Bold Leadership to Return People and Jobs to CT

Endorsements and Awards

Toni’s position on Education and Transportation

This election may be one of the most significant state elections in a generation.  At stake is the very survival of Connecticut’s private sector jobs, town budgets and our households. While families and businesses have tightened their belts, state government has: spent more than ever; borrowed against the future for current expenses; dangerously under funded pensions; and,  enacted one of the nation’s largest tax increases that have jobs and people fleeing the state.

We have a nightmare – Connecticut faces consecutive deficits of more than $3 billion. Union interests, controlling the House of Representatives continue to push through higher salaries and benefits while under funding state pensions. Connecticut now faces $43 billion in unfunded pension and retirement liabilities that may become insolvent by 2020.

My opponent says tax hikes are inevitable. Not true. Increasing taxes is not the answer; fiscal responsibility is. Borrowing your way out of debt is a recipe for bankruptcy, already making us the highest combined tax burden state in the country.

Those obligated to special interests in Hartford have failed and taken Connecticut in the wrong direction. Connecticut can thrive again. We need to get people back to work by creating an environment where jobs can grow, families can prosper and seniors can afford to stay in their homes.

It’s time for real change by electing those with the courage and will to make the difficult decisions that will restore Connecticut jobs and its economy. The good news is that voters are now engaged and paying attention. They are enthusiastically supporting my efforts to bring fiscal discipline and lower taxes, which leaves more disposal income in the hands of the consumer, back to state government.  Because, ultimately, it is demand for goods and services that create the jobs that will revitalize our state.

There is one thing businesses tell me they want from their state, policymakers working together to solve the state’s fiscal and long term liabilities crisis in a responsible manner without burdening them further. They want Hartford to cut back just as they have done. This includes consolidating agencies and reducing high wages, benefits and pensions.

The state must stop raising taxes and doubling fees on businesses, such as the 10% income tax surcharge for three years and a new energy tax for the next 8. New hospital, hotel, investment and bonus taxes were some of the job killing proposals that I helped to defeat this year. In addition, a unitary tax was proposed that would have devastated employers who sell products out of state such as GE. Institute a moratorium on hidden fees caused by new mandates directed at businesses, and review of all existing mandates to determine if they are needed. Seventy new mandates on health insurance plans were enacted in the last few years. Legislators should also work with business to manage increases in the unemployment compensation tax.

We need to keep state government out of areas better done in the private sector such as health insurance, energy, 401k plans; and, instruct agencies to review permitting with a plan to streamline processes. The state should also reduce times for an answer on obtaining a permit. Long wait times can kill a project.

Businesses need consistency and a level playing field to grow. We should commit to maintaining targeted tax credits for a period of years so they have time to work and not constantly change the rules . Such measures could help businesses invest in jobs with more confidence.

Finally, Connecticut should not just publicize that it is “open for business”, it must prove by its actions.

Sometimes a grueling political campaign gets state Sen. Toni Boucher down. At times, attacks by opponents and partisan bickering distracts Boucher from the reason she got into politics, which she said is to help others. So when she tires of the negative aspects of election season, she goes door-to-door.

…

“It is about listening as much as you can, to engage [the residents of my district] and to listen to what their concerns are,” said Boucher. “I get a lot of information that way that is very helpful with regards to being an advocate on their behalf. Sometimes they may talk about issues with the train system or with education and that is really important to make note of and bring with you.”

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Expresses Opposition In Letter To State DOT Commissioner Jeffrey Parker & MTA Chairman Jay Walder

A recent statement by my opponent touted the low cost of doing business in Connecticut and how little of our tax increases were shared by our businesses. But he references a section of a UCONN publication regarding only 10% of Connecticuts 1.6 million jobs, most of which are in a few highly specialized manufacturers that often use inexpensive non-US parts. CBIA states that in reality we have steadily lost manufacturing jobs because Connecticut is cost-prohibitive (53,900 from 1994-2003 and 20,000 in the last two years). Ignoring ninety percent of the states overall economy is misleading.

National publications and firms that help locate businesses cite Connecticut as one of the least-friendly and most costly states to do business. As for not paying their fair share, consider that over 75 % of our business sector is comprised of LLCs, LLPs or LPs. Those businesses are taxed as personal income not reflected in the corporation tax. They also pay business entity, sales, real estate, property, equipment, succession, vehicles, fuel, tourism, energy, admission, dry cleaning, solid waste, unemployment and workers comp taxes. They pay occupation and other fees that were doubled in the last budget that I vehemently opposed. That budget increased the tax on most businesses by a whopping 30% and added a 10% surcharge on all large profitable businesses for the next 3 years, prompting US News & World Report to list our state in the top 4 where taxes were increasing the most. And if you think that tax policy does not make a difference, ask the Danbury Mall where 40% of their income comes from New Yorkers looking to save two percent on their sales tax. UCONN Center for Economic Analysis recently stated that “Unless the state adopts polices to change this progressively deteriorating pattern, a jobs recovery many never arrive.”

Commute time is one of the top considerations that people look at when they decide where to relocate jobs, yet the Hartford Courant correctly notes that ours is “the most heavily congested corridor in the country.” For years I have been delivering the message to the Capitol that transportation policy should make Fairfield County a gateway to New England, not an economic cul-de-sac, and I have gotten results.

After winning the long fight to keep our Norwalk to Danbury rail line open, I have replaced an unachievable Super 7 highway plan with road widening throughout our corridor that has significantly relieved congestion, and I repealed the statute that had prevented us from utilizing the Super 7 land for greenway activities, such as the Norwalk River Trail pedestrian and bike project.

Despite resistance, I have secured the funding for upgrading the Danbury rail line’s signal system so we can increase capacity and train speed. I assisted in bringing 300 new rail cars to the main line, and building a new rail maintenance yard.

Train stations in our area are receiving much needed upgrades and refurbishments and more parking spaces have been created. Fortunately for the already overburdened taxpayer, I successfully opposed the re-introduction of tolls and we secured private investments to completely upgrade all of our old highway rest stops. I also made sure that our Public Transportation Commission had representation from Fairfield County.

This is the era of mass transit and as a leading spokesperson and decision maker on the Transportation Committee I hope to build on our successes in order to modernize our roads and rail through initiatives like renovating Stamford’s train station, adding entrance/exit lanes on I-95, improving our branch lines, and in the long term, studying high speed and light rail around transit-oriented development.