Pavalock opposes possible new taxes

Press release from Cara Pavalock, the Republican candidate for the 77th District state House seat in Bristol:

Pavalock: No New Taxes!

(Bristol)  Cara C. Pavalock, the Republican nominee for State Representative from the 77^th Assembly District voices her concern over a proposal that has been floating around Connecticut that would drastically raise taxes in our state.

The proposal is called the “Land Valuation Tax.”  If implemented, this tax would be levied on all non-profits in Connecticut, such as hospitals, churches, museums, private schools, and the like. “This tax would have an adverse effect on these already struggling organizations in Bristol, and I am in strong opposition to it.” Pavalock said.

In addition to taxing non-profits, the proposal seeks to tax vacant land at a higher rate. Proponents of the tax claim there should be a higher rate for vacant land because it is not being used for its highest and best value. “Don’t residents pay enough in taxes already? Why are people being forced to build structures on their own private land?” Pavalock continued, “I agree that many municipalities are struggling to make ends meet in this tough economy, however, I also believe that the easiest thing the State can do to help local governments over the hump is to reduce the amount of unfunded mandates on the books.”

There have been recent seminars on the Land Valuation Tax and Pavalock fears that the proposal is gaining traction. Currently, local municipalities are receiving pilot funds for these non-profits and this tax would be used to alleviate some of the burdens on local governments and the State.

“Connecticut doesn’t have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem.” Pavalock added, “Instituting new taxes isn’t going to make Connecticut a better place to live, work, raise a family or retire.”

Pavalock has made unfunded mandates a cornerstone of her campaign and has pledged to oppose any piece of legislation that places new unfunded mandates on Connecticut’s municipalities.

“This new tax is most likely going to be debated by the General Assembly over the next few years,” Pavalock concluded, “Now is the time to ask your candidates where they stand on the issue and I want every resident of the 77^th District to know that I stand with them in opposing any new taxes being implement in our great state.”

Copyright 2014 All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Details about a controversy over the early release program for some prisoners

Here are more details about this story today about the state's early release program for prisoners in today's paper.
Here is Republican candidate Cara Pavalock's press release on the issue:

Pavalock Call For Repeal of The Early Release Program

(Bristol) Cara Pavalock, the Republican nominee for the Connecticut General Assembly’s 77th district, called for a repeal of a 2011 law that allows violent criminals to earn early release from prison with good behavior.

Recently the controversial program was thrust back in to the spotlight when the Department of Corrections confirmed Arthur Hapgood, the man that allegedly stabbed and killed a baby in Bristol earlier this month, was able to use risk reduction credits to get out of prison early.

“This ill-conceived law must be repealed immediately,” Pavalock said. “Public safety is one of the core functions of government- if we are failing to protect our citizens, especially the most vulnerable among us, then we are failing as a government. This is a sickening tragedy and I hate to think it could have been prevented.”

Pavalock’s opponent, State Representative Christopher Wright, voted in favor of the bill in 2011 that granted early release credits to convicted violent felons. The bill had no Republican support.

Arthur Hapgood was convicted of 12 crimes including 9 felonies. While in prison he was arrested for assaulting a police officer.

Pavalock said, if elected, she would submit legislation to ensure the program could not be utilized by violent criminals.  

“Any program that allows a man like Arthur Hapgood to earn ‘credits’ in prison for minding his manners and attending some classes is horrible policy and is clearly not working,” Pavalock added.

Here is state Rep. Chris Wright's response:

The killing of Zaniyah Calloway by Arthur Hapgood was a horrible tragedy for everyone involved.  My heart goes out to the family.  But we must recognize and address the true cause of this tragedy, which is Mr. Hapgood's continued drug use. 

 

The truth is that the Risk Reduction Earned Credit program makes Connecticut one of the most restrictive states in the nation when granting credit to inmates.  The act, which was modeled after programs in Texas, Kansas and Ohio, offers inmates in the program up to a maximum of 5 days of credit per month, where most states offer up to 10 days.  In addition, inmates who are violent while in  prison or don't follow the rules face having their credits revoked.  Inmates are also encouraged to participate in  GED programs which make them less likely to commit new crimes when released.  Inmates with significant disciplinary issues, those on restrictive status (like gang members) or who refuse to give DNA samples are not eligible for the program at all.  Neither are those who are in prison for murder, capital felony, felony murder, arson murder, aggravated sexual assault or home invasion.

 

The fact of the matter is that both the crime rate in Connecticut and the recidivism rate among offenders on probation have dropped since the program was put into effect. 

Here's the statement put out by the state Department of Correction:

Thank you for your inquiry.  In any scenario, Mr. Hapgood, who was serving a 71 month sentence for robbery, would have been out on the street well before this crime occurred.   Recently enacted law ensures that he and all violent offenders serve at least 85% of his sentence.  Mr. Hapgood served nearly 90% of his sentence, and even had he served 100% he would have been released by now. Under the law that was in place five years ago, he almost certainly would have been released much earlier, possibly serving as little as 60% of his sentence. That is no longer possible. 

The facts back up these points.  Fewer violent offenders are getting out of prison today than at any point in the last 10 years.  (Please see below.) 

BACKGROUND

Connecticut, like most states, imposes restrictions on eligibility for release depending on the type of crime and other factors.  Although a 1994 law appeared to require violent offenders to serve 85% of any prison sentence imposed by a court, a wide variety of release mechanisms allowed for these offenders to be released prior to 85%. 

For example, an analysis of  releases from 2008, the year following the Cheshire Tragedy, shows most violent offenders convicted of Robbery 1st Degree, a Class B Violent Felony, were released well before the 85% mark.  Some offenders served as little as 59% of their original sentence.  This was also the case with Assault 1^st Degree, another Class B violent felony.  One such offender was released in 2008 after having served only 51% of the original sentence imposed by the court.

Reforms adopted by the General Assembly in 2008 have had a significant impact on the effort to prioritize secure beds for the most dangerous, high-risk offenders.  Public Act 08-01 mandated the adoption of state-of-the-art risk assessment tools to be used by the Department of Correction and the Board of Parole as they make release decisions for prisoners.  Although the DOC and the Board did not begin to implement these changes until 2011, they are now routinely used to identify high-risk offenders regardless of their crime of conviction.  Since 2011, violent and high-risk offenders have done a far greater percentage of their original sentences than ever before, and no violent offenders are released from DOC custody before having served at least 85% of the original sentence imposed by the Court.

In general, release decisions are much more risk-focused than before.  Prior to 2011, release decisions were typically made by wardens based on limited information or by the parole board based on incomplete files using outdated risk assessment.  Since then the process has been very selective and the number of inmates leaving prison has steadily declined, and has done so at a rate far in excess of the declining inmate population.  Total DOC population has dropped by approximately 1,250 since January 1, 2011, or about 5%.  Over that same period, the total number of releases from prison has declined by almost 18%.  During the same period of time reported crime declined by almost 10%.

The most dramatic evidence of the drop in number of prison release is that the number of inmates released on discretionary parole has dropped by more than 40% compared to 2009.  The number of “end of sentence” releases has dropped by 17%; the number of “transitional supervision” releases (these are prisoners sentenced to less than two years to serve and therefore not parole eligible) has dropped almost 34% since 2009. 

Copyright 2014 All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Pavalock opposes bill to toughen driver's license renewals

Press release from Republican state House candidate Cara Pavalock:

Pavalock Opposes Proposed Law Regarding Driver’s Licenses.

(Bristol) Cara Pavalock, the Republican candidate for State Representative in the 77th Assembly District today announced that she is opposing a bill that would require anyone holding a Connecticut Drivers License to take a written test at the time of renewal.

The proposed law recently had a public hearing at the State Capitol.  The bill (RSB-335) has been referred to the General Assembly’s Transportation Committee and was sponsored by House Committee Chairman Antonio Guerrera (D-Rocky Hill).

The text of the raised bill is below:

(NEW) (g) (1) On and after January 1, 2016, a licensee seeking renewal of a motor vehicle operator's license shall be required to pass a comprehensive test as to knowledge of the laws concerning motor vehicles and the rules of the road. If such licensee does not pass such knowledge test on the first attempt, such licensee shall be required to pass an on-the-road skills test, as prescribed by the commissioner, in addition to such knowledge test.

“This proposed law is ridiculous and creates an undue burden on our Senior Citizen population.” Pavalock continued, “Our state has incurred a massive amount of debt, unemployment is high, businesses and families are fleeing Connecticut and our General Assembly is wasting its time debating issues like this.”

Pavalock’s opposition stems from what she believes will be cost of implementing this proposal and the intrusion it will have on Connecticut drivers and citizens. “Has anyone who supports this bill ever stood in line at a motor vehicle office?” Pavalock asked.

“The implementation of this proposal would create longer lines, increase the need for more staff, and more importantly add more regulations to our already cumbersome motor vehicle laws,” Pavalock continued, “I would suggest that the Transportations Committee’s time would be better spent debating how it would erase the daily gridlock on I-84 through both Hartford and Waterbury, rather than spend it precious time increasing the cost of government.”

“I sincerely hope that my opponent in November, incumbent State Representative Christopher Wright (D-77) will join me in opposing this bill and let the people of his district know now where he stands on this issue.,” Pavalock continued, “We need less government, more common sense and a legislature that is focused on reducing spending and creating jobs for its citizens.”

Copyright 2014 All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Wright backs 'jobs and business agenda'

Press release from state Rep. Chris Wright, a Bristol Democrat:

REP. WRIGHT WELCOMES DEMOCRAT LEADERS

JOBS AND BUSINESS AGENDA FOR 2014

Investing In Job Training Helps Bristol Manufacturers

  

State Representative Christopher Wright (D-Bristol) is endorsing the jobs and business agenda that Democratic leaders from the House and Senate announced recently for the upcoming 2014 General Assembly session that convenes on February 5th.

“We are listening to the real concerns of average middle class people,” Rep. Wright said. “I welcome an agenda that calls for us to concentrate on helping to put people back to work, creating jobs and supporting small businesses who continue to struggle.”

The Democrat agenda includes the following proposals:

•             Re-capitalizing Connecticut’s highly successful STEP-Up program, which offers employers who hire an unemployed worker either a wage subsidy to help pay a new employee’s salary for the first six months, or provides a six-month training grant. Since its creation in October 2011, more than 2,000 unemployed people have been hired under STEP-Up.

•             Implementing new school-to-job programs such as an accelerated certificate program (12 months) combining basic education and technical and career training; an I-Best program for adult students lacking a GED which combines GED preparation with real-world skills training; and an Advanced Manufacturing Certificate Program, where students combine paid work and college level study towards the attainment of an associate’s degree.

•             Cutting Red Tape by pre-permitting business development, renovation or new construction by pre-approving zoning and environmental reviews in order to save businesses time and money.

“Business leaders have asked us to focus on the economy,” Rep. Wright said. “We need to continue to help the many manufacturing businesses, like we have in Bristol, by investing in job training programs that match workers with employers who are searching for skilled workers.”

Copyright 2014 All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Wright: No raises for judges

State Rep. Chris Wright, a Bristol Democrat, just issued this press release:

REP. WRIGHT SAYS THIS IS NOT THE TIME

TO BE RAISING JUDGES’ SALARIES

State Rep. Chris Wright

State Representative Chris Wright (D-Bristol) says this is not the time to be considering raising the salaries of judges and he opposes a proposal that would hike the salaries for judges by an estimated $45,000 or more over the next four years.

Rep. Wright found a news report in the Connecticut Law Tribune disturbing that said Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers, in a 20-page report, called for the state’s judges and judicial magistrates to receive a pay raise of 11.3 per cent next year and 5.5 per cent for each of the following three years.

“I have nothing against our judges, but this is not the time to be raising anyone’s salaries in state employment,” Rep. Wright said. “There are thousands of state employees who are now in the second year of a salary freeze and raising the pay of judges who are already earning high salaries makes no sense.”

“We have just witnessed the fiasco of the pay raises awarded to employees of the state Department of Higher Education that has resulted in the resignation of the two top administrators and the revoking of other salary hikes,” Rep. Wright continued. “We are still facing a serious budget challenge, so let’s take pay raises off the table.”

“While there are judges who may have left the bench to join the private sector, the fact is there are lawyers in every court room in Connecticut yearning to be appointed a judge,” Rep. Wright said. “Judges probably deserve a pay raise, but there are people everywhere, both in the private and public sector, who deserve pay raises, but do not earn as much as judges.”

Rep.Wright is Vice Chair of the Housing Committee and serves on the Environment and Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committees.

Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Wright: Many issues worth fighting for

This is the acceptance speech that 77th District state Rep. Chris Wright of Bristol delivered to the city's Democratic Town Committee on Tuesday night:

Friends, fellow Democrats and fellow citizens of Bristol, it is with great honor that I accept your nomination to be the Representative from the 77^th district.  Over the past four years I have worked hard to represent the people of Bristol and can count many successes during this time.  Working with Frank Nicastro, we were successful in stopping Governor Rell’s attempt to close Bristol Tech and in restoring over $2 million in state funding for Bristol to cover the cost of property tax breaks given to the manufacturing companies here in Bristol.  Among other issues, I have supported increases in Connecticut’s minimum wage, a Silver Alert system to locate missing seniors, the Learn Here, Live Here program which helps students of Connecticut colleges and universities save for down payments of homes here in Connecticut and low interest loans to developers who agree to clean up and build on brownfields instead of developing on greenfields.

I have done this with consideration to state spending and taxes.  I have been a strong voice in Hartford for balancing the need for programs which improve the quality of life in our state with the ability of our residents to pay for those programs.  This is why I have supported making our income tax more progressive and will continue my call for reducing the state sales tax, which is a burden on the middle income residents who are the backbone of our economy.

In this election, the people of Bristol have a clear choice.  The Republicans continue to argue for policies that provide hundreds of billions of dollars in tax breaks for the wealthiest 1% while denying help to working Americans.  The distinction between Democrats and Republicans can be seen in our approaches to the auto industry.  While Democrats fought for modest tax breaks for the purchase of new cars, Republicans still criticize this program, which has been credited by economists with saving upwards of one million jobs in the American auto industry.  I don’t know about you, but if the government is going to do $100,000 in tax breaks, I would rather see five people buy a $20, 000 Chevy than one person buy a $100,000 Mercedes. 

Another choice before the people this year is between a philosophy that is continually looking to the past and one that is looking to the future.  Throughout this campaign, we have heard Republican candidates arguing about which one of them is the most conservative.  Mitt Romney at one point even called himself severely conservative, whatever that means.  When I hear this, I am reminded of Franklin Roosevelt who said that a conservative is a man who is born with two good legs but who never learned to walk forward.  We are constantly urged by Republican candidate to return to the past: to support the Bush tax cuts which are bankrupting our country, to return to the policies of the Reagan 80’s, to bring back the society of the 1950’s.  In that last call, the republicans should be careful what they ask for.  After all, the 1950’s was the period in American history with the smallest income gap between corporate CEOs and workers, and also with the highest percentage of union membership.

Let me mention one more difference in the approach to taxes between Democrats and Republicans.  When President Obama proposed a temporary 2% reduction in the payroll tax paid by working Americans, the Republicans fought tooth and nail to prevent it from happening.  Instead, they are insisting on making permanent the massive tax cut given to 1% ten years ago.  Their argument is that the 1% are the job creators, but after ten years they still haven’t used this money to create any jobs.  Instead, they, like Mitt Romney, simply deposited this money into their Cayman Island and Swiss bank accounts.  In addition, the Citizens United ruling has given the mega rich another place to put their money, Super PACs.  It is estimated that these super PACs will raise and spend literally billions of dollars during this campaign to entrench the status quo and ensure that political influence will remain with the 1% and is kept from the 99%.  The Bush tax breaks were perhaps the largest government enacted re-distribution of wealth in the nation’s history.  The problem is that the wealth was taken out of your pockets and placed into the bank accounts of the 1%, and our economy has been paying the price ever since.

Bristol is wonderful city with a strong history both of blue collar manufacturing and white collar professionals.  We need legislators who believe that the actions we take should not be meant simply to get us through the next election cycle but will have consequences for decades to come.  In order to be competitive, we need to ensure that our children receive the education necessary for the world that they will live in, so I will advocate for a strong education system.  In order grow our manufacturing sector; we need a transportation infrastructure capable of moving goods in and out of our state.  In order to attract employers to Connecticut we need a stable economic footing and a competitive tax structure.  In order to have a healthy population that requires less medical care, we need a clean environment.  These are the things that I believe in and if re-elected these are the things that I will continue to fight for.

Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Wright, Fitzgerald face off at chamber debate

Don't miss reporter Jackie Majerus' story on the 77th District state House debate:
The state must work with municipalities to identify unfunded mandates that can be eliminated or changed to ease the burden on cities and towns, said Jill Fitzgerald and Chris Wright, the two candidates in the race for state representative in the 77th district.
But the two didn’t agree with much more than that during a well-attended debate at City Hall Thursday night.  Click here for the story
*****
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Wright opposes Rell's call for four more judges

State Rep. Chris Wright, a Bristol Democrat, just issued this:

REP. WRIGHT OPPOSES THE GOVERNOR’S LATEST PROPOSAL TO APPOINT FOUR NEW SUPERIOR COURT JUDGES

“Time To Freeze Judicial Appointments”

State Representative Christopher Wright (D-Bristol) says he is opposed to Governor Rell’s most recent call to nominate four attorneys to be Superior Court judges because of the state’s ongoing budget crisis.

The Governor announced last month that she had nominated four attorneys to the Superior Court bench

“This sends the wrong message to Connecticut’s residents,” Rep. Wright said. “”Everyone in state government is being asked to economize and this is not the time to be increasing the number of Superior Court judges whose salaries start at $146,780 a year, plus benefits.

Rep. Wright explained that his position against nominating new judges is not a reflection of the attorneys nominated by the Governor because “they are highly qualified individuals, but this is a matter of holding down state spending.”

Rep. Wright voted against the nine new judges nominated by the Governor earlier this year at a time when courthouses and other judicial facilities faced potential closure.

Because the legislature is not in session, the General Assembly’s Judiciary Committee must meet to consider the Governor’s four nominees and could approve them as interim appointees.

“It is my hope that this group of four nominees will not be approved,” Rep. Wright stated. “If called upon to vote for more judges, I will again vote no.”

 *****

Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Fitzgerald makes her case for 77th District seat

Prepared speech by Jill Fitzgerald for delivery at last night's 77th District Republican convention:
To my fellow Bristol residents;
I am honored to accept the nomination to be your candidate for the State House Seat in the 77th district.
It was a desire to serve my community and a concern for our children’s futures that motivated me to run in 2008. As I went door to door, listening to my fellow Bristol residents I quickly found that many of us share the same concerns and frustrations and I made a connection with the people that has stayed with me.
Over the last two years, circumstances have become more difficult, and I have become more frustrated and determined to become a part of the solution to the problems we face in our city and in our state.
- As our daughter heads off to college in the Fall I wonder if there will be opportunities here for her and will she choose to come back here and live because statistics show our young people are not.
- For the first time in our 25 years of marriage, my husband, Shawn spent 7 months of the last year unemployed and we quickly realized our problem was as much a spending one as a revenue one
- In my own business, as I handle bookkeeping and process payrolls for small businesses and professionals I hear their concerns for the future and I see hard decisions being made
- In our city we are facing property tax increases close to 6%, and our State continues to burden the cities with unfunded mandates.
This leads me to question whether our representatives are even listening to our concerns. Our own representative, since taking office in 2009, has voted “yes” to depleting the rainy day fund; “yes” to a proposed extraordinary tax increase to Bristol’s own ESPN; and most recently, “yes” for a biennial budget adjustment that includes $1.5 Billion in tax increases; $300 Million increase in General Fund spending; $50 Million cut in municipal aid; and the borrowing of $1.3 Billion. This is just to name a few votes.
Abraham Lincoln said “you cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” Yet this is what we continue to see happening and it is frightening. It is not a stretch to believe that we can do better than this, but we cannot continue to vote in the same people and expect different results.
I am an independent thinker who places a high value on hard work, personal responsibility, giving back to your community, individual freedom and liberty; and I understand that we must have all the government we need, but only the government we need.
Once elected,
• I promise …you will not find a better listener and advocate for the greater good of the people and for the City of Bristol.
• I promise …To apply the same common sense we use in our own homes: if we can’t afford it, we can’t have it and to operate with the most efficiency we can.
and
• I promise …To always remember that I am a public servant and that serving is a duty, not an entitlement.
This is a year of great opportunity for the people in the State of Connecticut, for this is the year we can bring balance, responsibility and common sense back to our State Legislature.
*******
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Fitzgerald may run again

Republican Jill Fitzgerald may take another shot at winning the 77th District state House seat.
Fitzgerald said this morning she is "think about it" and will likely make a decision within a few weeks.
Two years ago, Fitzgerald lost a contest for the open seat in northeastern Bristol to Democratic newcomer Chris Wright, who is seeking a second term this year.
This time around, Democrats are unlikely to have the same sort of groundswell of support that stunned GOP candidates in 2008, which could make Wright's reelection anything but certain.
Fitzgerald said she hopes to make a choice about whether to run as soon as March 8, though it could take longer.
The Republicans haven't yet come up with another candidate to challenge Wright.
*******
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

GOP slams Wright again

Press release from Art Mocabee, a state Republican official and former Bristol GOP chairman:

Siting Wright's recent blunder to the residents of Bristol in his district and the rest of the citizens in Connecticut, Art Mocabee 2nd Vice Chairman of Connecticut Republicans stated the Wright has once again "gone off the reservation and completely embarrassed the City of Bristol".

"His attempt to atone for the his vote to increase the taxes on Bristol residents as well as the rest of the state is well documented, Mocabee said, and will be further scrutinized as he plods through the halls of the Connecticut legislature". 

While a member of the transportation committee, Wright added nothing to the dialogue held at recent Bristol Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting featuring the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Transportation. " If he can not speak to his own constituents how can he speak on the floor of the House? Instead he sits in the chamber with a hat on." Mocabee said, referring to U-Tube link above.

"Never have I seen such a poor display of legislative leadership by a member of the Bristol Delegation. He makes Colopietro look kind of smart maybe. It seems that he is not getting good advice", Mocabee said. 

*******
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

GOP defends ESPN, blasts Wright

The city’s Republican Party took a strong stance this week against any tax hikes that would crimp ESPN’s growth in Bristol.

Taking aim at state Rep. Chris Wright, a first-term Bristol Democrat who voted for a $3.3 billion tax package that included provisions opposed by the Bristol-based sports colossus, GOP leaders said the state’s fiscal crisis can’t be solved by smacking the companies whose growth is crucial to Connecticut’s future success.

“Can you imagine what Bristol would be without ESPN?” asked TJ Barnes, the city’s Republican chairman. “We are one lucky city.”

Wright said he opposes the tax changes included in the package he voted for and is continuing to work to strip them from the final version. He said he couldn’t oppose the entire tax bill because he didn’t like a few things in it.

But Jill Fitzgerald, the Republican whom Wright defeated in the 77^th District last year, said that Wright could have voted against it without any consequences.

The Democrats, she said, “have such a huge majority” in the General Assembly that “they don’t need his vote.”

Fitzgerald said that Wright should have put his district and his community first instead of showing loyalty to party leaders.

Laura Bartok, a party activist, said that Wright is one of a number of new representatives who can expect to see a tough challenge in 2010.

“It’s not going to be a cakewalk,” Bartok said.

Wright said he considers it “a badge of honor” that the GOP has targeted him.

He said that he was elected to serve his northeastern Bristol district, not the rich Republicans of Fairfield County who are pushing so hard to see the state cut critical programs instead of raising taxes.

Wright said he doesn’t want to see taxes rise either. He said he’s working hard to keep any tax hikes as minimal as possible, particularly ones that might cause ESPN to have second thoughts about continuing to expand in Bristol.

Former state House Minority Leader Edward Krawiecki, Jr said he would like to see a push to create a high-tech, communications-related cluster of new businesses in the region that could take advantage of ESPN’s presence.

Bristol could become “a hot spot for technology and high, high IT stuff,” Krawiecki said, if officials work toward that goal.

“It runs straight to the issue you want to talk about with Chris,” Krawiecki told fellow Republicans this week.

Derek Czenczelewski, a GOP City Council hopeful in the 3^rd District, said that most of ESPN’s employees are in information technology and communications, not sports broadcasting in particular.

“Technology is always huge,” he said, and ought to be pursued as a way to help Bristol grow.

*******
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Wright comes under more fire from GOP

Press release from Art Mocabee, a former Bristol GOP chairman who works for the state Republican Party:

Wright votes to raise taxes

  

http://cthouserules.com/archives/1028

Citing recent votes cast by Representative Chris Wright, Art Mocabee, 2nd Vice Chairman for Connecticut Republicans called Wright ,"about as out of touch with Bristol residents as any legislator can ever be for the residents of his district", which is the northeast section of Bristol.

 

Representative Wright has cast more votes to increase taxes across the board to Bristol and all Connecticut residents. Mocabee said. " To cast a vote to put jobs at Bristol Hospital in jeopardy, is beyond common sense and logic, he is potentially putting people in his own district out of a job"

 

"It is unfortunate that Bristol residents have been betrayed by Representative Wright as he has become, as predicted, a rubber stamp for special interest groups. He has ignored the needs of Bristol residents and businesses with his reckless, ill though out votes to raise taxes, suspend tax credits to Bristol's largest employer and to work completed against the best interests of Bristol Hospital",  Mocabee stated.

 

"We need someone who is intelligent enough to think for himself and to understand the needs of Connecticut residents and businesses during these trying economic times, and it certainly is not the current representative from the 77th. District, Mocabee said.

 

*******

Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

What do we do now?

On Election Night, a beaming Chris Wright stood amidst a joyous crowd of Democrats celebrating a sweeping victory across the country.
Wright, who captured the 77^th District’s state House seat, said he felt a little bit like Robert Redford in the 1972 classic “The Candidate."
In that movie, Redford played a dark horse U.S. Senate contender who triumphs at the polls despite a vapid platform.

At the end, Redford turns to his campaign manager, a helpless look in his eyes, and asks, “What do we do now?"
By now, though, Wright is busy finding out what he’s going to do in Hartford.
Wright, who defeated Republican Jill Fitzgerald to win the seat that state Rep. Ron Burns is giving up in northeastern Bristol, said that with “the economy not doing very well” and a budget deficit ballooning, it’s going to be a tough legislative session.
“There’s a lot of work to be done,” Wright said.
But Wright said he’s eager to get started even though he is “just one little cog in the wheel” of state government.

Wright said the health care system in Connecticut “needs an overhaul” so badly that it can’t be put off.

Wright said it’s going to be difficult to balance competing interests and deal with deficit “all without raising taxes” at a time when so many are struggling already.

Wright said that he’s met with fellow Democrats in Hartford and will take part in an orientation session soon that includes a mock session so that new lawmakers can understand their role.

Because his father was a key legislator, Wright said he knows the ropes pretty well, but still appreciates the effort to educate everyone.

So far, he said, he’s impressed with the caliber of people he’s met in the legislature, including a number of other newcomers.

“Everybody’s nice. We all have the same goal – to move the state forward,” Wright said.

He said that he knows he can’t do everything he’d like quickly.

“Democracy is compromise,” Wright said, and he’s ready to play his part in the process.

He said he asked to be on the appropriations or finance committee, but won’t know his assignments until next month.

With the House Democrats holding a lopsided advantage this session, rookie Democrats will have a hard time getting plum assignments, Wright said.

But, he said, whatever happens, legislators are going to pull together and try to benefit the residents of the state as much as they can.

“I will do all I can for Bristol and the people of Connecticut,” Wright said.

*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

77th District race is up for grabs

For a dozen years, Democrat Roger Michele swatted away challengers to his state House seat in northeastern district.
But two years ago, Republican Ron Burns mowed down Michele to capture the 77th District seat, the only place in New England where the GOP knocked out an incumbent Democrat in 2006 and one of the few in the entire country during an election that treated Democrats gently.
It appeared the district might stay in Republican hands for a long time.
Then Burns announced in May that he wouldn’t seek reelection and suddenly the district was up for grabs.
Two political unknowns leaped into the fray – Democrat Chris Wright and Republican Jill Fitzgerald – and soon dotted the district with signs and filled mailboxes with flyers in hopes of making the jump to the General Assembly.
Wright, 35, a hospital admission clerk who is the son of well-known city politician Gardner Wright, had made health care a centerpiece of his campaign.
Fitzgerald, 48, a bookkeeping company owner, touts her opposition to taxes and commitment to controlling state spending.
With many new voters on the rolls boosting an already large Democratic advantage in the district, Fitzgerald knows the odds are against her. But, she said, people are more interested in accountability than partisanship.
“Jill is in an extremely competitive race,” said state Rep. Bill Hamzy, a Plymouth Republican whose 78th District includes a portion of Bristol. “Jill can win this race.”
With the economy in turmoil, and many city residents struggling, the candidates offer sharply varying ideas about how best to handle what could become a dire situation.
Though both agree that extending unemployment benefits may be necessary, Wright is ready to consider more far-reaching aid.
“Historically, Democrats have implemented public works projects in hard times in order to create jobs,” Wright said.
“While we all hope that the economic downturn we are currently experiencing will not be severe enough to require such measures, I think that we have to at least acknowledge the possibility that it may come to this. After all, businesses cannot create jobs if people have no money to buy their products,” he said.
“The last thing we should do in these times is raise taxes on anyone,” Fitzgerald said. “Connecticut families and businesses already pay more taxes than anyone else in the country.”
Fitzgerald said the state needs to “to pay attention to the long-term picture” so that “we are prepared to begin creating jobs when this storm passes. We need to find a way to reduce the tax burden of businesses.”
Fitzgerald owns Bookkeeping Basics, a business she started so she could work at home when her children were young. She’s a QuickBooks Pro advisor.
Born in Southington, Fitzgerald has lived in Bristol her entire adult life. She has two children attending Bristol Eastern High School, a son who’s a senior and a daughter who’s a sophomore.
She and her husband of 23 years, Shawn Fitzgerald, co-produced two musicals for the community theater, including last fall’s production of “High School Musical.”
Fitzgerald is treasurer of the performing arts booster club at Eastern and has served on the school’s governance council in the past. She’s also active with her church, Baptist Community Valley Church in Avon.
Since graduating from Southington High School in 1978, Fitzgerald said she’s taken some courses in accounting and English, as well as some classes for certification she needs for her job, but does not have a college degree.
Wright grew up in the district, attending Mountain View, Ivy Drive and Northeast Middle schools before graduating from St. Paul Catholic High School. He earned a degree in economics from Central Connecticut State University in 1991.
After college, he earned a paralegal certificate and attended a seminary for a time before putting in eight years with the Federal Deposit Insurance Company. He currently works in registration for St. Francis Hospital.
Wright is not married and doesn’t have any children.
State lawmakers serve two-year terms and earn $28,000 for their part-time positions. The polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.

For details about where the candidates stand on key issues, check back here after Saturday morning. I'll add quite a bit right here as soon as I have a chance.
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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Wright wants to help ESPN find workers

Press release from 77th District state representativee candidate Chris Wright, a Democrat:

CHRIS WRIGHT WANTS TO ENSURE THAT ESPN HAS A WORKFORCE TRAINED AND EDUCATED FOR ITS FUTURE GROWTH

Chris Wright, the Democratic candidate for State Representative in Bristol’s 77th District, wants to ensure that ESPN’s future employment needs are met by the state by considering implementing education and job-training programs to meet ESPN’s requirements for employment.
“We are all proud that ESPN, the Worldwide Leader in Sports, is headquartered right here in Bristol and is a leading Connecticut corporate citizen,” Wright said.
Wright pointed out that ESPN currently provides thousands of local and state jobs and career opportunities in a unique cultural and diverse environment.
“We should use all our educational and job-training resources to help ESPN maintain that workforce,” Wright said. “That might mean working with ESPN to create special job training courses at our vocational-trade schools or a more sophisticated curriculum at our community colleges or at the university level.’
Wright expressed concern that many businesses in Connecticut are worried about being able to find trained workers to fill their future employment needs.
“ESPN may not be having problems filling their workforce needs today, but let’s not take that chance with a company that has put Bristol on the map and means so much for Connecticut,” Wright said.
“This obviously would have to be undertaken only if it is something that ESPN believes is worthwhile and welcomes,” Wright said. “Let’s be prepared to make the offer and be ready to act, because ESPN is too important for Bristol’s and Connecticut’s future.”

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Dealing with the state's deficit - 77th District hopefuls offer answers

With the state facing a budget gap this year that tops $300 million – and is likely to be much higher next year – the candidates for Bristol’s 77^th District have different ideas about how to deal with the red ink.

Republican hopeful Jill Fitzgerald said that among the ideas worth pursuing are an early retirement program for state workers, a shift to a paperless bureaucracy and pulling the plug on about $300,000 worth of pagers and beepers carried mostly by highly paid state supervisors who also carry cellular phones paid for by taxpayers.

Democratic contender Chris Wright offered no specifics, but said that Gov. Jodi Rell’s plan to deal with the current shortfall “has merit and should be considered.”

“It is very difficult for the state to obtain significant savings in the short term with spending cuts without seriously impacting vital services and local property taxes,” Wright said.

The two candidates are vying on Nov. 4 for the northeastern Bristol House seat that Republican Ron Burns has held for the past two years. Burns, who defeated longtime Democratic incumbent Roger Michele two years ago, is stepping down after a single term.

Wright said that in terms of dealing with budget, “the bottom line is that the state has spent too much money for years, and it is times like these when those spending habits catch up with us.”

Wright said that private companies get can save money in the short run through layoffs, “but the state faces more demands for services in hard times, and layoffs would only increase the workload of the state employees who provide those services.”

 Also, Wright said, “since the state pays unemployment compensation only after a layoff and must pay terminated employees for any accrued vacation and sick time, savings generally occur only in the second year.”

Wright said that new programs the state needs – which are often shoved aside as too costly during hard times - may take priority over older ones that are already in place.

“It is not always true that new programs are not as important as programs which already exist,” he said.

“As the needs of society change, so must the services which the state does and does not provide,” Wright said.

Fitzgerald said that she stands with the state House Republicans in their call for the Democratic-controlled legislature “to rescind a request for a nearly 8 percent spending increase over the next two fiscal years.”

She said that state agencies need to tighten their belts and that there should be “no budget increases.”

“Just like families are being forced to prioritize and cut spending,” Fitzgerald said, “I am a proponent of this in the state. I don’t believe that tax increase should be imposed in the midst of an economic downturn.”

She said improvements can wait “until better times” return.

Fitzgerald said an early retirement program would save the taxpayers $163 million and shifting to a paperless bureaucracy would save more than $10 million annually.

“In this day and age when almost every document is reproduced online, we need to consider a policy to get as close to a paperless state government as possible,” Fitzgerald said, adding “this is a great environmental choice as well.”

Dumping the beepers and pagers, Fitzgerald said, would eliminate “a glaring example of wasting taxpayers’ money.”

State lawmakers serve two-year terms and earn $28,000 for their part-time positions.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Wright, Fitzgerald stick up for their parties

I asked both of the 77th District candidates where they differed from their party. Well, just to make it completely clear, I asked them this:

Where do you differ from your party? Is there anything that your party generally supports that you oppose? Anything it generally opposes that you support?

I leave it to you as to whether their answers are enlightening.
Here’s what Democrat Chris Wright had to say:

I generally agree with the Democratic Party and its philosophy of standing up for the average man and woman and protection of individual rights. The positions the party takes on issues such as tax equity, healthcare, protection of the environment and education are all positions which I support. Where disagreement often comes in is in the details of how best to achieve these goals. For instance, Democrats have put forth several proposals on how to achieve the goal of universal healthcare, and although I agree with the overall goal, I may not agree with each proposal’s specifics of how to reach it.

And here’s what Republican Jill Fitzerald had to say:

The Republican oath states that we believe that good government is based on the individual and that each person’s ability, dignity, freedom and responsibility must be honored and recognized. It also states that we believe in free enterprise and encouragement of individual initiative and incentive, as well as equal rights for all including those with disabilities. We believe that Americans value and should preserve their feeling of national strength and pride. I won’t write the entire oath here, but I will maintain that I believe in these ideals and I don’t believe the party has abandoned them.
In order to succeed and to work for the overall good of the people, partisan politics must be overcome.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Fitzgerald, Wright talk traffic

Republican state House contender Jill Fitzgerald said she would investigate widening the eastern half of Farmington Avenue in a bid to relieve traffic congestion.
Fitzgerald and Democratic hopeful Chris Wright each said there is a need to seek ways to keep traffic moving more smoothly on the busy state road that runs through the heart of the 77th District they hope to represent.
Both candidates said that mass transit options need to be expanded, with Wright calling for more commuter bus service to Hartford and Fitzgerald eyeing the prospects for light rail.
The two candidates are vying on Nov. 4 for the northeastern Bristol House seat that Republican Ron Burns has held for the past two years. Burns, who defeated a longtime Democratic incumbent to win the seat in 2006, is stepping down.
Politicians from the district have long said that transportation woes are one of the most common gripes they hear from residents, particularly the delays on Farmington Avenue.
Wright, a hospital admissions clerk, said he hopes the opening of the Route 72 extension a year from now will relieve some of the traffic tie-ups along Farmington Avenue.
He said the would also like to see improvements at the busy juncture of Stafford and Farmington avenues, a traditional headache for motorists.
Wright said that enacting – and enforcing – a “no blocking the box” law at the intersection would help because it would keep drivers from entering the crossroads directly until there was enough space to pass through it.
One reason that traffic gets delayed can be that cars remain stuck in the intersection after a signal change, blocking others from passing through it, which only exacerbates the problem of getting by the area.
Fitzgerald, who owns a bookkeeping company, said that that the area from Brook to Camp streets on Farmington Avenue “is really the retail hub of Bristol.”
She said she would “investigate the possibilities of widening this stretch of Route 6” – the state’s designation for the road – and push for a new study of traffic light patterns to see if improvements in signaling could be made.
Fitzgerald said that she would focus on the city’s mass transportation needs.
“Our senior citizens need to have mass transit that is easy to access and convenient,” she said.
“Bristol is one of the larger cities in Connecticut and we should be able to connect our commuters to other towns via mass transit,” Fitzgerald.
“The reinstatement of bus service between Bristol and Hartford could also reduce traffic on Route 6, as well as save commuters money they would be spending on gas,” Wright said.
Fitzgerald said she would also explore the prospects for light rail in Bristol, an idea that city officials are also pushing, though its prospects remain iffy.
State lawmakers serve two-year terms and earn $28,000 for their part-time positions.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Teachers and police back Wright in 77th District

Press release from state House hopeful Chris Wright, a Democrat in the 77th District:

POLICE AND TEACHER’S UNIONS ENDORSE CHRIS WRIGHT FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE

Chris Wright, the Democratic candidate for State Representative in Bristol’s 77^th District, has been endorsed by the Connecticut Council of Police Unions, AFSCME, Council 15, AFL-CIO and AFT Connecticut representing teachers and other employees.

Connecticut Police Council 15 President Paul J. Ariola, in his endorsement letter to Wright said, “It is our believe that your election to the State House is in the best interests of the residents of Connecticut as well as our four thousand members who serve as sworn police officers in sixty-two municipalities throughout the State.”

AFT Connecticut’s membership includes 28,000 workers in both the private and public sectors. Membership includes teachers, state and municipal employees, healthcare workers, educational paraprofessionals and school related personnel, and higher education staff and faculty.

“I am proud to be endorsed by the Connecticut Council of Police representing the men and women here in Bristol and statewide who put their lives on the line for us every day” Wright said. “I thank AFSCME Council 15 and its members for the confidence they have in me.”

“AFT Connecticut has a history of fighting for adequate funding for state services, quality and affordable health care for everyone and collective bargaining,” Wright said. “I welcome their support and am prepared to work for legislation that provides a better quality of life for working families, issues that AFT Connecticut has been engaged in for many years.”

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com