The Issues

CT is the 8th most taxed state in the country, a combination of income, sales, property and excise taxes.  CT is also one of the least favorable states for retirees and for estate taxes 

Tina will fight to prevent the erosion of newly created tax relief, supports (i) creation of a dependent child tax credit and (ii) exemption of certain necessary purchases from sales tax, (iii) decrease in wasteful government spending, and (iv) other initiatives which would benefit CT residents at every income level

She supports efforts to lessen the burden on businesses, including allowing small businesses to create multiemployer health plans to achieve economies of scale. 

·Tina supports reasonable criminal justice laws to keep the public safe, particularly from violent crime and crimes against property (home and cars)

The 2020 Police Accountability Bill significantly tied the hands of law enforcement, including reducing and in some cases eliminating criminal penalties for car theft by juvenile offenders. Tina supports expanding criminal justice laws, including against gangs who commit car or property crimes.

Preserving local control is a top priority.   The most reasonable solutions to affordable housing issues are where citizens have the best information and the most at stake – in our own communities.

She believes 8-30g should be amended to include all types of affordable housing (Greenwich and Stamford are not currently getting credit for accessory dwelling units and affordable housing from private employment).

Tina is against current legislation in Hartford which would (i) allow housing authorities of other towns to enter Greenwich and Stamford and (ii) impose a rating system promoting dense housing development in towns

Tina will support and defend current CT law, allowing abortion to viability

Tina strongly supports efforts to expand access to birth control. e.g., Public Act 23-52 allowing pharmacists to prescribe birth control, expanding access to disadvantaged and geographically remote women

Connecticut’s K-12 schools are performing above the national standard averages in math, reading, writing and science, a fact the state can be proud of;  but there is a lot of room to improve.  In 2022, only 63% of CT’s 8th graders performed at or above the basic level in Math, and 80% at or above the basic level in Reading 

CT ranks 5th among the 50 states in spending per student ($21,146); Tina supports more effective deployment of state funds to achieve maximum results

Tina opposes one-size-fits all legislation which takes local control away from high achieving schools, in favor of unfunded, unproven state mandates

Tina supports increased funding to charter schools, providing increased school choice and opportunity for all kids to rise up through education

  “Fiscal Guardrails” enacted in 2017, led by General Assembly Republicans, took CT off of a path to fiscal ruin and began turning the state around. Seven years of fiscal discipline resulted in lower taxes effective January 2024, a balanced budget, and decreased pension debt (by $7.7 billion)

In 2024, the Guardrails are under attack by legislators, who while they voted to “affirm” them, are proposing large spending programs which violate them. Tina supports maintaining all three legs of the “Fiscal Guardrails” stool: the Spending Cap, Revenue Cap and Volatility Cap