State Representative James Albis (D) has represented the 99th General Assembly District since 2011 and is seeking reelection in November. The lifelong East Haven resident wants to continue focusing on bringing positive changes to the town.

“We made some progress moving East Haven in the right direction, but there’s a lot more work to do,” said Albis. “The Connecticut economy is lagging while the rest of country is recovering. I’m hoping next year we could really tackle some of these issues.”

Looking at the climate of the state and the Town of East Haven, Albis sees a number of areas that he will focus on, including bringing more jobs to Connecticut, protecting senior citizens in terms of both finances and health, and giving East Haven a voice at the state level. He also sees Connecticut’s reliance on its high property taxes as a problem for residents, small businesses, and the state.

“We need to create more opportunities for East Haven residents and create more jobs, making sure East Haven residents can get to work and put food on the table for their families,” said Albis. “Nearly one quarter of our residents are on Medicaid—that’s a big, big number. My No. 1 job is to make sure I’m doing the best I can for the town of East Haven itself. With the 99th District, I’m lucky I get to focus my full efforts on East Haven.”

Since being elected to office in 2011, Albis said he has secured an additional $2 million in state aid for the town that offsets the costs of education, fire, police, and other town services in the budget. He has also worked to fund additional preschool slots through the SmartStart Program and adding a school-based health center at Momauguin School.

“Securing the funding makes a huge difference on our property tax bills,” said Albis. “We have a great Family Resource Center that does phenomenal work. We need to give kids the opportunity to go to preschool to set them up for an enhanced learning experience for the rest of their educational career. Making sure East Haven will be better in the long run is a top priority.”

For the past two years, Albis has been working toward his master’s degree in environmental management through the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and is scheduled to graduate in May. The East Haven High School alum also has a bachelor’s degree in economics from New York University. Albis enjoys spending time with his wife—they married last year—as well as hiking, sports, and following the Yankees.

Albis also volunteers his time as a civic member of the East Haven Chamber of Commerce, a board member representing East Haven for the Greater New Haven Green Fund, and a member of the Tuttle School Government Council. He was the town’s community development coordinator from 2010 to 2011.

“I have always recognized the value of public service,” said Albis. “My mom is on the Board of Education and a teacher at East Haven High School and my dad was an attorney who did a lot of estate law. Giving back to the community is a passion of mine.”

For information, visit albis2016.com.

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