The Milford-Orange Times is continuing its election-year tradition of asking the candidates to respond to questions about what they would do for the residents of Milford and Orange if voters elect them. Election Day is Nov. 3.
Q: What will you do if elected to help make your district a more affordable place to live? Be as specific as possible.
State Rep. Mary Welander, Democrat, District 114 (Incumbent)
Mary Welander
Affordability is the number one issue across the board in Connecticut. The state has already taken some steps to reduce costs, but the truth is that this is an incredibly complex situation and there are no magic phrases like “cut taxes” that will fix it, especially given the fact that much of it is the result of actions beyond state control.
I don’t make promises I can’t keep, or broad statements not rooted in common sense, so let’s talk about what we have already started, the reality of where we are, and then I will offer some possible steps to take to make life more affordable in Connecticut.
The legislature has delivered eight years of balanced budgets under Gov. Ned Lamont and has sent hundreds of millions of dollars back to towns for community projects and infrastructure work and hundreds of millions of dollars more in more education funding. In my three terms I’ve personally brought close to $50 million back to the district and state based on policies I’ve written and projects I’ve championed in addition to the education and municipal aid received.
We’ve made progress on systemic issues that will lower costs and improve quality of life for residents, such as upgrades to public transit like the Waterbury rail line, the Early Childhood Education Endowment (saving families thousands of dollars in childcare), and paying down billions in pension debt. We delivered the single largest tax cut for middle class families in state history and created additional tax breaks for caregivers, veterans and senior citizens. We created programs that help reduce the cost of college and trade programs, support small farms and small businesses of every kind.
Yet, life is harder and all that work feels in vain because of actions by the federal administration. President Trump imposed tariffs on countries across the globe, thereby driving up the costs on goods such as building materials, farm fertilizers and computer chips – which means our homes, food and technology are all more expensive. By starting a war in the Middle East, gas, home heating and crude oil prices have skyrocketed so much that the state has already made an additional $12.7 million deposit into the fuel assistance program in anticipation of more residents needing help, and petroleum-based construction material costs have increased almost 60 percent since the war started. Additionally, Connecticut is losing more than $2 billion in federal funding because of cuts to SNAP, Medicare and Medicaid, and other funding claw backs.
I know we want to make sure our neighbors are warm, healthy and fed this winter, but we should have been able to return that money to taxpayers. There is a level of chaos and irresponsibility in this federal administration that is frustrating on so many levels, and beyond the control of a state representative. That being said, I do have some ideas on making life more affordable for all of us.
Health insurance: We need to create easier access to our existing state-offered plans for small businesses and nonprofits. If the market has more options that are affordable to larger groups of people, then private industry will need to pivot to remain competitive. We don’t need to make this system more complicated by creating new plans when we can reduce costs for so many by working within an existing structure. Long term care insurance also needs to be more regulated to prevent the kind of premium increases many have seen recently.
Energy costs: I would like to examine the state-purchased power agreements that are attached to some energy generating projects (such as Millstone nuclear or offshore wind). In the past we have purchased that power at fixed rates for long-term agreements; in 2025 we allowed up to 20 percent of those costs to be adjusted for current market prices. But I think we should look at the ability to renegotiate a larger percentage and cap rate increase amounts. We should also evaluate what programs are included in the public benefits charge and see what may not be worth the cost. Programs, such as rebates for green energy options for residents, should be able to demonstrate their effectiveness to be continued.
Other steps like increasing the ‘luxury vehicle’ tax threshold to be aligned with modern car prices, reducing certain filing fees for small businesses and LLCs, supporting Attorney General William Tong’s efforts to prevent price gouging across industries, and continuing to update the Educational Cost Sharing formula can add up to real savings for towns and residents.
I know affordability at every level is a major issue. If I am reelected, I will continue to do whatever I can to reduce costs for all residents, but especially families and seniors, while still maintaining the level of support that taxpayers in Connecticut deserve.