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Dwyer Running to 'Create Something Better'

“Jobs and the economy.” Democrat David Dwyer is running for state representative in the 101st District, which includes Madison and a portion of Durham. When he is out on the campaign trail meeting with voters, jobs, and the economy are the issues they talk about.

“This is not the typical election where there are several different issues to discuss. In this year and this election, there are really only two—jobs and the economy—and I have the background to begin to fix those problems in Hartford,” Dwyer said. “I really am the guy we need in the legislature.”

Dwyer is an attorney and tax consultant.

“I have worked with national financial services firms, relocating multi-national corporations to reduce their taxes, to bring in jobs. Professionally, I have spent my career helping people reduce their property tax burdens and working as a corporate lawyer. I understand how the revenue side of government works and how it interacts with business,” Dwyer said. “Is there anyone in the legislature now with a tax background? I don’t think so. It’s my background we need in Hartford.”

Voters ask Dwyer how the state can improve its jobs and business climate. There is perception that Connecticut is not friendly toward business.

“I tell people that government is not responsible for all that’s wrong, and it can’t fix everything, but it can fix some things,” Dwyer said.

Because of his background working with large corporations, he said, he knows that small and mid-size businesses cannot take advantage of the tax loopholes granted to larger companies. The answer?

“Get rid of the loopholes. Flatten the taxes,” Dwyer said. “In the end, a fair tax will raise more revenue.”

Gov. Dannel Malloy’s “First Five” program, an effort to bring and retain jobs in Connecticut, offers financial loans and incentives to businesses. The program has its supporters and its critics.

“I have helped businesses to get incentives from government to stay or to relocate. I understand how it works. I understand how the First Five program works. I can make it work better,” Dwyer said.

“Until we improve the business climate, our economy and our state budget will not recover,” he added.

A state budget that continues to carry a deficit brings any discussion around to taxes, for businesses and for individuals.

“When you talk about taxes, part of that discussion is property taxes,” he said.

Local property taxes are a burden for too many, Dwyer said, “because the state is not funding education as it should.”

The state continues to decrease its funding to local school districts.

“We need to find a way to establish minimum state funding so that towns know there will be some stability, some predictability when they are building their budgets,” he said.

The recession that the state and the nation are living with today is “my generation’s version of the Great Depression,” Dwyer said. “We can come out of this the better for it, just as my grandparents’ generation did. So much is outside of our control, but there are steps we can take, and we can create something better.”

He is running, he said, because he wants to ensure than his three year-old daughter “has the same chance to succeed as I did, that the next generation actually has something better.”