By Kathy Kennedy
State Rep., R-119
Kathy Kennedy
As we turn the calendar to a brand-new year, many of us pause to reflect and set a few resolutions. Some plan to get organized or exercise more. Others vow to eat better. And a few simply hope to remember where they left their reading glasses. But across our towns and neighborhoods, one thing is on nearly everyone’s mind: the cost of living.
I hear it at coffee hours, in grocery store aisles, around the district and every time someone opens a heating bill: families are feeling squeezed. From rising property taxes to the cost of food, energy and insurance, it can feel like affordability is slipping out of reach. A new year should bring fresh beginnings, not the same old worries.
Yet even with these challenges, I’m inspired by the determination of the people I serve. Families don’t shy away from hard conversations – they pull up a chair, roll up their sleeves and talk honestly about what’s happening in their daily lives. Those conversations guide my work at the Capitol, and I value every one of them.
As your state representative, I’m entering this legislative session with clear focus: tackling Connecticut’s affordability crisis and pushing for practical, meaningful relief. Taxes remain a major issue, especially our high property tax burden. A recent Tax Foundation study ranked Connecticut 47th in overall tax competitiveness and 49th specifically for property taxes, beating only Vermont. Every community feels that pressure.
That’s why I proposed a plan for state-level property tax relief last fall, and I’ll be putting forward a similar plan this session. We need policies that let young families buy their first home, allow seniors to age with dignity and help hardworking residents afford life’s essentials without constant sacrifice. That includes reining in property taxes, making housing more attainable, bringing down the cost of everyday necessities and eliminating the public benefits charge on your electric bill.
A new year won’t erase the hurdles we face, but it does give us a chance to recommit to doing better. With honest dialogue, steady leadership and a willingness to put people before politics, I believe we can make real progress.
Here’s to 2026: a year with familiar challenges – but also hope, hard work and that trademark Connecticut grit. I’m honored to be your voice and will keep fighting every day to make our great state more affordable for all.