This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
10/14/2010 12:00 AMA profile on Marilyn Giuliano's opponent can be found linked to the right.
State Representative Marilyn Giuliano, the Republican 23rd District incumbent, is seeking re-election to a fifth, two-year term. She faces a challenge from Democratic candidate Eileen Baker; both are Old Saybrook residents.
Giuliano, 57, has held the position of state representative in the 23rd District since 2003. The district includes the towns of Old Saybrook, Westbrook, Lyme, and Old Lyme.
Giuliano says she has supported legislation for healthcare, seniors, and veterans and has been appointed to work on the Education, the Public Health, and the Program Review and Investigations committees for her 2009-2010 term. Additionally, she's secured a number of cultural, historic, and educational grants for the towns of her district.
Giuliano has worked as a school psychologist for 28 years in public and private schools in Connecticut. Currently, she's the school psychologist at Mile Creek School in the Lyme-Old Lyme public school system.
Since moving to Old Saybrook 15 years ago, Giuliano has participated in numerous organizations as a community volunteer.
"I was a member of the Regional Mental Health Council because of my background as a psychologist," she said. "I was asked to serve on the [Old Saybrook] Public Health Nursing Board, I was asked to run for the [Old Saybrook] Board of Finance-I ended up doing three terms on the Board of Finance."
Giuliano ended up serving as vice chair of the Board of Finance around the time that the 23rd District was created.
"I was approached to run for the district and I said I would," said Giuliano. "I had done a lot of community service and elected service and I realized that we live in a very precious area of Connecticut. The lower Connecticut valley has an international distinction as one of the great places of the world.
"I took the challenge up and ran for the new 23rd District and won it," she said.
Giuliano said she has enjoyed strong support and has been able to respond well to the needs of the people.
"I have enjoyed great support from people," she said. "My conceptualization of the office is very interactive. I talk a lot with the people-more so I do a lot of listening-and I've been able to be very responsive to the needs of people."
Right now, she said the focus is on finances-"At this point what I'm hearing has so much to do with economic recovery for Connecticut."
Since the time when she grew up, the state has gone through some major changes; namely it's become more difficult for people to earn a living wage and purchase a home in the state.
"I've lived in Connecticut all my life and I knew a very different Connecticut, the insurance capital of the world-where people had good jobs and good wages," she said. "Right now making Connecticut affordable for families, for businesses, for our workforce, and for our seniors-we're losing our grip on that. I believe that we can do it if we set the right economic priorities."
Giuliano said she has a clear plan for economic recovery.
"As I look at this election cycle I see a very clear choice: Do we set real, courageous priorities for economic recovery or not?" she asked. "The economy pivots on these three points-it means reducing the size and cost of government, making Connecticut more business-friendly, and crafting a responsible budget that makes Connecticut affordable again."