantes de excelentes escuelas.
• Q: What are the most important issues facing your district and how would you address them?
• A: Quality of life continues to remain a pressing concern of my district. Crime is down. Jobs are up. But funding is stagnant. We need greater investment from the State of Connecticut, and we need a fairly radical investment in quality, affordable housing. especially development in South Meadows. Development in the South Meadows will benefit not only Hartford and West Hartford, but will benefit all our neighboring towns and its region.
• Q: Que disputas son las mas importantes en su Distrito y como usted las enfrentaria? (Limitado a 800 caracteres)
• A: La calidad de vida sigue siendo una preocupacion apremiante en mi distrito. El crimen ha bajado. Los empleos han aumentado. Pero la financiacion esta estancada. Necesitamos una mayor inversion del Estado de Connecticut, y necesitamos una inversion bastante radical en viviendas asequibles y de calidad, especialmente desarrollo en South Meadows.
• Q: What is your recommended policy approach on the affordable housing supply in Connecticut?
• A: We need to ensure that 8-30g is fully enforced so that affluent communities step up. If every town was committed to enforcing the law of having 10% of their housing stock to affordable housing, there would be no housing crisis in Connecticut. It’s time for other towns to step up. At the same time, we need to invest in transit oriented housing and put more CRDA funds into rehabbing older housing stock rather than building new units that are out of reach for people.
• Q: Cual es su recomendacion usted propondria para proveer Vivienda accequible en Connecticut? (Limitadio a 800 caracteres)
• A: Mi enfoque politico recomendado sobre la oferta de viviendas asequibles en CT es para asegurarnos de que 8-30g se aplique plenamente para que las comunidades ricas den un paso al frente. Si cada ciudad/ pueblo se comprometiera a hacer cumplir la ley de asignar el 10% de su parque de viviendas a viviendas asequibles, no habria crisis de vivienda en Connecticut. Es hora de que otras ciudades y pueblos den un paso al frente. Al mismo tiempo, necesitamos invertir en viviendas orientadas al transporte publico y destinar mas fondos de CRDA a rehabilitar viviendas antiguas en lugar de construir nuevas unidades que estan fuera del alcance de las personas.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Race: State Representative District 15

Description: Together, the House of Representatives and the Senate constitute the Connecticut General Assembly (CGA). The General Assembly enacts legislation dealing with state appropriations and finance, public welfare, the environment, public works, housing, education, civil and criminal laws, and other matters. The Senate tries all impeachments of executive and judicial branch officials. In Connecticut, members of the state’s legislative body, the General Assembly, must be at least eighteen years old and reside in the district they represent. Senate and House members serve two-year terms. Candidates were asked to respond to questions developed by local Leagues of Women Voters (LWV).  Candidates enter their replies directly into Vote411, and  replies are not edited by the LWV.This is the link to the CGA website:  https://www.cga.ct.gov/

Candidates:

Bobby Gibson

Party: Democratic

Questions:

• Q: Please provide a brief biography and explain why you are running for office.
• A: – no response
• Q: Connecticut’s fiscal guardrail law, which limits how budget surpluses can be used, should be changed to allow for more flexible spending.
• A: – no response –
• Q: Please explain your position concerning CT’s fiscal guardrail law.
• A: – no response –
• Q: What measures would you support to achieve equity in education in Connecticut?
• A: – no response –
• Q: What are the most important issues facing your district and how would you address them?
• A: – no response –
• Q: What is your recommended policy approach on the affordable housing supply in Connecticut?
• A: – no response –

Quentin Johnson

Party: Republican

Questions:

• Q: Please provide a brief biography and explain why you are running for office.
• A: – no response –
• Q: Connecticut’s fiscal guardrail law, which limits how budget surpluses can be used, should be changed to allow for more flexible spending.
• Q: Please explain your position concerning CT’s fiscal guardrail law.
• A: – no response –
• Q: What measures would you support to achieve equity in education in Connecticut?
• A: – no response –
• Q: What are the most important issues facing your district and how would you address them?
• A: – no response –
• Q: What is your recommended policy approach on the affordable housing supply in Connecticut?
• A: – no response –

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Race: State Representative District 18

Description: Together, the House of Representatives and the Senate constitute the Connecticut General Assembly (CGA). The General Assembly enacts legislation dealing with state appropriations and finance, public welfare, the environment, public works, housing, education, civil and criminal laws, and other matters. The Senate tries all impeachments of executive and judicial branch officials. In Connecticut, members of the state’s legislative body, the General Assembly, must be at least eighteen years old and reside in the district they represent. Senate and House members serve two-year terms. Candidates were asked to respond to questions developed by local Leagues of Women Voters (LWV).  Candidates enter their replies directly into Vote411, and  replies are not edited by the LWV.This is the link to the CGA website:  https://www.cga.ct.gov/

Candidates:

Jillian Gilchrest

Party: Democratic

Biographical Info:

• You TubeVideo: https://www.youtube.com/watchv=WTbFzu5KdxQ&list=PL7iDUvN5y2AqR4vQ0FBJ0TRAdDTmVdc0i&index=6
• Campaign Email: [email protected]
• Campaign Phone: 860-933-2596
• Candidate Name: Jillian Gilchrest
• Instagram: @jilchrest
• Facebook: Facebook.com/jilchrest
• Campaign Mailing Address: 87 Woodpond Rd., West Hartford, CT 06107

Questions:

• Q: Please provide a brief biography and explain why you are running for office.
• A: Jillian Gilchrest was elected to represent the 18th District of West Hartford in the Connecticut General Assembly (CGA) in 2018. Committees. Prior to becoming a state representative, Jillian served as the Director of Health Professional Outreach for the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut, and Director of Policy & Communications for the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence. She has extensive experience advocating for women’s health and safety, in particular influencing public policy at the CGA. I am running for re-election to improve conditions for those in West Hartford and across the state. I want to be a voice for you at the State Capitol.
• Q: Connecticut’s fiscal guardrail law, which limits how budget surpluses can be used, should be changed to allow for more flexible spending.
• A: Strongly Agree
• Q: Please explain your position concerning CT’s fiscal guardrail law.
• A: This isn’t an all or nothing. We can both pay off Connecticut’s debt and invest in our state’s future. By not adjusting the fiscal guardrails, Connecticut will continue to limit access to social services and healthcare, pay state contractors poverty wages, and  underfund the state’s public education system. Good fiscal health means that we must pay our debt and invest in our future.
• Q: What measures would you support to achieve equity in education in Connecticut?
• A: I would support fully funding the state’s ECS formula and increasing wages of teachers and support staff at our most at-risk schools.
• Q: What are the most important issues facing your district and how would you address them?
• A: Cost of living, quality public education, and access to childcare. Each of these issues is directly linked to the debate over the fiscal guardrails. When the state shortchanges municipalities, property taxes increase. And, the only way for childcare to become more affordable is for government to make a significant financial investment.
• Q: What is your recommended policy approach on the affordable housing supply in Connecticut?
• A: I think that Connecticut must to more to either require or incentivize municipalities to build more affordable housing. West Hartford has been a leader in this regard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Race: State Representative District 19

Description: Together, the House of Representatives and the Senate constitute the Connecticut General Assembly (CGA). The General Assembly enacts legislation dealing with state appropriations and finance, public welfare, the environment, public works, housing, education, civil and criminal laws, and other matters. The Senate tries all impeachments of executive and judicial branch officials. In Connecticut, members of the state’s legislative body, the General Assembly, must be at least eighteen years old and reside in the district they represent. Senate and House members serve two-year terms. Candidates were asked to respond to questions developed by local Leagues of Women Voters (LWV).  Candidates enter their replies directly into Vote411, and  replies are not edited by the LWV.This is the link to the CGA website:  https://www.cga.ct.gov/

Candidates:

Tammy Exum

Party: Democratic

Biographical Info:

• Campaign Website: tammyexum2024.com
• Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/Exum2024
• Twitter: @tammy_exum
• Campaign Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: tammyexum2024

Questions:

• Q: Please provide a brief biography and explain why you are running for office.
• A: Tammy Exum was first elected in April, 2019. She serves as Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee; Chair of the Transforming Children’s Behavioral Health Policy and Planning Committee (TCB); and is a Deputy Majority Leader. During the 2022 session, Rep. Exum helped champion and co-author transformative legislation, “An Act Concerning Children’s Mental Health”. Exum has a B.S. in early childhood education and   an MBA. After being recruited by UTC, she moved to West Hartford in 1999 with her husband, Earl, and sons. I am running for office so that I can continue to build on impactful work and advocate for issues that are important to my community. I value listening and bringing people together on a bi-partisan basis to solve problems.
• Q: Connecticut’s fiscal guardrail law, which limits how budget surpluses can be used, should be changed to allow for more flexible spending.
• A: Agree
• Q: Please explain your position concerning CT’s fiscal guardrail law.
• A: The fiscal guardrails have helped us to pay down our long standing pension debt, which led to an improved bond rating and lower taxes. However, adjusting the guardrails will give us the opportunity to continue to build on that progress, while also allowing us to fund non-profits, which provide critical services, and to support our local schools and special education costs. It’s all about balance.
• Q: What measures would you support to achieve equity in education in Connecticut?
• A: The types of measures that I support to achieve equity in education would include: greater investments in special education costs; ensuring that individuals with disabilities have access to higher education opportunities; and fully funding the educational cost sharing (ECS) formula, which has equity built into it. It is also important to maintain our investment in debt free community college.
• A: – no response –
• Q: What are the most important issues facing your district and how would you address them?
• A: Affordability is one of the most important issues in my district, particularly as it pertains to property taxes, housing and energy costs. I’m proud that I helped to support the passage of cuts to the state income tax, expanded the income tax exemption on pensions, annuities and IRAs, while phasing out state income taxes on social security benefits.  More must be done to address energy costs. Also, while we are creating more affordable housing options, we need to continue to expand on those efforts. I support continued access to healthcare, especially women’s healthcare. I also strongly advocate for resources and supports to address the ongoing children’s mental health crisis. While the pandemic is over, the crisis has not abated.
• Q: What is your recommended policy approach on the affordable housing supply in Connecticut?
• A: We need more housing supply. We need to work collaboratively with towns to both create that supply and to ensure that local zoning rules won’t prevent us from building near central business districts and transportation hubs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Race: State Representative District 20

Description: Together, the House of Representatives and the Senate constitute the Connecticut General Assembly (CGA). The General Assembly enacts legislation dealing with state appropriations and finance, public welfare, the environment, public works, housing, education, civil and criminal laws, and other matters. The Senate tries all impeachments of executive and judicial branch officials. In Connecticut, members of the state’s legislative body, the General Assembly, must be at least eighteen years old and reside in the district they represent. Senate and House members serve two-year terms. Candidates were asked to respond to questions developed by local Leagues of Women Voters (LWV).  Candidates enter their replies directly into Vote411, and  replies are not edited by the LWV.This is the link to the CGA website:  https://www.cga.ct.gov/

Candidates:

Kate Farrar

Party: Working Families, Democratic

Biographical Info:

• Campaign Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @kateforct
• Twitter: @kateforct
• Facebook: @kateforct
• Campaign Website: www.kateforct.com
• Campaign Phone: 860-249-1684

Questions:

• Q: Please provide a brief biography and explain why you are running for office.
• A: I am running for re-election to continue to build a state for all of us to thrive. I am dedicated to being a champion for our diverse community and delivering results for our district. I grew up in Connecticut and am a proud graduate of the University of Connecticut – Storrs. I am a long-time non-profit advocate for women and girls, including expanding STEM opportunities for girls and leading the passage of Connecticut’s landmark paid family medical leave program. I currently work as a Strategy Coordinator at Connecticut Foodshare. I’m also an active volunteer in West Hartford as a Board Member of the Aurora Foundation for Women and Girls. I live in West Hartford with my husband, Chan, and our dog, Lizzie.
• Q: Connecticut’s fiscal guardrail law, which limits how budget surpluses can be used, should be changed to allow for more flexible spending.
• A: Strongly Agree
• Q: Please explain your position concerning CT’s fiscal guardrail law.
• A: CT’s fiscal guardrail law does importantly dedicate revenues to pay down our state’s unpaid pension debt but we must reassess these strict constraints. With diminishing federal funding and historic state savings, we must adjust the guardrails to address the much-needed investments for robust public services in our state.
• Q: What measures would you support to achieve equity in education in Connecticut?
• A: With most brain development before the age of five, the greatest impact we can have on equity in education is to invest in high-quality affordable early childhood education and child care for all families in Connecticut. Plus, we need to expand proven programs such as Birth-3 up to age 5 to truly support kids and their developmental needs to prevent long-term costs in special education. Additionally, the state should fully fund the Education Cost Sharing grant to cities and towns and fully fund PILOT grants to reduce the effect of the local property tax structure that further widens our education gaps across our state.
• Q: What are the most important issues facing your district and how would you address them?
• A: I am running for re-election because I want to continue to collaborate on new solutions for our community and our state. We need to make Connecticut more affordable, invest in more housing options and child care, and design healthier communities for us to live, work and thrive. And with so much uncertainty at the national level, we need to make certain Connecticut protects our hard-fought rights and freedoms.
• I will address these issues by being focused on fixing our upside-down tax system, investing in housing and child care to reduce costs for residents, and developing policies for safer roadways. I also will protect and advance policies that support reproductive freedom and LGBTQ+ rights.
• Q: What is your recommended policy approach on the affordable housing supply in Connecticut?
• A: One of the key efforts that I’ve co-sponsored the past two years is the Work Live Ride bill. This establishes and funds the Office of Responsible Growth with the goal to create more jobs, offer diverse housing options, and protect pedestrians and cyclists for a safer and healthier commute. The bill aims to create more transit-oriented communities that enable less car traffic and more affordable housing. Also, on the Finance Committee, I will continue to advocate for the additional bonding dollars for workforce housing construction projects across the state. Also, to help ensure that Connecticut residents have access to affordable housing I will continue to support and fight to fund the Right to Counsel Program that provides free legal aid to low-income tenants facing eviction.

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Race: State Senate District 5

Description: Together, the House of Representatives and the Senate constitute the Connecticut General Assembly (CGA). The General Assembly enacts legislation dealing with state appropriations and finance, public welfare, the environment, public works, housing, education, civil and criminal laws, and other matters. The Senate tries all impeachments of executive and judicial branch officials. In Connecticut, members of the state’s legislative body, the General Assembly, must be at least eighteen years old and reside in the district they represent. Senate and House members serve two-year terms. Candidates were asked to respond to questions developed by local Leagues of Women Voters (LWV).  Candidates enter their replies directly into Vote411, and  replies are not edited by the LWV.This is the link to the CGA website:  https://www.cga.ct.gov/

Candidates:

Derek Slap

Party: Democratic

Biographical Info:

• Campaign Email: [email protected]
• Campaign Phone: (860)519-9672
• Campaign Mailing Address: 51 Fairlee Rd., West Hartford, CT 06107

Questions:

• Q: Please provide a brief biography and explain why you are running for office.
• A: I’ve been honored to serve in the General Assembly since 2017 and in the State Senate since 2019. I take the responsibilities of the office very seriously, and that includes listening to people’s concerns, answering their questions, and helping them with issues. We’ve made great progress in CT recently – strengthening our economy, growing jobs, and making our state more just. I want to continue that work and represent the 4 towns in the 5th district with passion and humility.
• Q: Connecticut’s fiscal guardrail law, which limits how budget surpluses can be used, should be changed to allow for more flexible spending.
• A: Agree
• Q: Please explain your position concerning CT’s fiscal guardrail law.
• A: The guardrails have served us well and turned around decades of irresponsible budgeting. That said, we need to find the right balance so we can maintain fiscal health while making important investments in health care, higher education, non-profits, and local schools. Tweaking the guardrails can also help make our state more affordable if we make appropriate investments in special education, as an example, which would mitigate ever-increasing property taxes.
• Q: What measures would you support to achieve equity in education in Connecticut?
• A: There are so many factors which contribute to unequal educational opportunities in Connecticut. Funding for our schools is definitely part of the issue but so is access to early childhood education, high quality and affordable childcare so parents can work, and healthcare. We’ve made great strides in expanding access to higher education and our debt-free community college program. We must continue to find this and increase funding for scholarships for students looking at 4-year schools.
• Q: What are the most important issues facing your district and how would you address them?
• A: Affordability is something everyone is concerned about. The property tax is the tax I hear most about and one way to address it is by expanding the property tax credit. We also need additional capital investment from the state to create more housing and make our roads safer for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists.  As chair of the higher education committee, I’m committed to advocating for more support for college scholarships. My constituents are also concerned about the environment, reproductive healthcare, gun safety, and the mental health crisis. We must continue to make progress on all these fronts.
• Q: What is your recommended policy approach on the affordable housing supply in Connecticut?
• A: We need more supply and more diversity in our housing stock. We should work with towns to identify areas where zoning obstructs smart growth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kyla Zimmermann

Party: Republican

Questions:

• Q: Please provide a brief biography and explain why you are running for office.
• A: – no response –
• Q: Connecticut’s fiscal guardrail law, which limits how budget surpluses can be used, should be changed to allow for more flexible spending.
• A: – no response –
• Q: Please explain your position concerning CT’s fiscal guardrail law.
• A: – no response –
• Q: What measures would you support to achieve equity in education in Connecticut?
• A: – no response –
• Q: What are the most important issues facing your district and how would you address them?
• A: – no response –
• Q: What is your recommended policy approach on the affordable housing supply in Connecticut?
• A: – no response —-

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