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09/01/2020 03:34 PMIncumbent Democrat Christine Palm, a resident of Chester, is running against Haddam Republican Robert Siegrist for the 36th General Assembly District, which serves the towns of Chester, Deep River, Essex, and Haddam. The election for members of the Connecticut House of Representatives will take place on Nov. 3.
Christine Palm
Palm is the owner of Sexual Harassment Prevention, LLC, which offers corporate, academic and non-profit workplaces training to prevent sexual harassment. Prior to her election as a state representative, she was a women’s policy analyst for the General Assembly’s Commission on Women, Children, and Seniors.
She is a graduate of Goddard College, earning a B.A. in creative writing in 2011.
Palm says that while she’s been campaigning, constituents have expressed concerns that vary from local to national issues, with those relating to COVID-19 being pervasive.
“I’ve helped scores of constituents with unemployment compensation needed because of layoffs and closures. Many folks who never thought they would be in the position of needing the government’s help are reaching out. So, financial insecurity and job loss are very real problems,” she said.
Other issues for this election center on safe voting during the pandemic.
Palm says that she was chosen to lead an effort revamping statutory language this past special legislative session that “means everyone can legally vote absentee during the COVID pandemic, regardless of whether or not they are actually ill,” she said.
Another important issue raised by constituents is the high-profile police shootings of unarmed Black people such as George Floyd in Minneapolis.
“As a member of the Judiciary Committee, I can attest to the extensive research, vetting, negotiating and public input on the police accountability bill, which the House passed in special session,” said Palm.
She also notes the anger and frustration expressed by constituents over the widespread power outages due to Tropical Storm Isaias.
“Eversource has done a terrible job of living up to its promises, and folks are fed up watching their tax dollars go to exorbitant executive compensation and shareholder profits. A private company posing as a public utility is the type of ‘corporate welfare’ I abhor, and will fight against,” she said.
Asked about her short-and long-term goals if re-elected, Palm says she will prioritize job protections and adequate pay for essential workers, protecting the environment, reform of voting practices, and universal health care.
Palm says that she voted to increase the minimum wage to $15 and plans to “continue to work to secure the safety and economic opportunity for our essential workers.”
On the environment, Palm said that “since COVID hit, some of the public momentum for this cause has been sidelined, but it shouldn’t be. First, the addition of all these disposable PPEs [personal protective equipment] into our landfills and waterways has become a waste problem. Second, green jobs must be part of economic recovery and this is the perfect time to move beyond replacing jobs lost to the creation of new ones.”
In terms of voting practices, Palm said that “Connecticut has among the most limited and regressive voting rules in the country but changing them in times of non-emergency will require a Constitutional amendment. Early voting, no-excuse absentee ballots and similar reforms are more important than ever before.”
Another one of Palm’s goals is universal healthcare.
“If not for the [federal Affordable Care Act], families would have been hit harder than they already were. We need to decouple health insurance from employment, because as we’ve seen, when the job goes, the medical coverage often goes with it. This cannot be. Some form of universal healthcare and caps on big pharma must be enacted.”
Robert Siegrist
Robert Siegrist is a landscaper with a lifelong interest in politics. He graduated from Quinnipiac University with a B.A. in political science in 2006. He represented the towns of Chester, Deep River, Essex and Haddam in the Connecticut House of Representatives from January 2017 to January 2019.
“I understand the needs of the 36th District,” he said. “I am a 25-year resident with strong ties to each of the four towns: Chester, Deep River, Essex and Haddam. I secured critical water infrastructure improvements in Haddam. I acquired funding for the Deep River Housing Authority for the residents of Kirtland Commons. I was instrumental in securing much-needed upgrade to the Valley Shore 911 Emergency System. I will always fight for issues that matter to [the residents of the 36th District].”
Siegrist says that while he’s been campaigning, residents have expressed concerns related to taxes and “economic rebirth in Connecticut.”
On taxes, he says, “We’ve tried solving the deficit with tax increases over the years. The Democrats imposed the largest and second-largest tax increases when I served in the legislature and put Connecticut in this state of fiscal crisis.”
“Companies moved out of the state and jobs have not come back. We are behind almost every other state in the country when it comes to job creation and economic growth,” he added.
In terms of “economic rebirth in Connecticut,” Siegrist says that tax incentives for new businesses are a part of the solution.
“Create tax incentives for new businesses to come and stay in Connecticut. Everyone benefits when new businesses come to our state. But businesses need predictability. The state has gone in and out of deficits on a yearly basis. We need permanent fixes to stop these vicious cycles. We will never attract and keep businesses as long as there continues to be threats of tax increases to fix budget deficits,” he said.
Other issues facing the 36th District, as identified by Siegrist, are further increasing taxes, housing affordability, and tolls.
Siegrist says he will work to help constituents keep their “hard-earned money in [their] pocket. All parties need to practice fiscal responsibility and prudence at the state budget negotiating table.”
On housing affordability, Siegrist said, “We need to do everything possible to keep young families and workers staying in Connecticut. It is expensive for them and all residents of my district. I support opportunities to increase the affordable housing stock in Essex, Chester, Deep River, and Haddam.”
He indicated that he voted against tolls during his previous term in the state legislature “and if it comes up again, I will do the same. I view tolls as an additional tax on Connecticut drivers. Over the years, the Special Transportation Fund has been raided to fill other holes in the budget. I firmly believe that if money is designated for transportation, it should be used for transportation.”
Asked about his short- and long-term goals, Siegrist said that he will vote “against tax increases,” work toward “common-sense solutions aimed at building a better future for the residents…[and] continue to advocate for the protection of our state parks and forests for the enjoyment of all.”
He also aims to continue his 100 percent voting record, saying that he never missed a vote or committee meeting “when I humbly served as your representative two years ago.”