Message to VotersDear Friends:
Connecticut faces many difficult challenges. The downturn in the national economy and skyrocketing energy costs have made our state’s challenges even tougher.
Now, more than ever, Connecticut needs strong, proactive leadership that brings together the best minds from academia, business, labor and government to agree on a blueprint to expand our economy and grow good-paying jobs for our citizens.
Connecticut needs foresight and hands-on management, not just daily reaction to news stories.
I believe that the keys to Connecticut’s future are:
- Linking our economic development efforts to the academic and research programs at our state’s private and public universities with the State’s growing industries such as bioscience. I also believe we need to continue the capital improvement projects that have transformed UConn and our state universities. Those projects serve the dual purpose of creating jobs and helping reverse the out-migration of our best and brightest.
- Strengthening our middle and high school curriculums by increasing required courses in math, science and world languages and demanding that the rigor the school district curriculums are aligned statewide. Also, maintain investment in quality pre-school for three and four-year-olds.
- Investing in a comprehensive infrastructure program to remedy Connecticut’s transportation woes, fully utilizing our deep water ports and by providing reliable commuter rail service by completing the New Haven-Springfield line. I favor implementing an EZ Pass toll system at the borders of our State to raise revenue from out-of-state cars and trucks to fund the program as an alternative to the current tax on gasoline.
- Maximizing utilization of state healthcare pooling and all available federal funds to enable expansion of affordable & accessible preventative health care.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns throughout this campaign season, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
