My name is Joe Dowdell, I’m running for State Representative, and I’m asking for your vote on November 8th. I decided to run for State Representative because I’m tired of arguing over the same issues and never reaching real solutions. I want to go to Hartford and work together to find solutions that are innovative and collaborative.
Our State is beautiful, our people work hard, and we’re passionate about where we live. We can agree that Connecticut still has room to grow, and definitely has room to improve. I’m an engineer, so I like to live by the old adage, “work smarter, not harder.” We can’t fix our problems simply by throwing money at them and working ourselves to the bone; we need to think outside the box.
I believe that the most pressing issues facing our state are connected, and some of the most basic, fundamental things we should do are fix our state’s infrastructure and give our children the best education possible. That means roads and bridges, but it also means high speed internet, smart and reliable power grids, and preparing our children to succeed in high-tech careers. These things may require an investment by the state and by our towns, but together we can get it done in the most cost-efficient way. A state-of-the-art infrastructure and a highly-skilled and trained workforce are absolutely critical to the success of businesses and the economy.
We must also continue to expand access to renewable energy. Our residents have seen their power bills go up for years, and outages are becoming more possible due to extreme weather changes. With so many other costs rising, it’s time to send a representative to Hartford who’s going to fight to reduce our bills. I will fight for tax credits for renewable, sustainable energy sources, and will work to increase the use of smart grid technologies that improve reliability of the power grid.
Keeping energy costs down is just one part of keeping our economy competitive. We must also work to cut red tape and keep Hartford mandates on towns and on businesses to a minimum. While it’s important for government to help support a fair, equitable and efficient economy, we must balance that with the need to help innovation thrive in our communities. We must support our local businesses, not stand in their way. I will focus comprehensively on moderating Connecticut’s cost of living and cost of doing business, while enhancing our residents’ standard of living.
To maximize government integrity, effectiveness, and accountability, we must ensure all citizens can freely and conveniently register to vote and cast their ballots. This is the foundation of our democracy. As your State Representative, I’ll fight from day one to keep our elections fair and convenient, to support our economy with innovative and data-driven decisions, and to ensure a high quality of life in Connecticut.
This column is supplied by the Ridgefield Democratic Town Committee.