New Canaan’s Alvarez running opposite O’Dea for 125th District
NEW CANAAN — Victor Alvarez, a Democrat from New Canaan, will be opposing incumbent Republican Rep. Tom O'Dea in the upcoming race for the 125th Assembly District — one that includes New Canaan, Darien and North Stamford.
Alvarez, who rode his bicycle to Mead Memorial Park for an interview on his campaign, illustrated how important he feels environmental awareness is and noted that he is keenly focused on being “fiscally prudent.”The first-time candidate has worked in finance for 32 years and currently works as a controller for a major publishing company.
“Most people don't align perfectly with their political parties,” Alvarez said. “I really like a lot of things about the Democratic Party. However, coming from a financial background, I consider myself to be fiscally prudent.”
Alvarez will be just the second candidate endorsed by the Democratic Town Committeee to oppose O'Dea in five elections. The last Democrat to oppose him was Ross
Tartell, of Wilton, in 2018. The incumbent said he believed the trend was “indicative of my broad support across party line.”
Altough O'Dea said he would have preferred “to earn the ‘unofficial' endorsement of the Democratic Town Committees in my district by not having an opponent, as I have in the past,” he said he welcome the opportunity to debate the issues. “I look forward to running on my record, reputation for bipartisanship and my priorities for the next session.”
He joined the Board of Finance last year because he supports “balancing your budget, not spending more than you're bringing in in revenue, and not incurring a lot of unnecessary debt,” he said.
He also considers himself a “constitutional enthusiast,” having studied the United States Constitution, the federalist papers and biographies of founding fathers, Alvarez said. “I believe that our system of government is a great system of government, but it's messy.”
Above all, “I would want to focus on the issues and try to fix the issues that impact people's lives,” he said.
He advocates for local control and considers Connecticut's affordable housing 8-30g statute “very imperfect.” There is “a good reason for the (affordable housing) law to exist, but let's make it more reasonable, more achievable,” he said.
The town would need to build nearly 20 buildings similar to the 102-unit development being proposed on 751 Weed St. with 30 percent affordable units to meet that goal. Instead of 10 percent, he would like to see the laws changed to have a goal of five or six percent. He would also like to make it easier to apply for a 8-30g affordable housing moratoriums.
If elected, he would like to be on the environment, transportation and energy technology committees.
“I'm a bike rider. I want to educate drivers about how to drive around more safely around bikes,” which he would do if he served on the Transportation Committee. He is also an advocate for creating incentives for using public transportation and educating people about its benefits. He hopes to significantly alleviate the congestion on I-95 and the Merritt Parkway and improve service on Metro North.
On the Energy and Technology Committee, he would work on improving the technology around transmission and distribution of energy. “Connecticut has a lot of wind resources that are untapped,” he said.
He hopes to improve the economy while “improving our prospects on climate change.” With an aim to create high-paying jobs “with dignity” in Connecticut, he would support attracting more renewable energy businesses. The state could “start taking jobs away from the fracking companies in the Midwest, and oil companies in Texas” because “the jobs are better here.”
As representative, he wants to curtail the distribution of health and election misinformation online, calling it “is extremely damaging.” The Connecticut State Legislature is a “laboratory of democracy,” he said, and he envisions taking the lead on gun laws, similar to passing the Red Flag Law, which 18 other states have enacted since.
Alvarez would like to expand background checks needed to purchase a firearm and enact ways to prevent individuals from owning a gun if they are battling mental illness; have been involved in domestic violence; were convicted of a violent crime, including misdemeanors; and have engaged in xenophobic content online. He would also support moving the age of being able to buy a gun from 18 to 21.
Alvarez supports “women's rights to make their own decisions about their reproductive health care” and said that women's reproductive rights were “under attack nationally.”