Just two years ago, Americans benefited from rising wages, low unemployment, a favorable investment and regulatory climate, stock market growth and record high GDP.

Today, we face the highest inflation in 40 years and skyrocketing prices. Due to this historic inflation, Americans are left with little to nothing of their paychecks to save after covering living expenses. Family savings rates are down to 6% from an April 2020 high of 33%, wiping away the future financial security that so many Americans depend on.  The S&P 500 has lost all its gains, putting Americans’ retirement savings in peril.  

Here in Connecticut, we face the 2nd-highest combined state and federal tax burden in the nation – now worsened by the current $10,000 federal cap on our property tax deductions.

It’s way past time to hold Congress accountable, and elect servant leaders who will actually represent us in Washington.

The economic crises we face are bigger than political ideology or party.  To ensure the survival and vitality of our nation, our state, our businesses, and families, we must confront these issues TODAY with common sense solutions that reduce our tax and regulatory burdens and cut excessive spending that drives inflation. 

To jumpstart our economy, we must pursue a common sense, pro-growth agenda that benefits everyone.  This includes:

• Making the 2017 Republican tax cuts permanent, allowing families to keep more of their hard-earned paychecks, while raising the state and federal property tax (SALT) deduction that gives taxpayers “credit” for their contributions to local schools and infrastructure.
• Reducing red-tape and regulations that hurt small businesses and prevent them from hiring more employees.
• Building on proven trade agreements, and pursuing updated agreements, that will level the playing field for American businesses and grow Connecticut’s economy.

This is why I’m running to represent YOU and Connecticut’s Fourth District in Congress. My vision is to strengthen our economy to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to thrive and seek their own version of success.

The average Connecticut resident sends $1,614 more to Washington than the services they receive in return, one of the worst records in the country. This has been exacerbated by Congress capping the state and local tax deduction (SALT). Congress had two opportunities to amend this disparity felt by Connecticut taxpayers, but our Congressman, Jim Himes did not fight for us. He campaigned on this issue and promised to fix SALT, but then failed to act when given power. 

As your next Congresswoman, restoring a deduction for local taxes will be the first bill I introduce. Connecticut residents and businesses send too much money to Washington and it’s time for a change 

As a municipal CEO for 10 years, I worked across the aisle and I will do the same in Congress. I will always fight for local control and for your tax dollars to return to Connecticut to be spent at the local level.

Congress must prioritize returning America to energy independence.  The Left’s energy agenda is unfortunately clear. The war on the American fossil fuel industry has resulted in our families and businesses struggling to make ends meet. High energy prices get passed on directly to consumers in the prices we pay for our essential daily needs.

As a result, gasoline prices have soared by over $2.50 per gallon in the past two years, forcing us to pay $100 to fill our tanks, only to hit the road and sit in gridlocked traffic. Gas prices are forcing families to rethink post-COVID vacations, summer camps and childcare for their kids. With the winter heating season right around the corner, the cost of electricity and fuel to heat our homes will continue to add stress to family and business budgets.

The nation’s largest natural gas field sits just hundreds of miles away in Pennsylvania, yet career politicians have blocked construction of new pipelines that could provide clean, affordable energy to Connecticut. We are paying historically high prices for gas because government leaders would rather buy fuel from Russia, OPEC, Venezuela, and other anti-America nations, rather than leverage the vast resources right here in the United States that could return us to energy independence.

Connecticut residents deserve sustainable, long-term policies that utilize existing fossil fuel and modern energy production technology to create a more stable energy economy.  It’s time for new leadership and bold solutions that focus on energy policies that support families and businesses.

As your next member of Congress, I’ll fight for common sense energy solutions that increase domestic production of readily available oil and gas, while we continue to support and promote innovative, clean, and reliable energy sources like hydrogen, solar, wind and nuclear power.  This approach will reduce energy prices, grow our economy, create jobs and, importantly, reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy from hostile nations.

We are seeing a crime surge in our cities and suburban Connecticut. We all know the culprit; a lack of support for the police and removing the resources they need.  If members of a political party call for “defunding the police” I will call them out. Our law enforcement officers deserve both our financial and moral support; I will provide both.

Americans deserve to feel safe in their homes and communities. Sweeping criminal justice “reform” including the elimination of qualified immunity for police and soft-on-crime bail reform has resulted in a rise in violent crime across the country, accelerated law enforcement retirements, and made it difficult to recruit new police officers leaving our communities more vulnerable.

Supporting our police with the tools, training, and civil protections they need should be coupled with community-based strategies for fighting crime. Youthful offenders need to know there are severe consequences for choosing a life of crime and that there are positive alternatives to building a successful life. School Resource Officers (SRO) are beneficial and essential in public schools.

OPIOID, FENTANYL EPIDEMIC

We have seen the horrors brought on by our nation neglecting mental health conditions that result in violence and a nationwide opioid epidemic.  These issues have no boundaries and have yet to become a meaningful discussion in Congress with solutions that will save our children.

As Darien’s First Selectman for 10 years, I worked closely with my bipartisan leadership team, our school administration and outstanding teachers and staff to support one of the premier public-school systems in the country. Some of my proudest moments as a servant leader included seeing students thrive and move on to the university or career of their choice, and of course watching all five of my own children receive their diplomas.

Unfortunately, too many professional politicians and bureaucrats are working to take away local control of our curriculums and parental rights in our schools.  They feel that government – not parents and local school boards – are best equipped to make decisions about the education of our children.

As the Fourth District’s next member of Congress, I’ll fight to be the commonsense voice for parents and families who feel helpless when their children are taught – especially at a young age – subjects that only a parent, guardian, doctor, or faith community should address.

I will fight for reforms in Washington that return curriculum oversight to the towns and cities, which empowers parents with the opportunity to choose a safe and effective education for their children.  And I’ll promote choice and economic equality in education, so that a child’s zip code no longer blocks their ladder to opportunity.  Every parent should have the right to choose the most appropriate educational path for their children and to be a welcomed voice of advocacy for their children’s success.