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The Competence and Character

I found the debate for state representative from the 36th District, which was held at Valley Regional High School on Oct. 17, remarkable. I was struck most by Christine Palm’s masterful command of policy. Christine set forth a specific policy vision for the future of Connecticut and our towns that was optimistic and realistic at the same time.

At the outset, Christine inspiringly grounded her vision in “liberty and justice for all” as expressed in our pledge of allegiance, and she stated that the job of Connecticut’s government must be to create new opportunity for all of us by protecting what is good and undoing what is harmful. She went on to propose specific initiatives to advance this vision.

For me, the most remarkable policy proposal of the evening was her visionary plan to jump-start our stalled state economy by attracting and retaining startup companies. She proposes putting startups into the state’s many abandoned mills and factories rent-free for five years. In return, these economic engines would remain in Connecticut and give 50 percent of their jobs to Connecticut residents while also bringing in new talent from out of state. This is exactly the kind of bold thinking that has been lacking in Hartford and that we need to lift the state out of its economic stagnation.

Christine’s proposals throughout the evening, whether on healthcare, climate change, or funding for the arts, were equally knowledgeable and specific. It is obvious that she really knows her stuff and has the competence and character to be an agent of real change in Hartford.

John Weikart

Ivoryton