To the Editors:
I want to thank my fellow residents of the 143rd district in Norwalk, Westport, and Wilton for once again putting your trust in me to represent you in Hartford. The 9,457 votes you cast for me across our district reflected your strong support, and I am deeply grateful for this expression of your confidence.
At a time when Connecticut is facing serious budgetary issues, I am especially conscious of my responsibility to you as a steward of your tax dollars. So I want you to know that although I participated in the state’s clean elections program, which provides grants to qualifying candidates who do not accept any contributions of more than $100, I felt as an unopposed candidate that our campaign should not spend any of the public grant money. I therefore kept our level of expenditures well below the amount we raised from individual contributors to qualify for the program, ensuring that our campaign did not add a penny to the state’s financial burden.
While our beautiful state continues to face many challenges that are rooted chiefly in its precarious fiscal and budgetary circumstances, I am more convinced than ever that we can overcome them. For the first time in decades, this election has created a situation of near parity between the two parties in the legislature. This will not only facilitate the bipartisan collaboration that is so necessary for restoring the state’s financial health, but will require it. This should be good news for everyone in Connecticut.
Our state has enormous potential that we can unleash if the General Assembly rises above politics to do what’s best for all of its constituents. I look forward to continuing to work for you as your State Representative to ensure that businesses can grow and create jobs, families can prosper, young people have opportunities, retirement here is affordable, and people of all ages can count on a future in Connecticut.
Gail Lavielle
State Representative, 143rd district
Norwalk, Westport, and Wilton
Wilton, Nov. 15