After coming up short in her own bid for a state legislative seat in the 77th District, Republican Jill Fitzgerald is now working as a legislative aide for Jason Welch, the new GOP state senator from Bristol.
*****
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Showing posts with label Fitzgerald. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fitzgerald. Show all posts
December 13, 2010
October 22, 2010
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
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
May 25, 2010
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
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
April 26, 2010
Fitzgerald to run against Wright
More tomorrow, but Republican Jill Fitzgerald said this evening she plans to seek a rematch for the 77th state House seat that state Rep. Chris Wright, a Bristol Democrat, has held since 2008.
Fitzgerald put up a good fight last time. This time, she said, the GOP has the momentum, with good issues and solid candidates.
"The moment is now," she said. CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY
*******
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Fitzgerald put up a good fight last time. This time, she said, the GOP has the momentum, with good issues and solid candidates.
"The moment is now," she said. CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY
*******
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
February 25, 2010
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
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
November 4, 2008
Wright and legislative incumbents win - Hamzy survives Democratic tidal wave
A Democratic landslide that swept aside Republicans across the country carried in a Democratic newcomer to an open state House seat in Bristol but it didn’t prove strong enough to knock out the city’s sole incumbent Republican lawmaker.
Chris Wright, the Democratic newcomer in the 77th District, said his win is “just starting to sink in” after a long, hard campaign against Republican Jill Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald called the race “a wonderful experience” that she might try again someday.
Re-elected to two-year terms were all of the city’s incumbents – state Sen. Tom Colapietro, state Rep. Betty Boukus and state Rep. Frank Nicastro, all Democrats, and Republican state Rep. Bill Hamzy.
Official results were not available late Tuesday, but unofficial tallies from both political parties left the outcomes clear.
Hamzy, a Plymouth Republican whose 78th district includes Bristol, won his eighth term by a comfortable margin over Democrat Jacqui Denksi.
"I'm ecstatic," said Hamzy, who admitted he had been "a little worried, especially the way the tide was going."
Hamzy said he didn't take the race for granted.
"You never know," said Hamzy. But he said, "I had a record to run on and people responded to it."
Nicastro easily won re-election to his second term in the 79th District.
"I plan to work very hard for all my constituents," said Nicastro.
Nicastro faced a symbolic challenge from David L. Norton, who stepped into the race late in October after the original Republican candidate, Derek Jerome, committed suicide.
Norton said he agreed to run in honor of Jerome, who strongly believed in giving voters a choice.
Nicastro said he and Norton spent Election Day together.
"We had some great discussions. It was a pleasure to stand alongside him," said Nicastro. "He was a perfect gentleman."
Colapietro, who has represented the 31st District since 1992, breezed into his ninth term Tuesday.
The race "was pretty easy for me," said Colapietro, a Bristol Democrat. "It's the only time I've ever run unopposed."
Colapietro said he'd been looking forward to talking about the issues, but without an opponent didn't have much chance. He said he likes people to know why he casts the votes he does.
Wright and Fitzgerald were battling for a seat left open by the retirement of one-term state Rep. Ron Burns, a Republican.
Burns said the winners of all the races are going to face “a tough two years. It is going to be quite difficult” dealing with budget cuts and the recession.
“It could be a whole different picture” by the next time state lawmakers face the voters, Burns said.
As polls closed, Bristol Democratic Town Chairman Elliott Nelson said Democrats were optimistic about all their races.
"The numbers are high," said Nelson.
As the polls closed, Colapietro was at the American Legion in Bristol where a glitch in the voting machines kept ballots from being read.
"For awhile they had to count them by hand," said Colapietro.
Nelson said the machines at the American Legion failed early Tuesday morning and weren't back in action until 6:30 p.m.
It was "a major meltdown," said Nelson.
But election officials got the machines going again, Colapietro said, so ballots could be fed into them.
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Chris Wright, the Democratic newcomer in the 77th District, said his win is “just starting to sink in” after a long, hard campaign against Republican Jill Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald called the race “a wonderful experience” that she might try again someday.
Re-elected to two-year terms were all of the city’s incumbents – state Sen. Tom Colapietro, state Rep. Betty Boukus and state Rep. Frank Nicastro, all Democrats, and Republican state Rep. Bill Hamzy.
Official results were not available late Tuesday, but unofficial tallies from both political parties left the outcomes clear.
Hamzy, a Plymouth Republican whose 78th district includes Bristol, won his eighth term by a comfortable margin over Democrat Jacqui Denksi.
"I'm ecstatic," said Hamzy, who admitted he had been "a little worried, especially the way the tide was going."
Hamzy said he didn't take the race for granted.
"You never know," said Hamzy. But he said, "I had a record to run on and people responded to it."
Nicastro easily won re-election to his second term in the 79th District.
"I plan to work very hard for all my constituents," said Nicastro.
Nicastro faced a symbolic challenge from David L. Norton, who stepped into the race late in October after the original Republican candidate, Derek Jerome, committed suicide.
Norton said he agreed to run in honor of Jerome, who strongly believed in giving voters a choice.
Nicastro said he and Norton spent Election Day together.
"We had some great discussions. It was a pleasure to stand alongside him," said Nicastro. "He was a perfect gentleman."
Colapietro, who has represented the 31st District since 1992, breezed into his ninth term Tuesday.
The race "was pretty easy for me," said Colapietro, a Bristol Democrat. "It's the only time I've ever run unopposed."
Colapietro said he'd been looking forward to talking about the issues, but without an opponent didn't have much chance. He said he likes people to know why he casts the votes he does.
Wright and Fitzgerald were battling for a seat left open by the retirement of one-term state Rep. Ron Burns, a Republican.
Burns said the winners of all the races are going to face “a tough two years. It is going to be quite difficult” dealing with budget cuts and the recession.
“It could be a whole different picture” by the next time state lawmakers face the voters, Burns said.
As polls closed, Bristol Democratic Town Chairman Elliott Nelson said Democrats were optimistic about all their races.
"The numbers are high," said Nelson.
As the polls closed, Colapietro was at the American Legion in Bristol where a glitch in the voting machines kept ballots from being read.
"For awhile they had to count them by hand," said Colapietro.
Nelson said the machines at the American Legion failed early Tuesday morning and weren't back in action until 6:30 p.m.
It was "a major meltdown," said Nelson.
But election officials got the machines going again, Colapietro said, so ballots could be fed into them.
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
October 31, 2008
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.
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
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.
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
October 27, 2008
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 77th 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.
*******
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
October 24, 2008
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.
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
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.
*******
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.
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
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
October 21, 2008
Petit to join Hamzy and Fitzgerald for press conference Thursday
Press release from the state House GOP:
Rep. Hamzy, 77th Assembly District Candidate Fitzgerald to Hold Three Strikes News Conference at City Hall Will Sign Pledge to Support Three Strikes Law if Elected; Dr. William Petit, Johanna Petit-Chapman to Participate
State Representative William A. Hamzy and 77th Assembly District candidate Jill Fitzgerald will hold a news conference Thursday, October 23rd at Bristol City Hall, where they will sign a pledge to vote for a meaningful ‘three strikes’ law if they are elected to the state House of Representatives November 4th.
They will be joined by Dr. William A. Petit Jr., M.D., whose family was murdered during an invasion of their Cheshire home July 23, 2007 by two recently-paroled burglars; by Dr. Petit’s sister, Johanna Petit-Chapman; and by state Senator Sam S. F. Caliguri, R-16th District, chairman of the 3 Strikes Now Coalition.
Dr. Petit and Johanna Petit-Chapman are the organization’s honorary co-chairs. The coalition is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization dedicated to having a ‘three strikes and you’re out’ law enacted in Connecticut. The proposed three strikes law would require judges to impose life sentences without the possibility of parole on criminals convicted of three violent felony offenses, such as murder, rape, home invasion, or kidnapping.
The three strikes initiative is intended to protect innocent, law-abiding citizens from repeat violent offenders whose criminal histories strongly indicate that they are so prone to violence and so unwilling or unable to change their behavior that they should be kept behind bars because of the threat they pose to society.
The coalition has sent all candidates for the state legislature a letter asking them to sign a pledge form promising to support enactment of a three strikes law if they are elected.
The news conference will take place at 2 p.m. Thursday, October 23rd in the meeting room at Bristol City Hall. The meeting room is located adjacent to Council Chambers on the first floor.
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
October 20, 2008
Fitzgerald picks up another endorsement
Press release from GOP state House hopeful Jill Fitzgerald, who is running for an open seat in northeast Bristol's 77th District:
Fitzgerald Endorsed by Protective Services Employees Coalition
The Protective Services Employees Coalition (PSEC) has endorsed Republican 77th Assembly District candidate Jill Fitzgerald in her bid to succeed state Representative Ron Burns, who is not seeking re-election to the seat and has endorsed her candidacy.
The PSEC represents 950 plus state employees in Connecticut who stand ready to protect your sons and daughters at Connecticut's Colleges and Universities, stand ready to protect Connecticut’s environment, the motoring and flying public as well as citizens under the care of many social service agencies. . PSEC members hail from virtually every community and district in Connecticut.
“This endorsement from a union that represents state public safety personnel from throughout Connecticut means a lot to me,” Fitzgerald said. “Here in Bristol, I am a strong supporter of our dedicated firefighters and police officers, who are very visible in the community and sponsor a baseball league in Cambridge Park and a basketball league in the west end.”
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your commitment and dedication to public service. We feel that the citizens of the State of Connecticut and our members will benefit greatly from your hard work and dedication. We look forward to supporting your efforts and working with you in the future on their behalf,” said Stanislaw Mieldziec, PSEC Political Action Committee Chairperson, and William J. Boucher, PSEC President and PSEC-PAC Treasurer, in a letter to Fitzgerald informing her of the union’s endorsement.
*******The Protective Services Employees Coalition (PSEC) has endorsed Republican 77th Assembly District candidate Jill Fitzgerald in her bid to succeed state Representative Ron Burns, who is not seeking re-election to the seat and has endorsed her candidacy.
The PSEC represents 950 plus state employees in Connecticut who stand ready to protect your sons and daughters at Connecticut's Colleges and Universities, stand ready to protect Connecticut’s environment, the motoring and flying public as well as citizens under the care of many social service agencies. . PSEC members hail from virtually every community and district in Connecticut.
“This endorsement from a union that represents state public safety personnel from throughout Connecticut means a lot to me,” Fitzgerald said. “Here in Bristol, I am a strong supporter of our dedicated firefighters and police officers, who are very visible in the community and sponsor a baseball league in Cambridge Park and a basketball league in the west end.”
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your commitment and dedication to public service. We feel that the citizens of the State of Connecticut and our members will benefit greatly from your hard work and dedication. We look forward to supporting your efforts and working with you in the future on their behalf,” said Stanislaw Mieldziec, PSEC Political Action Committee Chairperson, and William J. Boucher, PSEC President and PSEC-PAC Treasurer, in a letter to Fitzgerald informing her of the union’s endorsement.
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
October 15, 2008
Fitzgerald calls for spending cuts
Press release from 77th District state House candidate Jill Fitzgerald, a Republican:
Jill Fitzgerald Says: Now, is the Time to deal with Budget Deficit
Promising to lead by example in the face of worsening economics for Connecticut families and workers, House and Senate Republicans today proposed across-the-board spending cuts to eliminate the projected $300 million budget deficit and highlighted government spending and Capitol projects the state cannot afford.
Republican House and Senate leaders cited numerous examples of Capitol projects and budget items - from $1.7 million to print laws, to expensive statues, $255,000 in new signage and wasteful special legislative sessions – that should be eliminated because of the deficit.
Jill Fitzgerald a candidate for state representative for the 77th district, said that there are essentially only two ways to fix a deficit of this magnitude, either raise taxes or cut spending, and added that she is committed to balancing the budget without raising taxes.
Fitzgerald added, " As I go door to door, Bristol residents are worried and are asking me what we can do to help the economy. These wasteful spending projects need to be halted. Bristol families have tightened their belts now its time for state government to do the same."
Every state budget office and fiscal entity - Republican, Democrat or non-partisan - agrees that Connecticut faces mounting deficits. Whether the examples cited by Republicans are symbolic or significant their message is clear: spending must be cut.
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
October 10, 2008
Wright, Fitzgerald clash as 77th heats up
Democrats are taking aim at Republican state House contender Jill Fitzgerald’s decision to leave her party affiliation off her political mailings and campaign signs that dot the 77th District.
“We’re talking the Republican Party, the party of George Bush and Dick Cheney. If I were part of that party, I might not want to advertise it either,” said Chris Wright, the Democrat taking her on for the open northeastern Bristol seat.
But Fizgerald said that political parties aren’t what counts.
“I have found the good people of Bristol overwhelmingly interested in the person, not the party and this is what it is going to take to solve the problems we face,” Fitzgerald said.
“If Chris wants to focus on his party, that is his choice,” she said.
“ I want to focus on the people and the true reason why I am running for this seat and that is to represent all of the people of this community whether they are Republican, Democrat, or unaffiliated.”
Wright said that Fitzgerald knows that Republicans only make up about 15 percent of the voters in the district “so she has to appeal to other parties, which I’m trying to do as well.”
Elliott Nelson, who chairs the city’s Democratic Party, said he’s glad Wright is running for office “as a proud Democrat, while his opponent appears to be running away from her Republican Party.”
Fitzgerald said she understands that the GOP isn’t particularly popular these days.
But, she said, she stands by its traditional goals and is proud of its heritage.
“Philosophically, my core beliefs do align with the principals that were historically held by the Republican Party,” Fitzgerald said.
Nelson said that "with the state of the national economy under George Bush being what it is and with the anti-worker record of Republicans in the state House being what it is,” he can understand why a GOP candidate for the state House would shy away from letting voters know she’s a Republican.
He pointed to the GOP’s opposition to a minimum wage increase and its stance against a plan to expand health care options for small businesses, nonprofits and municipal workers as proof that that the GOP isn’t looking out in the legislature for “the middle class and working people.”
“Could those two anti-worker and anti-middle class votes by Republicans in the state House, be a reason why Chris Wright’s opponent is not waving the Republican banner,” Nelson said. “Voters can judge for themselves.”
Fitzgerald said she has “a real connection to this community and that includes the working people, the business owners, the medical professionals, the students, our police force, firefighters, and so on. I see these people on a daily basis and I want to be able to look each person in the eye, knowing that I am working toward a balance that will ultimately benefit all of us.”
“These difficult economic times call for innovative ideas, common sense, compassion and bipartisanship working together for the good of the people,” she said.
“I’m so tired of politics being about the politicians and not about the people,” Fitzgerald said.
Wright and Fitzgerald are vying for the seat that incumbent Republican Ron Burns is giving up this year after a single term in the House. The election is Nov. 4.
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Bristol's reaction to gay marriage ruling is mixed
Bristol’s reaction to the legalization of gay marriage by the Connecticut Supreme Court Friday ranged from delight to disappointment.
The 4-3 decision to make Connecticut the third state to allow same sex marriage throws aside the civil union compromise that Gov. Jodi Rell and the legislature agreed on several years ago and opens the door for thousands of gay couples to marry.
“It’s the law now and I don’t have any choice except to abide by it,” said state Sen. Tom Colapietro, a Bristol Democrat who has represented the 31st District since 1992.
Colapietro said he “never voted for” gay marriage because “neither my heart nor my stomach would let me vote for marriage between a man and a man and a woman and a woman.”
But, he said, now that court has ruled, he agrees with Gov. Jodi Rell that there’s no alternative except to honor the decision.
“Their decision is final. We live in a democracy and that’s how they’ve ruled,” said state Rep. Frank Nicastro, a Bristol Democrat from the 79th District who has always opposed gay marriage.
Nicastro said that given the narrow margin of the state Supreme Court ruling, there are clearly “still a lot of questions” and some “very strong concern” surrounding the issue of gay marriage.
State Rep. Bill Hamzy, a Plymouth Republican from the 78th District, said he believes an issue such as gay marriage should be dealt with by the legislature or by referendum.
“It goes to the heart of our social fabric,” Hamzy said.
He said that lawmakers have twice in recent years approved measures that show they believe in the traditional definition of marriage, when they backed same sex adoption and civil unions.
“It’s unfortunate that four judges overruled a majority of the legislature,” Hamzy said.
With the ruling, he said, there’s sure to be a push for passage of a ballot question about whether to hold a constitutional convention that could perhaps overturn the court’s decision.
“That issue will be a lot more prominent” in the weeks remaining before the Nov. 4 election, Hamzy said.
He said he supports holding a convention, which can take up whatever issues it wants, in part because he would like to see it adopt language that would strengthen the state spending cap.
Republican state House contender Jill Fitzgerald said she has a gay brother who’s been in “a long, monogamous relationship” and a gay cousin in Hollywood who’s already gotten married.
“Having gay family members who are dear to me has caused me to be very thoughtful about” the gay marriage issue, she said. “It is a difficult situation. It really is.”
Fitzgerald, who is running for an open seat in the 77th District in northeastern Bristol, said there is a “cultural perception of marriage is that it is between a man and a woman” that tradition ought to be honored. Four judges shouldn’t be able “to make a decision for the entire population,” she said
She said the court’s ruling is “not a very sensitive way” to handle a culturally charged issue that will likely be resolved in a decade or two by shifting attitudes.
“It just makes people angry with one another” to have a battle arise over whether to extend marriage to gay men and women now, Fitzgerald said.
Chris Wright, a Democrat who is also running in the 77th District, said he supports the court’s decision.
“Basically, I’m kind of a libertarian at heart,” he said. “I believe that people should be able to live their lives without a lot of government interference.”
Wright said he doesn’t feel comfortable having the government tell people whom they can have relations with.
“I’m just a basic believer in freedom,” Wright said.
He also took issue with the GOP’s tendency to oppose gay rights.
“A lot of Republicans talk about smaller government. They want government that’s just small enough to get into your bedroom,” Wright said.
Fitzgerald said she would have preferred that the issue “have gone out to the citizens of Connecticut to vote on before a ruling was made.”
Laura Minor, a justice of the peace in Bristol, said the ruling is “absolutely incredible. I’m delighted.”
Minor said that she has performed many marriages and a number of civil unions.
“The love between all of the couples – when I see the love they have for each other and the look in each others’ eyes – is exactly the same” whether the couple is straight or gay, Minor said.
“This is a basic issue of justice,” Minor said.
She said that religions should be able to decide who can marry within their faiths based on their own traditions and beliefs.
But government has an obligation to recognize marriage as a civil right for everyone “without discrimination.”
Civil unions are “only partway there,” she said.
Minor said she can’t wait to perform her first gay marriage.
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Fitzgerald says judges shouldn't have intervened on gay marriage
Republican state House contender Jill Fitzgerald said she has gay relatives "who are dear to me" and who have "caused me to be very thoughtful about” the gay marriage issue, she said.
“It is a difficult situation. It really is,” she said.
Fitzgerald, who is running in the 77th District in northeastern Bristol, said there is a “cultural perception of marriage that it is between a man and a woman.”
That tradition ought to be honored, Fitzgerald said. Four judges shouldn’t be able “to make a decision for the entire population,” she said
She said the court’s ruling is “not a very sensitive way” to handle a culturally charged issue that will likely be resolved in a decade or two by shifting attitudes.
“It just makes people angry with one another” to have a battle arise over whether to extend marriage to gay men and women now, Fitzgerald said.
Fitzgerald said she would have preferred that the issue “have gone out to the citizens of Connecticut to vote on before a ruling was made.”
*******
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Wright asks: How come Fitzgerald doesn't want people to know she's a Republican?
Press release from Chris Wright, Democratic state representative candidate in the 77th District:
DEMOCRATIC TOWN CHAIR QUESTIONS’S WHY CHRIS WRIGHT’S OPPONENT IS RUNNING AWAY FROM HER REPUBLICAN PARTY
Elliot Nelson, Chairman of the Bristol Democratic Town Committee, today praised Chris Wright, Democratic Candidate for State Representative in Bristol’s 77th District, running for office “as a proud Democrat, while his opponent appears to be running away from her Republican party.”
“I couldn’t help but notice that Jill Fitzgerald’s recent mail piece and her election signs make no mention of her party, which is supposed to be the Republican Party, not a mystery party.”
“Now, it’s understandable with the state of the national economy under George Bush being what it is and with the anti-worker record of Republicans in the state House being what it is, why a GOP candidate would want to shun the Republican label,” Nelson said.
Let’s take a look at just two important votes in the legislature this year that illustrates what Republicans think and how they vote when it comes to the middle class and working people,” Nelson continued.
“A majority of Republicans in the state House voted against the Democratic Majority on a vote to raise the minimum wage for the most vulnerable of workers,” Nelson said. “Chris Wright’s opponent was quoted in the Bristol Press saying she too would have voted against raising the minimum wage bill and against working people.”
Nelson further pointed out that “on another key vote on a bill called the Health Care Partnership which would expand health care for small businesses and their workers, municipal employees and others, a majority of Republicans voted against that bill, too.”
“Could those two anti-worker and anti-middle class votes by Republicans in the state House, be a reason why Chris Wright’s opponent is not waving the Republican banner,” Nelson said. “Voters can judge for themselves.”
“But, Chris Wright is ready to fight for the middle class and for working families,” Nelson said,” Chris runs as a Democrat, not as a mystery party candidate, and he deserves our vote for State Representative in the 77th District.”
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
September 25, 2008
Fitzgerald qualifies for state campaign cash
Press release from GOP state House contender Jill Fitzgerald:
Jill Fitzgerald, the Republican candidate for state representative from the 77th Assembly District, recently qualified for campaign financing available under the new Citizens Election Program.
On September 17, 2008 the State Elections Enforcement Commission approved the $25,000 grant, which is the same amount given to all state house candidates who qualify for the CEP by securing donations of $5,000 from at least 150 residents.
“This program is funded by revenues from unclaimed property in Connecticut, not from our tax dollars,” Fitzgerald said. “Governor Rell supported this initiative, which provides candidates an alternative source of funding for their political campaigns to contributions from special interests. The new program gives average citizens who cannot afford to make large contributions an opportunity to play more active roles in choosing candidates who will best serve the people who elected them.”
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Jill Fitzgerald, the Republican candidate for state representative from the 77th Assembly District, recently qualified for campaign financing available under the new Citizens Election Program.
On September 17, 2008 the State Elections Enforcement Commission approved the $25,000 grant, which is the same amount given to all state house candidates who qualify for the CEP by securing donations of $5,000 from at least 150 residents.
“This program is funded by revenues from unclaimed property in Connecticut, not from our tax dollars,” Fitzgerald said. “Governor Rell supported this initiative, which provides candidates an alternative source of funding for their political campaigns to contributions from special interests. The new program gives average citizens who cannot afford to make large contributions an opportunity to play more active roles in choosing candidates who will best serve the people who elected them.”
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
September 4, 2008
Fitzgerald endorsed by professors
Press release from Republican state House contender Jill Fitzgerald:
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Republican 77th Assembly District candidate Jill Fitzgerald has been endorsed by the
“This endorsement is a result of careful consideration of your positions and our perception that you recognize the needs of public higher education in
The CSU-AAUP’s faculty members at
“I am truly honored to have received this endorsement” said Jill Fitzgerald. “Our state university system is one to be proud of. With the high cost of private higher education, our state universities offer an affordable and viable option to
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
September 2, 2008
Fitzgerald vows to push tourism in Bristol
A new press release from state House contender Hill Fitzgerald:
Republican 77th Assembly District candidate Jill Fitzgerald today pledged to work with Governor Rell, members of the city’s legislative delegation, local elected officials, and the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism to promote Bristol’s cultural and recreational attractions to encourage more tourists to visit the city.
“Bristol has a wide variety of cultural and recreational attractions that could make the city significantly more attractive to visitors if they were promoted more aggressively – both elsewhere in Connecticut and throughout the northeastern part of the United States,” Fitzgerald said. “Bristol has unique cultural assets such as the Carousel, Clock and military museums, recreational assets such as historic Lake Compounce, the A. Bartlett Giamatti Little League Center; the Barnes and Indian Rock Nature Centers and the Hoppers, which has an extensive system of hiking trails that rival any in the state.”
“Bristol also is home to ESPN, the largest all-sports network in the country, and popular annual events like the Mum Festival,” Fitzgerald said. “The problem is that most of the attractions that make our city such a great place to live, work and raise a family aren’t well known outside of our corner of the state. I believe that a more aggressive effort on the part of the Commission’s Tourism Division to promote Bristol could significantly increase the number of visitors to our city.”
“If Bristol becomes a more widely recognized tourist destination, it would mean more people patronizing local restaurants and other businesses, stimulating the local economy, and creating more jobs,” Fitzgerald said. “One of my most important goals if I am elected as the 77th District’s new state representative will be to convince the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism that Bristol has the potential to be a significant visitor destination that will bring more dollars into our state – if the agency’s tourism division makes more of an effort to promote our city and the attractions we have to offer.”
The Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism’s Tourism Division works to make tourism a leading economic contributor and a source of pride for Connecticut. The division partners with the Connecticut business community and five regional tourism districts to position the state, encourage strategic investment and ensure that Connecticut is a prime destination for leisure and business travelers. The division offers a broad range of services, includi ng mar keting, research, hospitality services, direct sales and business marketing assistance. The division operates Connecticut's six Welcome Centers.
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Republican 77th Assembly District candidate Jill Fitzgerald today pledged to work with Governor Rell, members of the city’s legislative delegation, local elected officials, and the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism to promote Bristol’s cultural and recreational attractions to encourage more tourists to visit the city.
“Bristol has a wide variety of cultural and recreational attractions that could make the city significantly more attractive to visitors if they were promoted more aggressively – both elsewhere in Connecticut and throughout the northeastern part of the United States,” Fitzgerald said. “Bristol has unique cultural assets such as the Carousel, Clock and military museums, recreational assets such as historic Lake Compounce, the A. Bartlett Giamatti Little League Center; the Barnes and Indian Rock Nature Centers and the Hoppers, which has an extensive system of hiking trails that rival any in the state.”
“Bristol also is home to ESPN, the largest all-sports network in the country, and popular annual events like the Mum Festival,” Fitzgerald said. “The problem is that most of the attractions that make our city such a great place to live, work and raise a family aren’t well known outside of our corner of the state. I believe that a more aggressive effort on the part of the Commission’s Tourism Division to promote Bristol could significantly increase the number of visitors to our city.”
“If Bristol becomes a more widely recognized tourist destination, it would mean more people patronizing local restaurants and other businesses, stimulating the local economy, and creating more jobs,” Fitzgerald said. “One of my most important goals if I am elected as the 77th District’s new state representative will be to convince the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism that Bristol has the potential to be a significant visitor destination that will bring more dollars into our state – if the agency’s tourism division makes more of an effort to promote our city and the attractions we have to offer.”
The Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism’s Tourism Division works to make tourism a leading economic contributor and a source of pride for Connecticut. The division partners with the Connecticut business community and five regional tourism districts to position the state, encourage strategic investment and ensure that Connecticut is a prime destination for leisure and business travelers. The division offers a broad range of services, includi ng mar keting, research, hospitality services, direct sales and business marketing assistance. The division operates Connecticut's six Welcome Centers.
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
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