Carpino puts principles ahead of party

I will proudly cast my vote for state Rep. Christie Carpino for 32nd District state Senate Nov. 6. As the chair of Cromwell’s Board of Education, I work very closely with Christie and value our strong partnership.

Christie is exactly the kind of leader we need in Hartford right now. She always puts principles before party, works across party lines, and understands education and improving our economy are probably the two most important areas of focus for our state. Christie understands that an important way to continue this success is to make sure the state government makes it easier for school board to do what they do best — educate our students at a local level in ways that work most effectively for our communities, while minimizing unfunded state mandates and burdensome regulations that move decision making further away from our students.

Christie is a regular presence at school events and activities, throughout the year, not as a politician seeking a photo op, but as a community leader and mom, who appreciates the importance of visiting, volunteering and actively participating in our schools.

Christie is also a strong legislative leader, helping drive important initiatives, including as vice chair of the bipartisan school security working group. In a political climate that too often attracts extremists who do little more than follow their party’s platforms, residents of Cromwell and Portland are lucky to be among the relatively few who have a strong independent leader like Christie Carpino.

Mike Camilleri, Cromwell

Send Haines to Hartford

tIrene Haines is an excellent candidate to send to Hartford to represent the 34th House District in November. Irene has been very involved in the East Haddam community. Having served as president of the East Haddam Business Association, she is more than aware of the issues that business operators face.

Connecticut is missing the boat. We are among the slowest states for economic recovery and that should not be. Let’s send Irene to Hartford Nov. 6. I will be voting for her.

William McCann, Middle Haddam

Ziobron listens to constituents

I am writing this in support of Melissa Ziobron to be elected to the state Senate.

Melissa is very approachable and willing to listen to the concerns of the voters for the district she has represented. As a legislator, Melissa has completely committed herself to the 34th District over her three terms.

As the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, she demonstrated her bipartisanship and openmindedness by meeting and deliberating elements of the state budget with all four caucuses. She was instrumental in instituting constitutional spending cap with the passage of last year’s bipartisanship budget agreement.

Melissa’s voting record was 100 percent for the 2018, 2016, 2014 and 2012 terms. She would make a great senator, so please join me Nov. 6 to put Melissa in the state Senate.

Karen Godbout, Colchester