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The Acumen and Experience

Norm Needleman is a local businessman who started and runs a successful manufacturing business employing more than 150 people in Essex. He is also serving as first selectman in Essex for his fourth term. Norm is running to represent State Senate District 33. It is time that we elected a mature, successful businessman who has both the necessary acumen and experience to focus on job creation and reining in spending without sacrificing needed services and education funding.

Two years ago, Norm ran for State Senate under the Citizens’ Election Program. His opponent at that time, Art Linares, Jr., after going to the national Conservative Political Action Conference convention, came back to Connecticut and benefited from lots of dark money from conservative donors and groups as well as endorsements and mailings from the NRA, which gave him a 99 percent rating! After being significantly outspent, Norm has chosen to self-fund his campaign this time around.

At the recent debate between shoreline candidates in Westbrook, I was disappointed to hear his Republican opponent, State Representative Melissa Ziobron (34) characterize Norm Needleman as a very rich man who was “taking advantage” by a large ad buy that made her less competitive. She played the same tune in her Sept. 27 letter “Fiscal Crisis the Top Issue.” Melissa Ziobron has the advantage of incumbency and likely will also have the endorsement of the NRA.

Norm Needleman’s two sons are taking over the daily management of his business in Essex so that he can focus fully on working in a bi-partisan effort to find the very best solutions for Connecticut’s budget deficit while protecting our most vulnerable citizens.

Laurie Santos

Clinton