Connecticut gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 14 Republican primary)/04

Connecticut gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 14 Republican primary)

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Campaign themes and policy stances

Campaign themes

Mark Boughton

“	Overview Connecticut faces a budget crisis and our residents must choose between suffering or moving out of state. The state income tax is the primary driver of Connecticut becoming less competitive and less affordable. More than 235,000 people have left our state, taking $13.7 billion in taxable income with them. This trend seems to verify the old adage, “you can’t tax your way to prosperity.” Since the implementation of the state income tax, Connecticut has become less affordable for residents and much more anti-business than our neighboring states. For the last 40 years, the Democrats have controlled the state legislature and have recklessly spent the state’s tax revenues. In 1991-92, the state budget totaled $7.6 billion. The 2016-2017 budget clocked in at $19.76 billion. Even after adjusting for inflation, this explosion in government spending has been devastating to our state’s economy. This outrageous spending was made possible by the implementation of the state income tax. It is time to do away with the state income tax. I have a phased plan to remake state government and lower the income tax until it is completely eliminated. Job Creation Job growth climbed more than twice as fast in those states without income taxes, compared to the states with the top income tax rates. Blue chip companies like GE and Aetna flourished during the days when our tax rates were reasonable. Now, they’ve left our state for greener pastures. Lowering our costs is the best way for us to compete with innovation hubs like New York City and Boston. By remaking state government and lowering the income tax until it is eliminated, we will provide working people the relief they need to raise families. As we start to show the country how serious we are about getting our fiscal house in order, that stability and predictability will prove to prospective job creators that Connecticut and our workforce are the right fit for them. Economic Development Nine states thrive without an income tax. According to Forbes Magazine, economic growth in those states grew nearly 50 percent faster between 1998-2008 than it did in the nine states with the highest top personal income tax rates. We need to look at these success stories and implement similar fiscal policies here in Connecticut to get our economy moving. The only way out is by initiating pro-growth steps that can help alleviate the burden from the middle class and in doing so strengthening it. Allowing people to keep more of the money they earn will show our residents that the government does indeed care for them. Quality of Life and Families It is time to start taking steps to both unburden our families and signal to the nation that Connecticut is taking its fiscal health seriously. As the state’s debt and unfunded obligations continue to get bigger and bigger we will have less and less money going to those who need it most all the while taking more and more from families and diminishing their quality of life. I have a bold plan that can attack these issues. Connecticut needs to stop thinking about what it will tax next and start thinking about enhancing the quality of life of its citizens. We need to focus on enticing people to live here by creating more job opportunities so we can grow Connecticut into the place we all remember. A place where regular people could find a good paying job, raise and educate a family and a place you could retire in and watch your grandchildren grow.	”
—Boughton for Governor

Tim Herbst

“	Defense Industry Connecticut has a long and proud tradition of building the tools needed to support our national defense. Electric Boat, United Technologies, Sikorsky and others employ thousands of hardworking Connecticut residents. Tim will be a cooperative and responsive partner to our crucial defense contractors. Tim will strive to provide the workforce and positive business environment our national defense industry needs to thrive in Connecticut. Tim also believes the U.S. Sub Base in Groton is one of the greatest sources of pride for our state. He will do whatever is necessary to protect the Sub Base and ensure Groton remains home for so many service members of the U.S. Navy. Community Safety Connecticut under Governor Malloy has seen a dramatic decrease in the number of uniformed police officers at the state and local level and his “early release program” has put our communities in danger. This governor has used a decrease in overall crime to paper-over rising rates of violent crime, including rapes and murders, in Connecticut. The early release program pushed by this governor has already set free more than 21,000 criminals from Connecticut correctional facilities, more than half of whom were violent offenders, according to Malloy's own administration. Tim will end this disastrous program and provide law enforcement with whatever resources they require to protect Connecticut residents. As Trumbull’s chief executive, Tim increased funding for public safety each year, increased the number of officers on the street, expanding the Town’s K-9 program to fight crime and drugs, put a school resource officer program into each of Trumbull’s schools and reformed the Town’s emergency management systems to better protect the public. In 2014, Trumbull was ranked the fourth safest municipality in the State of Connecticut. Transportation Tim believes it is unacceptable that a state as beautiful as Connecticut is ranked 47th in overall infrastructure. The failure of Hartford to maintain roads, bridges and trains impacts the quality of life of many Connecticut residents and also inhibits our ability to retain and attract new businesses seeking to grow in the Nutmeg State. There are crowded and dilapidated trains on Metro-North, there are crumbling bridges all over the state and the roads are covered in pot holes. Tim will end the practice of raiding the special transportation fund which insiders in Hartford use as a piggy bank to pay for their pet projects. Connecticut is not able to compete with surrounding states that are making the necessary investments into their infrastructure. He will greatly invest in repairing our crumbling infrastructure and expand capital improvement projects to alleviate congestion, increase driver safety and make our transportation system more efficient. We will maintain and modernize our infrastructure to ensure the safety of our citizens and reliability for the future. Businesses will not relocate to a state in which its workers will spend hours in traffic or get stuck on broken down trains. Tim’s investments in infrastructure will make Connecticut more competitive. Education Tim believes our schools are critical to maximizing the growth and potential of the next generation. Yet Governor Malloy and insiders in Hartford have continually floated catastrophic cuts to education in order to bail out their fiscal irresponsibility. That is unacceptable. Supporting strong schools is a crucial element to retaining and attracting business in our state and to making Connecticut a special place to raise a family. Over the last eight years, Tim increased funding for public education each year. Tim implemented full day kindergarten, expanded advanced placement course offerings, diversified technology in the classroom, increased funding for curriculum development and brought the needed reform to modernize Trumbull’s nine schools. As the son of public educators, Tim believes education is the foundation for supporting the next generation. Trumbull’s public school system has earned state and national recognition. In 2011, Trumbull was ranked the 7th best Town in the nation to raise a family by Family Circle Magazine. In 2013, Coldwell Banker ranked Trumbull the Number 1 booming community in Connecticut. And in 2016, Realtor.com named Trumbull as one of the top ten most in-demand school districts in the nation. Tim will ensure towns are provided the resources they need to educate our children and create the competitive workforce a modern economy demands. End Opioid Crisis The opioid crisis has tragically escalated into an epidemic in our state. It has affected those in every corner and walk of life. Its consequences are tragic and affect not only those afflicted with addiction, but their families and our communities as well. We must make it a priority to prevent addiction in the first place. Starting in the schools, we must educate our children about the risk of this dangerous threat. Tim will make sure resources are made available to those struggling with addiction and their families. Those afflicted must not only receive the critical life-saving NARCAN and short term in-patient rehabilitation, but long term support to increase the chance for long term recovery. Tim believes resources must be dedicated to law enforcement to keep opioids out of our schools and out of our neighborhoods. Tim will not rest until those that profit from drugpeddling are put behind bars. Tax Reform Tim's position on taxes is very clear: he will veto any new tax hikes and reduce taxes for struggling Connecticut residents. The tax-hiking agenda of Governor Malloy and his insider allies in Hartford have placed an unfair burden on struggling Connecticut workers, retirees and businesses. This tax burden drives away taxpayers and jobs and harms the quality of life for all citizens. Connecticut lost a net 200 jobs in 2016, while neighboring states all experienced significant job growth. The status quo is unacceptable. To immediately provide relief to Connecticut workers, retirees and families Tim will: - Eliminate the income tax for anyone making $75,000 or less - Eliminate the business entity tax and cut corporate rates to help job creators and innovators - Abolish the estate or "death" tax - Abolish the tax on social security and retirement income - Identify and eliminate any tax that costs more to collect than it generates - Identify all other areas where the tax burden can be responsibly reduced Creating a better future for Connecticut starts by stopping the tax-hiking, job-crushing agenda of insiders in Hartford. By reducing the tax burden, Tim will make our state a better place to live, work and retire. Balance the Budget Hartford’s business-as-usual attitude has to be stopped. Connecticut has billions in unfunded obligations and debt. Rather than pursue real reforms to reduce these burdens or to trim a bloated state government, insiders in Hartford continue to advocate for tax hikes on struggling families, retirees and businesses. This is after they passed the two largest tax increases in state history at the insistence of Governor Malloy. As a proven reformer, Tim believes it is past time to make the tough decisions to tackle our long-term liabilities. We must fund services people rely on in Connecticut but eliminate and consolidate areas of government that are duplicative or ineffective. Tim will start the reform of state government by dismantling the DMV and rebuilding the department from top to bottom to better serve Connecticut residents. The state budget deficit is estimated to be over $5 billion dollars over the next two years. It is reckless and shameful to pass this burden on to the next generation, our children. This kind of fiscal irresponsibility also causes uncertainty that has led major employers such as GE, and now Aetna, to leave our state. Tim believes if we want to stop the cycle of fiscal crisis, we must stop using budget gimmicks and tax-hikes to bail out the irresponsibility of insiders in Hartford. Job Creation Tim understands that government doesn’t create jobs, the private sector does.. Our state government should be creating the welcoming, supportive and predictable environment for businesses to thrive and generate opportunity. Unfortunately, jobcrushing regulations, damaging tax hikes and irresponsible budgeting have cause both small and large businesses to flee our state, to freeze hiring or expansion that have kept wages stagnant. To get wages rising, attract new jobs and investment and create opportunity in Connecticut, Tim will reduce the tax burden on businesses and workers, improve our technical school system, enhance job training programs, and perhaps most importantly, reduce,reform and eliminate duplicative and excessive regulations. Tim will also tackle the protracted and sustained budgetary crises Connecticut has endured these last seven years, to restore predicability and confidence to our state. As a municipal leader in Trumbull, Tim made the town welcoming for businesses and job creators. He tackled huge unfunded liabilities to get Trumbull’s fiscal house in order and he kept the tax rate stable, delivering two tax cuts during his tenure. Under Tim's leadership, town services and schools became extremely strong, providing an added incentive for businesses to locate in Trumbull.	”
—Tim for Connecticut

Steve Obsitnik

“	Fiscal Stability The simple fact is that job growth is stronger when a government costs less. Sadly, decades of Hartford neglect and ineptitude has made Connecticut’s state government bloated and unresponsive to the needs of our communities. Step one in Reinventing Connecticut is making our state more affordable by making state government smaller and more efficient. I’ll require transparent budgeting and make Hartford accountable for every tax dollar spent. Using a common-sense business approach, we make the government more efficient saving upwards of $1 billion annually. Just a 5% efficiency gain in government as large as ours would translate to nearly $300 million in savings. And, we must reform state pensions to ensure they are sustainable and secure for both the recipient and the taxpayer. CT Jobs Engine Connecticut’s economy never recovered from the Great Recession. Personal incomes are growing too slow and our economic decline is the worst in the country. In fact, since 1989 our state has only created 5,800 net jobs. As Governor, I will be Connecticut’s Chief Economic Development Officer. First, we will overhaul state regulations, impose a regulatory freeze and conduct a comprehensive review of all regulations to keep what works and get rid of what doesn’t. Under my plan, we will create 300,000 jobs, the number of new businesses will increase, wages and salaries will grow and we will focus on elevating productivity and creativity to unleash the drive and ingenuity of our people. Revitalize Education A great teacher and a safe and secure learning environment is a must for every student in Connecticut. We will push to keep education decisions at the local level, evaluate the school funding system and drive student and teacher standards while focusing on future preparation and graduation rates. We won’t rest until every child in Connecticut has access to the quality education they need and deserve. We will allow our kids the chance for a better, more productive future by preparing them for it today. Infrastructure — Preparing CT for the Future Connecticut’s infrastructure is in desperate need of an overhaul. This means providing steady and predictable funding of the State Transportation Fund (STF) to make urgent and necessary investments of almost $100 billion. We must ensure all STF funds go into a lock box where Hartford politicians can’t allocate those funds away from their intended targets. We will start this revitalization by prioritizing structural and technological changes to our infrastructure that will drive economic growth. Opioid Crisis In 2017, Connecticut saw more 1,000 fatal drug overdose deaths. The opioid crisis has become an epidemic impacting many communities across our entire state and affecting so many lives. We need to take steps that attack this crisis at every level. We must address this from many perspectives including prescription oversight and law enforcement. Empowering recovery centers to take care of people impacted by a system that needs to be changed while we reduce the stigma related to opioids so people can get the help they need. We also must look to grow the economy so people have opportunity and hope for the future beyond the despair that opioids have had on people's lives.	”
—Obsitnik for Governor

Bob Stefanowski

“	Bob's Economic Plan to Rebuild Connecticut Connecticut is in Economic Free Fall Connecticut is in absolute crisis. High Taxes – We have the highest tax burden in the nation. We in Connecticut have to work four weeks longer than the average American just to cover our tax bills! We need to work until May 21 – vs. April 23 on average (as reported by the Tax Foundation) Out of Control Spending – Despite five tax increases since 1992, we have a growing, $3.5 billion budget deficit and a pension plan which is underfunded by $74 billion. Job Losses – Since introducing a state income tax in 1991, we have had the slowest job growth in the entire nation – with 6,600 jobs lost in October 2017 alone. Decline Population – More people are leaving Connecticut than any other state (except West Virginia). In the last 10 years, we have lost $6 billion in adjusted gross income from people moving to Florida alone! A Dysfunctional Government – the current fiscal year budget was 117 days past due, and it included $881 million in “unidentified savings” and was already more than $200 million out of balance only a month after it was signed into law. Connecticut Democrats have followed a policy of “Tax & Spend”. Step 1: Phase out corporate income tax and business entity tax over 2 years Eliminating the Corporate and Business Use taxes, reducing regulatory interference will provide stimulus for companies to rediscover everything our state has to offer. Our corporate tax raises less than 5.0% of the state’s total tax revenues, but Connecticut is uncompetitive with its neighbors and rivals. Repeal is an affordable and important way to carve a competitive niche relative to economic development marketing. In recent months, the headquarters of GE, Alexion, and Aetna left. Bristol-Myers and Konica Minolta have also announced plans to depart. Since 1991, we have seen the slowest job growth in the entire nation. We lost 6,600 jobs in October 2017 alone. Our labor force participation continues to decline – only 66% of the adult population is working or looking for work – 1/3 are on the sidelines. We need a bold statement – a bona fide competitive advantage – to get businesses to start here, expand here, and relocate to Connecticut – and quickly – so that the number of jobs, number of businesses, and labor force participation all start moving in the right direction again. Step 2: Phase out state income tax over 8 years Introduce an across-the-board income tax cut over eight years tied to the attainment of revenue targets. Our income tax destroys growth! For the 15 years preceding the Connecticut State Income Tax (1976 to 1991), our state economy grew faster than any other state. For the 25 years after the tax (1991-2016), our growth is 46th in the nation. Since 1960 only 11 states have introduced a state income tax. In each of those 11 states, every economic metric is down – population, gross state product, and total tax revenues. Adding an income tax reduced gross tax revenues – in every instance! A study by the Cato Institute showed that over 5 years: the 5 states that increased taxes the most had zero job growth and the 5 states that decreased taxes had the most job growth at 10.8%. Massachusetts did it! They lowered the tax rate to 5.1% and since then, population, employment, personal income and tax revenues have all gone up! Step 3: Eliminate the gift and estate taxes immediately The majority of states have already done away with both the gift and estate taxes as they drive residents to other tax-free states! We are the only state with both an estate and a gift tax! They raise only about 1 percent of the state’s total tax revenues each year – but cost so much more than that in the slowing of our economy. These taxes are causing more people to leave Connecticut than any other state (except West Virginia). An astounding $6 billion of adjusted gross income has left for Florida alone in the past 10 years. We want our retirees to stay here! They create jobs, pay taxes, donate to charities, buy goods and services and sustain our state’s economy. Step 4: Embrace zero-based budgeting to reduce spending Zero-based budgeting starts with a “blank piece of paper” not an already bloated budget with special interests and sacred cows baked in. You add back in only the services absolutely needed while finding creative ways to do things cheaper. Even with “fixed” costs like debt service and SEBAC, 20 to 25% of CT’s budget is “discretionary.” With a two-year budget exceeding $40 billion, there are plenty of opportunities to identify savings and efficiencies. Steps: Review every department and agency for waste, fraud, and abuse Reward, with whistleblower protection, employees with cost savings ideas. Contract out public services to the private sector, starting with the DMV Consider more public-private partnerships to share the cost of aging infrastructure Reduce SEBAC – lower staff via attrition, defined contribution plan for non-vested employees, “revisit” overall contract extension. Step 5: Enact a Taxpayer Bill of Rights Impose term limits for state legislators (5 terms/10 years) and the governor (2 terms/8 years). Allow for a recall of state officials who are not living up to campaign promises, getting the job done or representing their constituents properly. Impose a constitutional amendment to require a supermajority to enact any tax or fee increase. Allow citizens the rights of referendum and recall. Require more transparency around private interests receiving tax payer dollars. Our constitution never intended for political office to be a “job for life.” We need better accountability around the actions of our representatives and a mechanism to force fresh thinking on how to solve problems. It Can Work Lower corporate taxes will bring companies and jobs back to Connecticut. Lower individual taxes will increase disposable income, resulting in more consumer demand and businesses will expand to meet that demand. Eliminating the gift and the estate tax will stop the exodus of high tax paying residents to Florida and other low tax states. Zero-based budgeting will force a fresh perspective on what costs are truly needed and what can be eliminated. A Taxpayer Bill of Rights will ensure accountability around government officials to best represent their constituents or be removed from office. Plan to Help Small Businesses Connecticut used to be a beacon for business. For nearly twenty years, from 1976 through 1992, our state had the highest rate of job creation in the entire country. But after that, job creation slowed and came to a halt due to the passage of a state income tax. We can lead the nation again in job growth, but only if we lower our taxes, and reduce our regulatory burden to make people and businesses WANT to move here. Bob has formed an Economic Advisory Council of small and medium-sized business owners to ensure his plan will work to grow jobs in Connecticut. Plan to Modernize Our Infrastructure In a recent US News study, only 14.6% of Connecticut residents said they were satisfied with the status of our infrastructure. Bob has been working with dozens of small business owners, private citizens and economic experts like Dr. Arthur Laffer to come up with a detailed plan on how to fix our economy as well as our crumbling roads and bridges. Some elements of this plan include: Streamlining the approval process for major construction programs We need to ensure the integrity of our beautiful towns, rural areas and open spaces in Connecticut. But once decided, the administrative process for rebuilding and enhancing our roads, bridges, airports and tunnels needs to be faster. We need to cut the “red tape” that often delays critical infrastructure projects by 50% or more. Spend money where it counts! We need to cut the wasteful spending habits of Dan Malloy and the career politicians and reinvest money in our infrastructure to the benefit of everyone in this state. That is money that could re-directed to improve our crumbling infrastructure and benefit everyone in this state, rather than a select, few, privileged politicians. Encourage Connecticut financial institutions to be part of the solution We should encourage our local banks to consider financing more economic development in our state. Various programs such as the Community Investment Act and low-cost loans from the Federal Small Business Loan Program could provide an incentive for Connecticut based banks to support projects to improve our infrastructure. It will allow them to increase their business activity, create more local jobs for construction projects and improve the quality of life for all residents. Investigate using public-private partnerships to help rebuild our crumbling infrastructure In a PPP, a government agency contracts with the private sector to rebuild an airport, transportation system or other critical assets. The private sector partner brings the technology, expertise and actual experience running a business that our career politicians desperately lack. The private partner funds part of the cost of construction, allowing us to improve the state’s transportation system without adding to our already massive budget deficit. Other states have used this model to improve the quality of their infrastructure – faster, cheaper and better than the state government has any chance of doing. With the proper supervision and a business person experienced in negotiating these partnerships, PPP’s can be a very efficient way to rebuild our state. Bob has successfully worked on a wide variety of projects around the world and can bring that expertise to the governor’s office. It will take all the tools at our disposal to repair years and years of neglect to our roads and bridges. But we have many assets to draw on and with the proper leadership, we can begin the process of rebuilding our state now! Plan to Keep Retirees Connecticut’s onerous income, sales, gift, and inheritance taxes are driving retirees out of our state at alarming rates. In fact, in the 2015 tax year, Connecticut lost more adjusted gross income from residents deciding to leave than any other state in the country except one. We lost $1.3 billion in reported adjusted gross income in Connecticut for 2015 alone! Connecticut is the ONLY state in the country to have BOTH a gift and estate tax. Under Bob’s leadership, the “death tax” will be removed day one, stemming the outflows of people, jobs and tax revenues from our state. We will reduce the burden of Connecticut’s state income tax over time making it easier for our retirees to afford to stay in the state they love with their family and friends. Plan to Retain Our Graduates Even with Connecticut graduates topping the national charts of the highest-earning graduates, our state is still facing a crisis with most graduates moving away (Source:”5 Connecticut Census Numbers That Should Scare Your Socks Off” – Hartford Courant). We are losing jobs and losing our well educated young adults to other states and nearby cities like Boston and New York. The business climate in Connecticut is not attractive for young workers. Bob wants to build businesses, grow our economy, and bring in new workers. Starting with a welcoming business climate, he wants to bring innovative and startup jobs to Connecticut. Keeping more of our graduates will help ensure a bright future for Connecticut.	”
—Bob for Governor

David Stemerman

“	A Plan for Eastern Connecticut Eastern Connecticut is home to many of our most precious state assets — from our nation’s leading Submarine Base in New London, to world-class employers like Pfizer and Electric Boat, to New England’s premier gaming and entertainment destinations. This region is home to many attractions and resources that make Connecticut a great place to live. Eastern Connecticut has much to offer both to its residents and visitors alike and we have a responsibility to ensure the region thrives. Unfortunately, Hartford insiders continue to neglect the needs of Eastern Connecticut. Over the course of his campaign for governor, David has visited with leaders and activists all across Eastern Connecticut. In recent weeks and months, David has joined celebrations in Mystic and Madison, visited the construction site for the New England Motorcycle Museum in Vernon, toured manufacturing facilities in Pawcatuck, and seen the horror first-hand of crumbling foundations in Mansfield Center. David has been consistently engaged in Eastern Connecticut and will continue to be as governor. Taking Back Our Government The United States of America is the greatest country in human history because our founders built the foundation of our nation upon core principles of good government. Our founders recognized the risks of concentrating too much power in one branch of government, so they created in our Constitution a system of checks and balances. They understood the risk of the government’s potential to ruin its citizenry through excessive taxation, so the Constitution created a government with limited scope. And they announced to the world in The Declaration of Independence the universal rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness — the opportunity for each and every one of us to pursue our dreams. Connecticut thrived for decades employing these principles of good government. Today, we have a stark contrast. The state of our government would make our nation’s founders and our state’s former leaders spin in their graves: • Power has been concentrated in the hands of the few that have unfairly engineered our elections, legislative process and finances for their own entrenchment and enrichment. • Taxes and spending have become so excessive that people and employers have been driven out of their homes and places of doing business. • Government regulations have erected insurmountable barriers, while inadequate education and infrastructure hold back our potential. Unleashing Connecticut's Workforce A best in class workforce is critical for businesses to succeed in an increasingly competitive global economy. Top-notch skills are needed more than ever to meet the promise of the American Dream that with hard work each generation will do better than the past. Our K-12 schools are no longer head of the class and too many students are being left behind. The graduation rates for community colleges are appallingly low. The costs for our state institutions of higher education are out of control, making them unaffordable and out of reach for far too many. Too often, students leave with too much debt and too few skills that are relevant in the workplace. Meanwhile, employers are increasingly concerned about the lack of qualified candidates for employment. They are unable to get the workforce they need with skills ranging from precision welding for manufacturing to biochemistry for biomedical research. The resulting combination of unfilled jobs for Connecticut employers and high unemployment for Connecticut youth highlights the failure of Connecticut’s current workforce development system. David Stemerman, a businessman who has invested in all kinds of businesses all over the world, sees the failures of our workforce development as a major threat both to our people and our employers. David also sees tremendous potential to rebuild Connecticut’s former strength following the following principles: I. Clear pathways to employment II. Strong collaboration between business and educators III. Pay for performance Restoring Connecticut's Infrastructure and Transportation Connecticut’s location between New York City and Boston with miles of coastline and picturesque landscapes have attracted families and businesses for generations with strong job opportunities and a high quality of life. We are losing the luster of our location with the increased congestion and deterioration of our aging transportation system. Our families are losing quality time together. Our employers cannot access talented workers unwilling to suffer intolerably long commutes. Career politicians in Hartford are stuck in rhetoric of the past while citizens are stuck in traffic. Democrats propose more taxes — introducing tolls and raising the gasoline tax — and sending the funds to an appallingly inefficient Department of Transportation that most citizens question will actually solve the problems. Republican career politicians say no to tolls but fail to offer viable solutions to develop much needed transportation improvements. David Stemerman, a political outsider and businessman, has seen in his business better ways to move our roads, trains and planes into the 21st Century. His plan will attract billions of dollars in private investment to get our congested highways flowing again, cut train travel times to New York City down by as much as half and build our airports into major regional hubs for passengers and cargo. These transportation improvements will revitalize our cities and surrounding towns – with major initiatives in our four largest cites – Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven and Stamford. David’s plan will improve access for our coastal and rural communities throughout the state for work and play. It will also provide construction jobs and skills development in the building trades for projects that lay the foundation for our future prosperity. Growing Our Economy Connecticut has tremendous potential. For decades, families and businesses poured into our state and thrived. Our location, our highly skilled workforce, and our schools were primary attractions. Our lower taxes plus our lower cost of living and lower cost of doing business sealed the deal. This winning combination led jobs and wages to grow robustly. Connecticut had the highest income per person in the country. The second highest number of Fortune 500 companies in the country chose Connecticut to be their home — not bad for a state with only about 1% of our country’s population! Our former strengths have turned into weaknesses. Our roads and trains are too slow, and our workforce and schools are no longer outperforming the nation. Most importantly, our taxes are simply too high and no longer competitive with our neighbors. A thicket of regulations has driven the cost of living and cost of doing business to intolerable levels. As a result, we are losing families and jobs. Lifelong Connecticut residents are leaving and fewer young families are choosing Connecticut as a place to raise their family. Every day we get a new headline of yet another business leaving our state. State Employee Benefits The most important responsibility for our next Governor is to Save Connecticut from a financial crisis – a crisis that threatens our families, our jobs, and our state employees’ retirement security. At the core of Connecticut’s fiscal challenges are our state employee labor agreements and unfunded retirement plans. Our unsustainable pension system has caused our budget to be in chronic deficit and our debt and retirement obligations to balloon to levels that we will not be able to pay. No career politician or labor leader has been willing to talk honestly about these problems with taxpayers, state workers, or retirees. We are in this situation because our leadership has failed us. They have avoided hard truths and action for fear of losing the next election and they lack ideas of what to do. As a political outsider focused solely on the interest of the people of Connecticut, I will shine a bright light on our challenges. As a businessman with an entrepreneurial mind-set, I will propose and accomplish bold solutions that are outside-the-box. Solutions that will be fair to us all – to government employees, to taxpayers and to our children. Solutions that will provide security to our state government employees and retirees and set us on a path to recovery and prosperity.	”
—Stemerman for Connecticut

Click [show] to view campaign themes of candidates who did not qualify for the primary.

Mark Lauretti “ Sound - Getting our economy back on track Economic security will be the key to Connecticut's success. In order to improve our state, we need to improve our financial health. Only then will we have the ability to thrive and help others thrive. We need to keep taxes in check and make our state more friendly to businesses so they can come to depend upon a stable economic environment that is consistent and predictable. This will attract companies to our state, and keep tax-paying residents within our borders. Safe - Combating drug abuse Connecticut's heroin and opioid abuse have dramatically increased in recent years. Deaths related to drug use are taking a toll on our families and loved ones.Ensuring we have the right resources, prevention programs, overdose response teams, medications and treatment facilities to save lives in crisis is critical. I want to fund programs, tighten regulations on illegal drugs and prescription drugs, and fight our public health crisis throughout our state. Smart - Improving our schools Government can’t solve a city’s education underperformance issues. We need to get the government out of the classroom and let the teachers do their job. As a former school teacher myself, I've seen what it takes to ensure every student has the opportunity to thrive. From qualified teachers and access to the right academic, arts and vocation programs — it's critical that we fill the gaps to provide access to the programs that will help each student succeed. Campaign promises Recreate the Shelton model on a larger scale and revitalize the state. Create a stable and predictable economic environment conducive to success. Return common-sense to our economic decisions. Generate more jobs by creating a more business-friendly environment. Make Connecticut affordable to work and live here again. Lower the cost of doing business in Connecticut. Foster an environment where businesses are valued. Don't over-burden businesses with regulations. Prevent local government from using our businesses as cashcows. Give our kids a place to return to, live, and work after college. ” —Lauretti for Governor Peter Lumaj “ Prosperity: Budget, Taxes and Job Creation It’s time to rein in big government in Hartford. A smaller government will put us on the path of prosperity. Common sense conservative reforms will provide Connecticut with a long-term plan for prosperity. Peter’s Plan for lower taxes, a predictable, competitive economic growth climate, and a vibrant job market will encourage people and businesses to stay in Connecticut. Enforce the state spending cap. In 1991, the voters of Connecticut voted overwhelmingly to enact a state spending cap to limit the cost of state government. Democrat politicians in Hartford ignored the will of the voters and failed to implement the cap. Peter will fight to implement the state spending cap and will fight against spending that exceeds the cap. Peter will fight against the reckless spenders in Hartford. Tackle Connecticut’s unfunded liabilities. Connecticut has over $60 Billion in debt and unfunded obligations. Democrat politicians and the special-interest groups they represent, namely public labor unions, advocate for increased taxes. Taxes kill jobs. Peter will pursue structural reforms rather than “kick the can” down the road. Peter’s Plan calls for increasing current state employee contributions to their pensions and benefit packages. For future state employees, Peter supports moving the current defined benefit plan to a defined contribution plan. Cut taxes to encourage growth and development. Connecticut is struggling with a continual billion(s) dollar budget deficit. The way out is with economic growth and development. Peter’s Plan allows businesses and the people of Connecticut to keep and invest more of their own money, thus encouraging growth and investment. Peter’s Plan cuts the corporate tax rate from 9% to 7.5%. Peter’s Plan cuts the state sales tax from 6.35% to 6.10%, gradually eliminates the Connecticut state income tax, and eliminates the tax for households making $100,000 or less annually. Peter’s Plan eliminates the business entity tax, the estate and gift tax, the tax on social security income, and the nearly 200 taxes and fees that cost more to collect than they generate in revenue. Taxes kill jobs. Cut the cost of government, increase efficiency. Connecticut state government is large and intrusive. Government should be limited to providing core services only. Peter will study all options to cut the size, scope and cost of government. Peter’s Plan cuts 14% of state agency and department budgets and supports privatization of many state services such as the DMV and many social services. We must enact realistic priority-based budgeting. Invest in infrastructure. Roads and rails expand economic development. For decades, Democrats have raided the Special Transportation Fund and allocated the monies to special interest projects. Peter will fight to end this practice. He will fight to make sure that transportation money is spent on transportation projects by instituting a real “lockbox” that cannot be raided. Establish a debt limit. Borrowing has increased significantly over the past few decades and debt service payments are now one of the fastest growing costs in state government. Peter would fight for a responsible state bonding cap that would limit the amount of money the legislature could bond for appropriated projects. Establish an Overtime Accountability Office. Overtime abuses by state agencies cost taxpayers millions of dollars each year. Connecticut has a serious overtime mismanagement issue. With reckless abandon, managers approve overtime for state employees. Overtime pay should not be included in salary computation for retirement benefits, as it creates the incentive to give and accumulate excessive overtime payments. Peter’s Plan overhauls the system for tracking overtime, identifying and analyzing overtime trends, oversees appropriating dollars for overtime, and holds managers responsible for monitoring overtime and meeting reduction targets. Reform Collective Bargaining for State and Municipal governments. Labor costs are the highest costs for state and local governments. Collective bargaining creates work place rules that unnecessarily cost taxpayers large amounts of money. For example, Connecticut is one of only two states to provide Lincoln’s birthday as a paid state holiday in addition to Presidents’ Day. This extra holiday costs taxpayers millions of dollars each year. Collective bargaining and binding arbitration laws heavily favor public employee unions. While Hartford teeters on the verge of bankruptcy, binding arbitration mandated the city give unions a 6.25% pay increase, retroactive to 2013, costing the city $1.1 million. Hartford is now asking the state for money to cover its deficit. The state and municipalities need a level playing field to have a fair chance in negotiations. Peter will fight to reform these laws and will fight to reform or repeal binding arbitration. The state and municipalities cannot balance their budgets because of the current unfair collective bargaining laws. Unions are stalling economic growth. The main driver of our budget deficit is the unsustainable cost of public union healthcare and pensions. Connecticut is one of only five states to collectively bargain state employee healthcare and pensions. Most legislatures set the amount of the benefits. Collective bargaining for state and local employees is not required by federal law and can be changed at the state level. Peter will fight to reform collective bargaining to reduce the core cost of government to a reasonable level which taxpayers can afford. Become a Right-to-Work state. Unions have become another branch of Connecticut government. Union leaders are virtual dictators with undue influence over elected officials. Peter will fight for Right-to-Work legislation prohibiting the coercion of employees to join a union. Employees will not be compelled to pay union dues or be forced to make political contributions. Unions stall economic growth and hurt workers. Education The future of Connecticut is only as good as the future we provide for our children. We must give them the tools needed to succeed. Embrace Educational Choice and Opportunity. We’ve thrown billions of dollars at Connecticut school districts, but poorly performing schools have not improved. Throwing more money at them is not the answer. Peter’s “Money Follows the Child” plan empowers students and families to take charge of their education through choice and opportunity. A strong voucher program allots education money based on town residency and follows the child to a school or institution of their choice – public (within district), private, magnet, charter or parochial. Strong voucher programs create competition and drive performance among students, teachers and schools. Invest in Skills. There are many valuable forms of post-high school education. To be competitive, we must diversify our economy by educating skilled tradesmen, manufacturers, and craftsmen for these high-paying careers. Long-term jobs are here in Connecticut, but those jobs remain unfilled because we do not have a skilled workforce. We must invest in technical education at the state and local level, utilizing public and private partnerships. Government Transparency and Accountability Democrats and status quo Hartford insiders are failing the people of Connecticut. For decades, the Democrat-controlled legislature has been reckless with taxpayer dollars. Special interests and corruption are rampant. Peter is a true outsider who offers a new and practical approach to governing. Lead by example. There are countless examples of wasteful government spending in the budgets proposed by the Governor and/or enacted by the legislature. Peter believes that in order to hold all aspects of government responsible for their proposed budgets, accountability should start with our elected officials. Peter’s plan calls for a 10% budget reduction to the operating budget of the state legislature, elimination of legislative franking privileges, elimination of pensions for statewide constitutional office holders, and the immediate sale of the Governor’s Mansion in Hartford. Reform the Office of the Auditors of Public Accounts. Connecticut is the only state with two full-time Public Auditors, both of whom are partisan appointees. This is a wasteful and unnecessary expense. Peter’s Plan eliminates one full-time public auditor position and makes the office nonpartisan. Propose term limits. Holding elective office is about public service and should not be a career move. Peter will fight for legislation calling for a two-term limit for all state constitutional offices. Eliminate the Citizens’ Election Program. Taxpayers of Connecticut should not be funding the political campaigns of individuals seeking office. Professional politicians created a system in which candidates cannot be competitive in elections unless they are self-funding millionaires or participants in the Citizens Election Program. Peter proposes eliminating CEP and creating a new system to reexamine donation and expenditure limits. We can create an election environment that remains competitive and removes the financial burden from hardworking taxpayers. Show the state budget to municipalities by early May. To budget effectively, municipalities need predictability to set their operating budget, education budget, and mill rate. Hartford has made this extremely difficult because of uncertainty over the state budgeting process. Peter will fight to provide the state budget to municipalities by early May. Public Safety, Security and Immigration A core function of state government is to protect the citizens of Connecticut. The Democrat-controlled legislature is responsible for the substantial decrease in the number of uniformed police officers and the corresponding substantial increase in violent criminal activity. Peter proposes reversing Malloy’s and the Democrats’ liberal and dangerous policies that put Connecticut communities at risk. We must stand in solidarity with our police officers and first responders. Institute a Three Strikes law. Peter believes we have a responsibility to keep all residents and state visitors safe and free of harm. We must remove repeat and violent offenders from our streets. Peter supports a three-strikes law that increases prison sentences of convicted felons who have been previously convicted of two or more violent crimes or serious felonies. A three-strikes law significantly limits the ability of these offenders to receive a punishment other than a life sentence. Repeal the early release program. Since 2011, Malloy’s and the Democrats’ early release program has freed nearly 21,000 convicted offenders from our state prisons, returning them to our cities and towns. Many of them were repeat and violent offenders. Peter believes criminals belong in prison, not in our neighborhoods. Enforce federal immigration law. As someone who specializes in immigration matters and is familiar with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) responsibilities, Peter believes immigration laws should be enforced and Connecticut should work with the Federal government and not against it. Peter will fight to repeal the 2014 sanctuary law and to decrease non-essential state funding to municipalities and public institutions that identify as sanctuaries for undocumented immigrants. Peter will fight to repeal in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants and would rescind driver’s licenses granted to undocumented immigrants. Aggressively fight the opioid crisis facing Connecticut. The opioid addiction crisis is affecting all Connecticut communities, touching people from all walks of life. We must end this crisis. Peter believes we must provide educational resources to our youth to inform them about the dangers and risks of opioid addiction. For those suffering from addiction, Peter believes we must provide essential lifesaving resources to individuals and families to combat addiction and foster an environment for sustained rehabilitation. Peter’s Plan will provide essential tools to state and local law enforcement to stop the drug dealers who are fueling this crisis. Protecting Freedom and Liberty The duty of government is to protect the freedoms, rights, and liberties proclaimed in our founding documents. Peter is a strong constitutionalist who will vigilantly advocate to protect the freedoms, rights, and liberties of the residents of Connecticut. Protect the Second Amendment. As a gun owner, Peter understands the importance of protecting the Second Amendment and fostering the traditions and heritage of responsible gun ownership. Peter will advocate against future efforts to restrict the rights of law abiding citizens and will push for repeal of past legislation that infringed upon those rights. Protect property rights. The power of eminent domain has been abused by municipalities and the state. Peter will fight for additional protections for property owners in Connecticut. Protect parental rights. The role of raising children should be left to parents and guardians in safe households. The government should have no role in raising our children. Protect the integrity of Connecticut elections. To protect against voter fraud, Peter will seek legislation to institute a Voter ID for every qualified elector in the State of Connecticut. ” —Lumaj for CT Prasad Srinivasan “ Economy Connecticut has all the right ingredients for a thriving, healthy economy. We have a highly educated workforce, a strong concentration of STEM professionals, and many established businesses and companies. But bad policies have put the brakes on our economy and have forced businesses to flee. As Governor, I will encourage a pro-business environment, so we can revive and prosper. Lower taxes – We must reduce corporate tax rates to create an attractive environment for businesses and job creators. Cut red tape – I will audit and remove everything that is unnecessary and overly burdensome. I will instruct state agencies to only enforce laws that have been legislated instead of forcing people to comply with their own bureaucratic standards. End crony capitalism – I will put an end to uneven or unwarranted tax breaks, exemptions, and subsidies. These are ways that government try to pick winners and losers – at worst, they are forms of political patronage. Help, not punish, businesses – If a business violates a regulation, they should be given a chance to come into compliance before they are fined. Spending The embarrassment of our last budget crisis should be a wake-up call: Connecticut doesn’t have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem. Serious debt, unfunded pension liabilities, and fiscal irresponsibility is destroying the state. We need to correct our course before it’s too late. Align public employee benefits to civilian standards – State employees in Connecticut have wages and benefits that are far more generous than their private sector counterparts. I will bring state wages in line with private sector rates, reform pension and healthcare plans, and renegotiate our existing pension obligations. Enforce constitutional spending cap – It’s past time that we abide by the Constitutional amendment for a spending cap, which the residents of Connecticut passed almost 30 years ago. I will enforce our state constitution and refuse to sign any budget that exceeds our spending cap. Decentralize services – Nonprofits, businesses, and private organizations can do many of the same services that our state agencies try to do, and they often do it better and more efficiently. I will enlist their help to render many of the services that the people of Connecticut require. Healthcare We need to maintain a high quality of care, contain costs, and ensure that healthcare is accessible. Sadly, Connecticut has one of the lowest rankings for healthcare access in the country. We need to do more to ensure that every resident can lead a healthy life. Contain costs – It is always more efficient to prevent illness and injury instead of treating it. I will establish education programs to emphasize prevention measures and I will promote Community Health Centers and Federally Qualified Health Centers to provide cost-effective ways of delivering care. I will also establish a state-wide information technology model to reduce the number of tests performed in emergency rooms. Improve Medicaid – Correctly administered, Medicaid can be a valuable tool to contain costs by working to prevent illness and injury. We need to improve access to primary care services and prevention services which is important as it will reduce significantly the non-emergency use of emergency room visits. We need to develop a more efficient way to provide transportation for Medicaid patients; while constantly monitoring delays, inefficiencies and inappropriate use. Maintain access – I will work to minimize disruptions in health care when healthcare systems and insurance companies don’t agree on contracts. I will also promote tele-medicine with proper controls. Address the opioid epidemic – We can prevent people from getting addicted to opioids in the first place by educating both prescribers and patients that there are alternatives to opioids. I will also make sure there are proper controls and monitoring of prescriptions. We also need to make sure emergency treatments are available to first responders, family, and friends. Education I want every child in Connecticut to receive a high-quality education that’s right for them. No matter where a child starts out, the right education can help them succeed. As Governor, I will work to improve access to education and expand opportunity for all. Expand school choice – I will start an Education Savings Accounts (ESA) program. This would give families the option to use the funds designated for a child’s education at public schools for other educational choices, such as private school tuition, private tutoring, online learning, expenses for homeschooling, and college savings. Restore vocational training – More students are seeking admission to technical high schools, yet funding for technical high schools has repeatedly been reduced by Democrats. As your Governor, I’ll work to restore and expand our vocational high school system so more of our children can have the opportunity to learn and succeed in today’s economy and the future. Reform State Universities and Community Colleges – State colleges exist to serve students. While UConn has doubled its spending since 2003, the administration has not hired enough teachers to keep pace with student growth – instead, it is rapidly expanding its management staff. The burden of paying these managers has shifted to students in the form of higher tuition, which prices many students out of college altogether, which is unacceptable. Community colleges also need to streamline their administrations for better efficiency. I will fight to make state colleges more affordable by selecting Trustees who will be accountable to students first. Transportation Connecticut needs to properly maintain our aging roads, highways, bridges, and railways. But fiscal mismanagement has robbed our transportation funds, and residents are paying the price. I will work to improve our aging infrastructure in an efficient and effective manner to get Connecticut moving again. Address transportation projects efficiently – Transportation projects in Connecticut never get off the ground because they are too expensive. Many projects exclude non-union groups from bidding on contracts, resulting in cronyism, inefficient spending, and endless problems. These projects should be about improving the public’s infrastructure, not giving contracts to those who don’t deserve them, and I will make sure projects are done fairly. Improve the New York commuter rail – Rail lines from western Connecticut to New York City are inadequate to meet the needs of daily commuters. I will make it a priority to improve and upgrade rail options into NYC so that Connecticut residents have a convenient, reliable, and speedy way to get to their jobs in the city. Strengthen the River Valley Corridor – I will strengthen rail lines that connect New Haven, Hartford, and Springfield to create a corridor of economic vitality and mobility throughout the Connecticut River Valley. Develop Bridgeport – This port of entry into Connecticut can be the lifeline for the Bridgeport region, Route 8, the Naugatuck Valley, and our state. Think bold – Imagine what it could mean to our state if Hartford was an hour commute to New York City or Boston. It could be done today with inland high-speed rail. Perhaps in the future, we could shorten that time even further with a hyperloop. Big problems require big solutions, and as your Governor I will welcome innovation. Preserving the Sanctity of the Special Transportation Fund – The Special Transportation Fund should be used for the purpose intended, and should not be raided. Energy and Environment Connecticut’s energy security is at risk. We rely far too much on outside suppliers; have declining, aging facilities; and are falling short on our renewable energy goals. But we have an extraordinary opportunity to make Connecticut self-reliant and clean. Instead of feeding our growing dependency on out-of-state natural gas producers, we can fuel the state with energy produced here, in Connecticut. I will expand tax incentives to make clean energy economically viable. Connecticut meets our renewable energy goals by purchasing renewable energy credits from other states. Instead of this cop-out, I will work to make Connecticut a renewable energy exporter to the region. For example, we can have more energy and cleaner air by shifting to fuel cells to meet our energy needs. As Governor, I will protect and conserve Connecticut’s natural beauty. I will work to protect our state’s fish and wildlife habitats, preserve our agricultural heritage, and maintain our wonderful open spaces so that every resident and visitor can enjoy them. Supporting Our Veterans The Nation will always be indebted to our Veterans and to the Veteran’s families for their sacrifices. We are Free and continue to be Free because of the sacrifices made by our Veteran’s. Improving the Quality of Life at the Rocky Hill Veterans Home Improving medical care, food, and overall living conditions Ensuring all donations and funding intended for the Rocky Hill Veterans Home are only used at the at the Rocky Hill Veterans Home and not redirected to any other State agency or organization Ensuring all deceased veterans are provided a timely burial in the State Veterans Cemetery Eliminate the current practice of only allowing a maximum five veterans per day (Mon – Fri) to be buried at the State Veterans Cemetery. A practice that causes long delays in Veteran burials resulting in Veteran remains being stored in Mortuaries for weeks at a time. Ensuring all veterans receive proper funeral honors Ensuring the State supplies an Honor Guard detail complete with a US Flag at all Veteran’s burial services Ensuring funding is available for funeral Honor Guard details. Ensuring all Veterans have the right to fly or display the US Flag outside their place of residence regardless of where they live. Prevent any local ordinances, homeowner associations or other organizations from stopping the display of the US Flag at any veteran residence. Improving Disabled Veteran Benefits in Title 27 of the General Statutes of Connecticut Creating a 100% property tax exemption for 100% disabled Veterans Keeping Our Seniors in Our State We need to support and retain our retirees. While we can’t change the weather, we can take action to discourage retirees from leaving our state. Our seniors want to stay in Connecticut as their families are still here. They have worked hard and should not feel as if their state is abandoning them. Access to healthcare. We need to continue to attract the talent needed to maintain sufficient doctors to ensure access to healthcare that all of us, but especially the elderly needs. Cities that work. Cities can be a great alternative for those retirees who may no longer want to maintain a house, mow a lawn, or be as reliant on a car. We can greatly improve the quality of life for city-dwelling seniors by investing in public transportation and removing barriers to service-sharing businesses like Uber and Lyft. Encourage assisted living communities. Seniors today want autonomy and privacy along with care they can depend on. That’s why assisted living communities are growing in popularity. I will encourage private developers to build these communities by lifting the mandates and regulations that make such projects difficult. Reduce the income tax burden. I will continue to support eliminating Connecticut state income tax on social security. Retirees worked hard for a number of years to earn their social security benefit; it seems like the least we can do is say thank-you. Eliminate the estate tax. The state estate tax discourages retirees from living out their years in Connecticut while providing only minimal revenue to the state. It’s time to scrap this counter-productive tax. I want to encourage retirees to remain a part of Connecticut, as they contribute so much to the arts and culture, and provide the bulk of volunteers for social services. Reviving Our Cities Creating and maintaining active and vibrant cities is critical to the future of Connecticut. It will help us attract and retain the talent we need from young adults, drive economic growth, and make Connecticut an attractive destination for corporations. Build connections between law enforcement and the community. Addressing crime is the first step to revive our cities. But we need to restore trust in the community between law enforcement and residents. I will work to encourage initiatives that build the relationship between law enforcement and the community and change the current “us versus them” mentality. Focus on transportation. I will invest in transportation infrastructure in our cities to make them safe and convenient and desirable places for people to live, work, and visit. I will also invest in the transportation networks that connect our cities. Emphasize brown field development. Look at any of our cities and you will see old factories and empty lots. By streamlining the environmental permitting and creating positive incentives for businesses, we can enable the private sector to make use of these areas rather than let them go to waste. Expand access to quality education. Our cities will not prosper until all the residents of our cities have access to an education that works best for them and their children. Whether through implementing education savings accounts, which allow students trapped in low-performing districts to take advantage of different educational options, or increasing funding for vocational education, I am committed to ensuring every student has access to the education he or she needs to succeed. Attracting and Retaining Young Adults We already have many millennials working and living in Connecticut, but we need to do more to support them and generation Z, to help them become more involved, to contribute in ways they want to, and ultimately to attract more millennials to the state. Focus on businesses that make a difference. Millennials and Gen Z don’t just want a job, but they want to make a difference. My economic policies are not focused on just maintaining the established business but helping all businesses – especially small business start-ups and technology companies to make Connecticut a better place. Remove the hurdles to starting a business. We need to tap into the potential of the knowledge corridor and their energy. Imagine the freedom we could provide to innovate and try something new if we removed the business entity fees and eliminated taxes on office personal property. Support shared services for business and pleasure. We also need to continue to invest in start-up incubators/innovation hubs and shared services/office sharing locations that have proven successful elsewhere. I will ensure that innovative businesses like Lyft and Uber are given a chance to succeed. Emphasize the impact a person can have in a smaller state. Connecticut’s size can be a strength; especially to recent college graduates who want to live where they can have an immediate impact. I will work to build on existing programs (like H.Y.P.E.) to provide mentoring and networking opportunities with business and political leaders. Be positive and market our strengths. We need to stop being our own worst enemy and be positive about what Connecticut does offer. I will work with local businesses to create a marketing campaign to showcase aspects millennials like: hike, explore, adventure, and discover new things in a socially tolerant state. ” —Srinivasan for Governor Dave Walker “ Assure Fiscal Responsibility and Sustainability Connecticut is broke and faces large and growing structural deficits that must be addressed. We need to do the following to put our state’s finances in order: Reprioritize state spending and honor the state’s balanced budget requirement. Revise the state Constitutional spending cap to focus on net state spending, including all retirement program costs. Override the SEBAC agreement and limit the scope of collective bargaining to exclude retirement benefits and set them by statute. Restructure state pension programs without reducing current pension checks or accrued benefits to assure their competitiveness, eliminate abuses, significantly reduce costs, and enhance their security post restructuring, while recognizing the difference between state worker and teacher plans. Dramatically restructure the state retiree health care plan to significantly reduce costs by converting from a defined level of coverage to a premium support approach for eligible retirees. Revise Medicaid and other welfare eligibility rules and adopt work/education/service efforts related requirements while maintaining a viable social safety net for those truly in need. Right size state government, including reducing the number of entities, layers, and footprints in state government, and pursue High Performing Organization (HPO) approaches. Pursue shared services, Public/Private Partnerships and privatization options to improve economy, efficiency and effectiveness, including privatizing the DMV and eliminating dual delivery of state welfare services. Revise state employee classification, cash compensation and other state human resource rules to focus on skills, knowledge and performance rather than length of service and the rate of inflation Adopt zero-based and performance oriented budgeting practices and appropriate accountability mechanisms if the budget is not passed on-time. Stop raiding earmarked “trust funds” and rebuild the “rainy day fund”. Inventory and dispose of excess state property. Reduce the scope of collective bargaining and limit the term of bargaining agreements. Revise prevailing wage and arbitration rules and require consideration of competitiveness and fiscal sustainability in connection with the arbitration process. Increase Economic Growth and Individual Opportunity (Jobs) Connecticut is in recession while the country is growing. We must turn the tide and create a better future by doing the following: Implement an ongoing interaction between the government, business, education and non-profit leaders to increase economic growth/job opportunities and improve our competitive posture. We must partner for progress to create a better future. Provide significant regulatory and mandates relief while ensuring adequate consumer, safety and environmental protections. Achieve comprehensive, pro-growth and equitable tax reform (e.g., eliminate all taxes and fees that do not generate a significant ROI, eliminate the “temporary” 20% corporate surtax and the unitary corporate tax system, eliminate the estate and gift tax, raise the level of income not subject to tax, allow for reasonable charitable contribution deductions, adopt property tax caps for seniors, provide a 5% withholding on CT state pension payments, and provide broader tax reform and reduction over time). Improve the equity and effectiveness of the state’s education system (e.g., maintain local control and focus on outcomes versus activities, revise state funding formula to improve equity and opportunity by focusing on children in poverty and with special needs, eliminate minimum budget requirement for declining school populations, revise state school construction funding policy, encourage school choice opportunities while assuring accountability for superior results, enhance coordination of business needs and education offerings, enhance trades training activities, promote consolidation and shared services, increase financial literacy and civic responsibility education) Make meaningful investments in infrastructure to decrease congestion and improve mobility (e.g., surface and water), and pursue alternative funding approaches, including electronic tolling where the burden is imposed on out-of-state state vehicles, while also ensuring the integrity of related “trust funds”. Study current energy practices to help achieve a better balance between affordability and environmental protection. Revise and better target state economic development activities with an emphasis on revitalizing troubled cities and promoting initiatives where Connecticut has a comparative advantage (e.g., health/bio, technology/artificial intelligence, financial services, environmental, distribution, specialized manufacturing) Reform the state’s workers compensation and unemployment programs Adopt Municipal Accountability Boards to restructure the finances and improve the competitive posture of troubled cities outside of bankruptcy (e.g., cities and towns with mill rates over 40 and large unfunded retirement obligations) Enhance Public Integrity, Accountability, and Citizen Rights There is too much corruption and are too many conflicts of interest in Connecticut. We need to eliminate this by doing the following: Adopt limits for Governor and legislators in order to prevent “career politicians” and honor the intent of our nation’s founders. Adopt much tougher conflict of interest rules to ensure that the “duty of loyalty” is to citizens versus special interests. Prevent convicted felons for public corruption from running for public office in the future. Provide the right to recall selected executive officials in certain circumstances, as well as initiative and referendum rights to citizens. Revise the voluntary state election grant program to dramatically narrow its scope and achieve significant cost reductions. Revise the current primary and Lt. Governor election rules. ” —Dave Walker for Governor

Campaign tactics

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Steve Obsitnik

Support

"Remarkable" - Steve Obsitnik for governor campaign ad, released July 12, 2018

David Stemerman

Support

"Wrecking Ball" - David Stemerman for governor campaign ad, released July 9, 2018

"Different" - David Stemerman for governor campaign ad, released June 20, 2018

Tim Herbst

Support

"Trumbull Turnaround" - Tim Herbst for governor campaign ad, released July 6, 2018

Bob Stefanowski

Support

"Don't Be Fooled By David Stemerman" - Bob for governor campaign ad, released July 20, 2018

"Bob the Rebuilder" - Bob for governor campaign ad, released July 8, 2018

"Bob Stefanowski's Plan for Connecticut" - Bob for governor campaign ad, released May 21, 2018

Oppose

"Payday Bob" - David Stemerman for Governor campaign ad, released July 26, 2018

"Don't be Fooled" - David Stemerman for Governor campaign ad, released July 18, 2018

Debates and forums

April 4 debate

On April 4, 2018, nine of the then-declared candidates met for a debate.

February 21 debate

On February 21, 2018, eight of the then-declared candidates met for the third of five scheduled Republican primary debates. Mark Boughton, Michael Handler, Tim Herbst, Mark Lauretti, Peter Lumaj, Steve Obsitnik, Prasad Srinivasan, and David Walker participated in the debate. Among the issues discussed were:

• Budgeting: The candidates discussed how they would approach the state's budget.
  • Handler: "The reality is we have a $100 billion problem we have to fix."
  • Lauretti: "Our priority in Connecticut is our financial situation...Why me? I am predictable and I am consistent. I've run a municipality for 26 years, I have a mill rate that people would die for, in other words, I don't raise taxes."
  • Obsitnik: "We have to bring fiscal stability to the state of Connecticut, absolutely, on our deficits and debt side but also have to inspire our kids to wanna live here again and stay here so people can build a business, build a family here, and retire with dignity in Connecticut again"
  • Srinivasan: "Every state agency will be required to come up with a budget, zero based budgeting."

• Marijuana: The candidates were asked whether they supported the legalization of recreational marijuana.
  • Handler: "Anyone that suggests that we can actually solve our fiscal crisis by generating revenue off the sale of marijuana is totally unprepared to address the underlying problems that we truly face as a state."
  • Walker: "I support medical marijuana, but I do not support recreational marijuana at this time...Public health and safety comes before money but the fact is this actually may end up costing us money rather than saving money."

• Path to victory: The candidates discussed what they felt the path to victory in November would look like.
  • Boughton: "It is time to have a conversation on how we can bring the Connecticut comeback...I can bring that same attitude to Connecticut"
  • Handler: "I’m the only candidate before you that has the experience of solving the financial mess left behind by Dan Malloy. For all of us that live and work in this state, the future starts now."
  • Herbst: "Everywhere I go in the state of Connecticut, people are concerned about whether tomorrow will be better than today...I am here to tell you that we can change course. We can’t keep electing politicians that are focused on the next election."
  • Lauretti: "This is a proven ability that people have talked about. What they want to do, I have done for a quarter of a century."
  • Obsitnik: "The Democrats will throw everything at us and make it a nasty campaign...I’m a proven fighter and I plan to reinvent Connecticut and make Connecticut a jobs engine once again."

• School safety: Candidates were asked what measures they would take to reduce the rate of school shootings.
  • Herbst: "We have in Connecticut among the most strict gun control laws of any state in the nation...It's important for law enforcement to have a presence in our schools, working with our educators, to head off threats before they materialize."
  • Lumaj: "If elected governor, there would be an executive order that every school in our state have security, armed security for our children"
  • Obsitnik: "Why aren’t elected officials coming together on commonsense things around background checks...Why aren’t we doing enough to protect our schools?"
  • Srinivasan: "Public safety is a priority...I'm gonna walk the talk and fund it adequately so that every community will be required but at the same time it's not a mandate because you'll be getting what you need from the state to make sure it happens."

January 10 debate

On January 10, 2018, eight of the then-declared candidates and one then-exploratory candidate met for the second of five scheduled Republican primary debates. Antonietta Boucher, Mark Boughton, Michael Handler, Tim Herbst, Mark Lauretti, Peter Lumaj, Steve Obsitnik, Prasad Srinivasan, and David Walker were in attendance at the nearly three hour long debate. Although the candidates addressed a variety of issues including fiscal policy, they also discussed their past experience.

Attorney Peter Lumaj argued that the party should not select a nominee who had previously held political office, arguing that the state had been mismanaged in the past: "If our towns were doing so great under their leadership, how come so many people are leaving the state?...We’re losing businesses to New York City, which has a socialist mayor. Just think about that for a second. Professional politicians." Lumaj was joined by businessman Steve Obsitnik: "Do you trust another career politician to solve that problem? Because I don’t."

Former Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst countered Lumaj and Obsitnik by arguing that the party should select a nominee who had experience with campaigning: "You have to win an election if you’re going to win an election...The last person on this stage that I want getting that 3 a.m. phone call as governor is Peter Lumaj." State Sen. Antonietta Boucher added that Republicans in the state Legislature had "been blocking and tackling and fighting against all these (Democratic) proposals. We bring the real world to the Legislature all the time."

December 6 debate

On December 6, 2017, six of the then-declared candidates and one then-exploratory candidate met for the first of five scheduled Republican primary debates. Antonietta Boucher, Michael Handler, Tim Herbst, Peter Lumaj, Steve Obsitnik, Prasad Srinivasan, and David Walker discussed a variety of issues, including fiscal and governance issues, marijuana policy, and a proposal to construct a casino in Bridgeport.

All seven participants in the debate called for some combination of tax cuts, spending cuts, and modifications in the way state government is managed. Boucher argued in favor of a reduction in business taxes, arguing that a cut in the business tax rate would fuel economic growth. Handler proposed a reduction in spending, calling for the replacement of state employee pensions with 401(k) plans and for the exclusion of any discussion of benefits from the state's collective bargaining procedures. Herbst called for a reduction in the number of regulations pertaining to businesses and suggested that the state should develop a plan to cover pension payments before discussing an elimination of the income tax. Herbst also proposed the creation of an inspector general position, charged with investigating and reducing spending throughout the state government. Lumaj argued that the state should prioritize fostering economic growth and called for reductions to the sales and corporate tax rates, the elimination of income taxes for families making less than $100,000, and an audit of all state agencies. Obsitnik argued in favor of specific tax cuts that would incentivize residents considering relocation to remain in Connecticut in addition to a 20 percent reduction in the state's payroll. Srinivasan argued that it was feasible to eliminate the state's income tax entirely and called for an amendment to the state constitution to limit spending. Finally, Walker argued that the state could not feasibly eliminate the income tax but should eliminate the estate tax and gift tax as well as the 20 percent business tax surcharge in order to encourage individuals with large incomes and businesses to remain in the state. Walker suggested that the state consider broad cuts across state government with a focus on reducing pension and debt obligations.

When asked about their stances on marijuana, Boucher, Handler, Herbst, Srinivasan, and Walker stated their opposition to legalization for adult recreational use. Lumaj stated that while he was not opposed to legalization, he was skeptical that it would raise revenue and stated his personal opposition to the usage of the substance. Finally, Obsitnik suggested that it would be worth considering legalization at some point but that he was not considering it to be a priority.

The final major topic of discussion was whether the state should allow the construction of a casino in Bridgeport, the subject of a pair of dueling proposals from MGM and the Mohegan and Mashantucket tribes. Obsitnik argued in favor of the proposals, noting the potential for new jobs. Walker stated that while he felt a new casino would not meaningfully impact the state's fiscal situation, Bridgeport was a good location, citing the city's access to the Long Island Sound ferry system and the Metro-North line to New York City. Herbst stated that he would need additional assurances that the new casino would not endanger jobs at the state's existing casinos, and argued that the state should focus on infrastructure improvements to the southwestern region before constructing a casino in the area. Finally, Boucher argued that the decision should be left to the city government.