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The Respect Needed

Being a resident of Essex, I know firsthand how 33rd District State Senate candidate Norm Needleman (D) has worked endlessly to balance town budgets, keep our taxes low, and improve all facets of life in our community. He’s done an incredible job at the local level.

I, however, went to the debate at Valley Regional with an open mind to see which candidate would work best for us in Hartford. As the debate continued, I was impressed with Norm’s composure, positive attitude, wealth of knowledge, and his vision for Connecticut. It became clear that Norm would earn the respect needed to be a leader in the Senate.

He believes in the 2nd Amendment, but also believes there should be limitations and thorough background checks for all gun owners. He would have supported the sensible gun-control legislation that passed after the Newtown shooting. He would’ve supported the increase in the minimum wage, so individuals could move toward self-reliance. He displayed a deep understanding of the Syrian refugee crisis and showed compassion to help refugees relocate as long as they were vetted properly. His views were all well thought-out and contained a lot of good common sense.

It was obvious to me that Norm does not want to be a career politician; he wants to go to Hartford to get things done. He’s proven that he has the talent and temperament to work closely with all legislators, regardless of their party affiliation. He has vast experience in fiscal management and openly acknowledges that Connecticut has a spending problem and has set his sights on this as a priority. He’s eager and ready to roll up his sleeves and start to work on solving these problems.

I encourage your readers to join me in supporting Norman Needleman for our next state senator.

Cecilia Brown

Essex