It has been an honor to serve in the CT General Assembly, and I am thankful for the opportunity. Over the years, I have focused my emails and social media messages on providing actionable information about government policies & programs. This is my final email to you as a member of the CT General Assembly. While I will no longer be an elected state official next month, I still plan to advocate for our residents and continue this dialogue. Public dialogue and participation are essential because the government is a substantive part of our lives through the following three channels.
Taxes: The state government collects about 7% of all income through various taxes, the Federal government collects a massive 20%, municipal taxes collect some more, and the total comes to over 30%. In CT, this amounts to nearly $100 billion of our money - and public scrutiny is necessary to ensure our money is used wisely or returned to us.
Rules and Regulations: The government sets rules and regulations that individuals and businesses must follow. These laws help create a society where individuals can pursue life, liberty, and happiness. The COVID times exemplified that while such rules are needed, they cannot be overbearing and always be respectful of personal freedoms and individual responsibility. Our active involvement is necessary to keep that balance.
Public Programs: The government runs some important programs - Medicare, Husky, public schools, highways, public transport, and so on. There is an ongoing long-term debate about what programs the government should administer, but everyone agrees that these programs must be run effectively and efficiently.
As a result of the above channels, the government is an integral part of our lives. Engagement with our government is critical - whether it be communication with an elected public official, participation in a public forum, or reading about public issues - I hope we do more of it in 2023.
I look forward to staying in touch. Wishing you and your family a Happy New Year.
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