Longtime Republican incumbent Noreen Kokoruda, who has represented Madison and Durham for almost a decade, and served in local politics in Madison for more than twice that time, is facing a challenge for the second time in as many elections from Democrat John-Michael Parker.

When voters go to the polls this Nov. 3, or when they are filling out their absentee ballots, they will be doing so in a very different world than in previous years. But Kokoruda, who serves on the Education, Appropriations, and Children’s committees in Hartford, said that now more than ever, voters in the 101st District want what she has provided over the last decade: a steady, independent voice representing Madison’s interests

“I really [am] worried for Madison, some of the things that are being proposed,” Kokoruda said. “[It is] the number-one reason I ran—I’m really worried that towns like Madison are going to be taken over by state government, and it’s totally inappropriate. And I’m willing to fight for it.”

With unprecedented challenges and many calls for change to everything from zoning to policing at the state level, Kokoruda emphasized that while there are aspects of local and state-wide policy that are going to need to adapt to the new circumstances, in all cases those changes need to come from the constituencies and the towns themselves.

Regionalization

Regionalization, particularly of schools, is a topic that has come up many times at the state level, with various approaches to solving issues of inequality and inefficiency among the state’s 170 school districts.

Absenteeism, access to high-level class, suspension rates, and graduation rates show massive geographic and racial disparities between suburban towns like Madison and urban districts like New Haven. Additionally, an aging population has left both Madison and Region 12 schools with stagnant or declining enrollment.

Kokoruda said that large-scale changes that might be dictated by the state—combining districts based on things like court districts, for example—would cause huge issues, and those decisions need to be made at the local level.

“Regionalization, we can’t take it off the table,” Kokoruda said. “Regionalization, when it works, will save us money. But some of the things being proposed in Hartford, there’s been no sign that it’s going to work.”

Kokoruda said she saw the issues that plague the state’s underachieving schools need to be addressed by funding and accountability, pointing out that those schools get significantly more state money compared to Madison.

Prioritizing education would be an important part of closing this gap, and Kokoruda said she would be open to conversations about bringing in New Haven students to attend Madison schools, which would address both the enrollment issues in town, along with offering access to better education to students just down the road.

“Of course we want equality, but it’s also about priorities. You have to wonder about the priorities of New Haven, how they’re spending some of this money,” Kokoruda said. She said that “special interest groups” have contributed to the lack of progress in these towns.

Kokoruda also talked about opportunities created by charter schools, which she said have some positives and negatives associated with them, but certainly should be explored as an avenue to solve both inequities and inefficiencies.

This year, Kokoruda has the highest rating from the teacher’s union, the Connecticut Educators Association, out of all Republican state representatives, and has voted for bills that would encourage recruiting and hiring non-White teachers and staff as well as including Black and Latino studies in curriculum.

Police Accountability

The police accountability bill, which Kokoruda voted against and characterized as rushed, has been the subject of significant controversy in the 101st District and across the state. Kokoruda said she saw a lot of things in the bill that were positive and necessary, naming transparency as far as officer’s disciplinary records as one of those things.

She also expressed sympathy for the families of those Connecticut residents who have died at the hands of police, with recent cases in Connecticut where officers have shot and killed teenagers who seemingly did not pose an immediate threat.

“I am concerned that anyone would be murdered like that,” she said.

While repeating there were places in policing that could be improved, Kokoruda said she would not support many of the changes proposed. Qualified immunity—something the bill removed in cases of “wanton, reckless, and willful” violations by officers—was something she said she could not get behind. She cited insurance increases to municipalities as another reason to oppose this stipulation.

As far as oversight, Kokoruda said she saw the Madison Police Department (MPD), with an appointed Board of Police Commissioners selecting the chief, as an example for the rest of the state, both the specific employees and policies, as well as its structure.

“We know what a bad police department looks like, and we also know how much we’ve worked to get where we are today, there’s no doubt about it,” Kokoruda said. “I’m so proud of what we have. We have a model.”

Many people have called for civilian review boards to have the power to investigate officers and subpoena documents, a power that was included in the police accountability bill, though the Board of Selectmen must choose to imbue Madison’s board with those powers.

Kokoruda was effusive in her praise of Madison’s police department, as well as the Board of Police Commissioners, saying that MPD officers “are so proud” of their work and of the department’s current reputation for professionalism.

As far as changes to use of force laws, Kokoruda again said she would listen to and trust police officers, citing MPD Chief Jack Drumm as an example of someone who was working on making positive changes from within.

“It’s a standard set by leadership,” Kokoruda said. “Anything that would make people safer, I would support.”

Zoning Reform

Another issue likely to be raised at the state level that could affect the 101st District is zoning reform. Kokoruda was adamant that she would oppose a push to wrest local control away from municipalities or force more inclusionary zoning practices, calling it “scary.”

“It should be done with a carrot, not a stick,” she said.

While Madison and Durham have failed to reach the level of affordable housing set by the state, with very few housing opportunities for working class families, Kokoruda said she is worried about loss of historical structure as well as town character, and that attempts by the state to regulate it will be “one size fits all” and not appropriate for Madison and Durham.

“[Zoning reform is] fine if people want it...but I don’t think people want it,” she said.

Budget Concerns

On the economic side, Kokoruda said that she was happy that the state passed a bi-partisan budget that has resulted in an approximately $3 billion rainy day fund. As of Oct. 1, the state was projecting a $1.87 billion deficit for Fiscal Year 2021. Governor Ned Lamont released a plan to address the deficit early this month, with spending cuts and delaying a planned phase out of tax cuts used alongside the rainy day fund.

Kokoruda said she saw the pandemic as an opportunity to revamp and find new savings and efficiency in many of these government agencies that have struggled to keep up with the load of the pandemic, from the Department of Labor to the DMV to health programs. She said that many people she has spoken to in the 101st District have struggled to navigate the bureaucracy as they were seeking to access resources.

“Get the state government out of it—privatize to these not-for-profit social service providers. We would save money, and we would have better services,” she said.

She cited local non-profits like the SARAH Family of organizations and Vista Life Innovations, which work with people with disabilities, as examples. She said that the state-run programs are often propped up by special interests, and that during the pandemic, more people have experienced their shortcomings.

“I think social services has to be looked as an answer for us,” Kokoruda said. “Everyone is around protecting these government entities instead of saying, ‘Where can we do the best thing for our people?’”

“What we’re spending in state government is just more than we should be,” she added.