ISSUES
Economic Security & Tax Relief
Connecticut faces significant financial hurdles, currently ranking among the top states for both local tax and debt burdens. This is the direct result of unchecked government expenditures. While some seek to implement new statewide property taxes, capital gains surcharges, and increased home conveyance fees, I remain a steadfast opponent of these additional costs. To keep more money in your wallet, I advocate for:
- Stop New Tax Burdens: Oppose statewide property taxes, capital gains surcharges, and increased conveyance fees.
- Protect Seniors and Families: Repeal the state tax on Social Security and eliminate the gift tax to keep Connecticut competitive.
- Incentivize Growth: Advocate for tax incentives that attract businesses back to our state.
Preserving Local Control & Zoning
The unique character of our towns is at risk when "one-size-fits-all" mandates are handed down from state bureaucrats. Having served several years in local government, I know that local voices are the best qualified to make decisions for their own communities. I am committed to:
- Defending Local Authority: Protecting our towns from overreaching state zoning regulations that threaten to render our communities unrecognizable.
- Ensuring Local Input: Opposing any state-led development of local land that bypasses the oversight of the residents who live there.
Commitment to Educational Excellence
Education demands both clear vision and responsible management. Every child deserves access to a high-quality education, and every taxpayer deserves transparency in how their money is spent. While Connecticut ranks among the highest in per-student spending, we must ensure those resources directly improve outcomes in the classroom. My priorities include:
- Protecting Local Oversight: Drawing on my experience leading a 15-school district, I will fight to ensure that educational decisions remain in the hands of local boards and parents, not state-mandated bureaucracies.
- Improving Funding Efficiency: Directing state funds toward the classroom rather than bureaucracy to ensure Connecticut’s high per-student spending translates into student success.
- Supporting Choice and Reform: Increasing support for charter schools and reforming special education services to provide relief to municipalities and better outcomes for all students.
Fiscal Responsibility & Balanced Spending
My career in international finance and operational leadership has taught me that decisions must be based on empirical evidence, not political convenience. I have a proven track record of leading labor negotiations and managing complex budgets to successful, bipartisan conclusions. In the State Senate, I will advocate for:
- Respecting the Taxpayer: Maintaining the fiscal "guardrails" that prevent runaway spending. Fighting to keep strict spending caps in place to prevent a return to the cycle of debt and deficits.
- Wage Stabilization: Implementing a wage freeze on state employee pay increases to ensure the public sector does not grow faster than the private sector's ability to sustain it.
- Results-Oriented Outcomes: Bringing much-needed transparency and efficacy to state government operations.
Prioritizing Public Safety
Effective law enforcement is the cornerstone of a thriving community. My approach is rooted in practical results and accountability. I support restoring the necessary tools for law enforcement—such as consent searches for illegal weapons and narcotics and proper fingerprinting for violent juvenile offenders—to ensure our neighborhoods remain safe for every family.