Candidates Answer Reader Questions
These are answers to questions for the candidates posed by readers. Responses are taken from interviews with The Courant’s editorial board. In some cases, where noted, their positions are supplemented by information from their websites or from follow-up email exchanges with The Courant.
Republican Bob Stefanowski declined an invitation from The Courant to be interviewed. His platform can be found on his website, https://www.bobforgovernor.com/issues/.
than having the black market control that.”
We want to make sure we understand the safety issues, so that it’s the same age to purchase as it is for alcohol, the issues around driving under the influence. … But the most important thing I’d say to you is the tax revenue that would come from that. … Don’t just dump it into the fund but tie it to resolving some of these other problems we have.”
From his campaign website, https://www.nedlamont.com/issues: “I support electronic tolling on heavy trucks that are coming in from out of state, which use our roads toll-free and create significant wear-and-tear.”
He adds: “I will not accept any budget that takes from the [Special Transportation Fund] to pay for non-infrastructure related projects, and I strongly support the transportation lockbox amendment.”
“It would take about three years to get tolls. … I would start the process immediately. I would re-establish the Transportation Strategy Board on day one, and as far as electronic tolls are concerned, I think we could get federal highway authorization sooner to use the HOV lanes on I-84 and I-91 as a pilot, instead of spending $10 million for a study.
“Congestion pricing has to be part of tolling, particularly from New Haven to Greenwich. It’s got to be part of the discussion.”
Mr. Griebel added that he supports the constitutional amendment to establish a lock box for transportation funding. His website, https://www.ozforgovct.com/issues-1, has more detail.
“I’m pretty cautious about new spending on education. The only thing I put forward, and I’m sticking to it, is the fact that over half of our kids in our schools right now are are children of color … 8 percent of our teachers are teachers of color, very few of them are guys. From my experience in doing a little bit of teaching in Bridgeport, I want the very best teachers to have an incentive to teach in inner-city schools, those toughest school districts. So I put forward a plan which is $20 million, $15 million to forgive student loans if you stay at
Harding High for five years. … Those are the type of things that I think can have an impact without banging our budget.”
We would pursue opportunities for more regional school systems to address cost, quality, segregation and the opportunity gap. We will also provide for the adequate and equitable funding of charter schools, especially in our larger cities, to provide greater choice for parents and students ...”
“Most importantly, we acknowledge that the ‘gap’ issues are only partly financial and include social and economic challenges as well. Accordingly, we will look to enhance support programs that extend beyond the school days and increase mentoring and tutoring programs.” without your participation. … I’m going to do it as someone with respect for labor. The rap on me is that I got support from labor, and I’m proud of that support, but that also means that we’re going to sit down, and collective bargaining means bargaining and honest negotiation.”
“I don’t think you can mandate [buyouts]. I don’t think you can force that. But sure — if there was somebody who said … I’ll take 70 cents on the dollar, I’d put that on the table. … It doesn’t solve anything in a big way — all of a sudden I’m replacing that defined benefit with an enormous note, a $10 billion note. ... You can say that’s good, because at least the note is fixed, and the benefit goes up and down with inflation. Is that the type of thing I’d make as an option? Yes.”
“I love teachers, and I know right now that the teachers’ pension fund is the most … in distress in the sense that we have a covenant on the bond. … It could triple, quadruple the amount of outlay by the taxpayers in the near term. I’ve got to deal with that in a serious way.”
“I’m tired of people blaming the 70-year-old teacher who worked her heart out for the state of Connecticut for 30, 35 years and ... all she has is her pension, and she doesn’t even have Social Security. … At least I’d go into that debate with respect.”
We have to talk with the unions starting on Nov. 7 … so that when the negotiations on base compensation and work rules are up in 2020, we’re having a more integrated discussion. … We have an obligation to pensioners.”
“The idea of taking a look at all employees in state government today and moving not just new employees but current employees into a full-blown 401(k) plan … if we’re not prepared to have the serious discussions about structural change … I think we’re relegated to four more years of what we’ve seen for the last 30. No net job growth, increased taxes and revenues, and outmigration.”
“So what we’re proposing is that you’ve got look at this over a four- to six-year period and have serious conversations with all the relevant parties so that you can make the kinds of structural change that I believe are needed to get us back on sound fiscal footing.”
“I’m not suggesting this is going to be easy, but if you don’t have the discussions to begin with, bring the current retirees in, talk to the union leaders and say, ‘Let’s all step back and look at this’? If I’m 65 years old and I’m counting on my retirement check in 20 years? It’s one thing if you’re 85 and you’re not really worried about it, but if you’re 65 or 55? You ought to be concerned about what the long-term ability of the state is to pay it, and I think they have to be part of this discussion.”
“I think that’s why you have a governor. You’re not just the CFO of the state, you also represent Connecticut values. Whatever you think about my point of view on fiscal issues … on those moral and social issues, I’ve never been more proud to be a Democrat right now. When it comes to immigration, when it comes to women’s rights, I can go through the litany — the environment, health care … where do you stand with people with pre-existing conditions? Don’t say that’s a federal issue.
“A governor can make a big difference. … We can be a firewall. We can put in place our own rules. We can say that ‘I’m going to make sure that pre-existing conditions and maternity care and contraception stay as part of the core package here in Connecticut.’ And if [the Trump administration] wants to unwind Obamacare, we’ll have our exchange. But I don’t want to have to be hostile, either. I need Washington. This state gets screwed by Washington. We send $3 billion, $4 billion more to Washington than we get back.”
“Our police have a full-time job keeping our streets safe and our communities safe, and I want that to be their No. 1, 2 and 3 priority. I know ICE and others would like us to expand other things, aid and abet them, but I think our priorities should be keeping our streets safe and community policing.”
“[Establishing sanctuary cities] is not my style, to say, ‘We’re not going to follow the law, come sue me if you don’t like it.’”
“I love Connecticut for its diversity, I’m a champion for the Dreamers … we want these folks educated, we want them to stay in Connecticut, we want them to be able to go to UConn, we want them to be able to get a scholarship, so they become good productive taxpaying members of our community.”
We have consistently advocated for comprehensive federal legislation that provides for appropriate security along both national borders and that provides a clear path to citizenship for current and future immigrants so that they can contribute their energy, intellect, skills and patriotism to Connecticut and the rest of the country.
“As importantly, a fundamental principle of the Griebel-Frank administration is demonstrating bone-deep respect for each individual and ensuring that the rule of law applies to all situations. We fully understand the state’s responsibilities to federal agencies responsible for enforcing immigration laws but support Connecticut’s TRUST Act so that the rule of law and due process apply to all deportation-related issues. To ensure that those facing deportation have effective legal representation, we support efforts such as the campaign led by the Connecticut Lawyers for Immigration Justice.”