E.J. MAHER
EJ MAHER, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE
STATE REPRESENTATIVE 89TH DISTRICT
REASON I AM RUNNING: There are some very big issues in Connecticut that we continue to turn a blind eye to while continuing to do business as usual. I intend to attack those issues head on while ensuring that the residents of the 89th have a seat at the table while issues that will affect them are being legislated as opposed to just being able to make symbolic “no” votes all the time.
ISSUES THAT INTEREST ME AND WHY: Education, long term pension liability, a responsible balanced budget, infrastructure and affordable housing, equitable taxation, public healthcare as a right, a living wage, creating a system that helps lift up those most vulnerable/marginalized so that we can all prosper together… so much to do!!
FAMILY: Married 13 years, 3 Daughters 11, 10 and 8
EDUCATION: New York University BS, Culture and Communication
OCCUPATION: Firefighter, City of Norwalk
CLUBS/ORGANIZATION (positions held): I am a former Vice-President of the New Haven Chapter of the CT Young Democrats a former parish council member and youth minister at St. Aedan’s and St. Brendan’s parish in New Haven,
CIVIC INVOLVEMENT: Advisor, Norwalk Public Safety Cadets, Civil Service/FD Instructor, Norwalk Pathways Academy at Briggs HS, Full time Amity Pop Warner Cheerleading Dad, Member, Bethany DTC
ELECTED OFFICES/COMMISSIONER APPOINTMENTS HELD: Former board member Cable Television Advisory Council (New Haven), currently serving as elected member of the Bethany Board of Education, ACES Regional Governing Board Member
CONTACT INFO:
Email: ejforthe89th@gmail.com
Phone: 203 901 4228
twitter: ejforthe89th
instagram: ejforthe89th
fb: www.facebook.com/ej.maher.3
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website: pending
JIM JINKS, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE
STATE REPRESENTATIVE 90TH DISTRICT
For the past eighteen years Jim has held leadership positions in Connecticut-based advertising and marketing companies, including operating his own small business, a marketing firm. Jim is currently Vice President at Mediabids, the leading direct-to-consumer print advertising firm in the country.
In 2019 Jim was elected to serve on the Cheshire Town Council. He received support from voters across the spectrum and is the first Democrat in fourteen years to hold the 2nd District seat. In 2018 Jim founded Bike Cheshire, an award-winning community nonprofit devoted to encouraging and improving biking in Cheshire. Bike Cheshire operates a popular community bike share, organizes Bike to School Days, group rides, safe-biking initiatives and is working on developing Cheshire open space for mountain biking.
Jim has also been very active in his community in several other capacities, volunteering his time on the Cheshire Youth Services Committee, the Cheshire Planning & Zoning Commission, and was the Vice Chairperson of the Cheshire Democratic Town Committee. In addition, Jim has been active in Cheshire’s St. Bridget of Sweden Parish, coaching the girl’s basketball team at St. Bridget’s school, helping with the Youth Ministry, and the Cheshire Lights of Hope.
Jim lives in Cheshire with his wife Marie and their four kids. He has an undergraduate degree in history from UCONN, and a master’s degree in public policy from Trinity College.
Responsiveness and Service
One of the primary responsibilities of a State Representative is to be responsive and provide service to constituents. A key difference between myself and Craig Fishbein is that I respond to emails, calls, Facebook messages and social media inquiries without regard to political affiliation, race, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ability, or social class. In short, I’ll be a representative for everyone in the 90th District. I’ll also be holding regular ‘’action hours’’ so constituents will always know exactly when they can meet with me in person (or via Zoom/electronic platform). After four years of Fishbein and Trump, it’s time voters of the 90th District have an ally in government, rather than an ideologue who is using his position in government to benefit a narrow set of interests, and a singular audience.
Healthcare
Governments are tasked with protecting certain inalienable rights – including, as it says in our Declaration of Independence, our right to ‘’life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’’ Poor health threatens (and often shortens) lives, and in the meantime negatively impacts our personal liberty. I believe healthcare is a right for all, rather than a privilege just for the wealthy. As your State Representative, I will fight to expand access, reduce the cost, and improve the value of health care plans available to Connecticut residents.
Education
Access to early education is critical to academic success through a student’s elementary and secondary school years. Every child should have access to quality pre-k education. The 90th District has some of the best elementary schools in all of New Haven County. Over the next several years the state will struggle due to this recession and reduced tax revenues. As State Representative, I will be an advocate for education (from pre-k forward), fighting to maintain our education funding, and keeping our schools strong.
Affordable College and Career Training
Connecticut has a very diverse economy, with job and career opportunities across a wide range of industries. To keep young adults in Connecticut and grow our economy, they need access to affordable college and career training programs. We need to invest in our vocational high schools, and keep our two- and four-year state colleges affordable for all students. Our young people need to know Connecticut isn’t only their present, but also an option for their future.
Jobs and Small Business
Small businesses create the vast majority of jobs in the U.S., yet our outdated economic development policies result in a ‘winner-take-all’ approach to attracting large corporations to Connecticut. Our communities and local economies can’t survive without our hard-working and devoted small business owners. COVID has devastated small businesses across the state, particularly in Cheshire and Wallingford, where small, locally-based businesses were struggling even before the current public health crisis. As your State Representative, I will fight to make our towns more competitive in attracting new residents, creating more demand for our small business community.
Place-making, Safer Streets and Neighborhoods
Town centers and neighborhoods that foster community, have safer streets and have a strong sense of place attract new residents, support property values, grow the local tax base and fund improving schools. As your State Representative I’ll work with the Department of Economic Development (DECD) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to develop initiatives that support and help to fund place-making, safer streets and development that’s sustainable and community-focused.
Taxes and Budget
After several years of slow economic growth for our state's economy, the pace of job and GDP growth in Connecticut had started to accelerate in 2019. We were turning the corner. But COVID and the recession have been like a wrecking ball to our state's economy. COVID-related costs are high and by some estimates the state may be losing as much as 30% of tax revenues due to the economic slow-down. My concern is that the state will once again turn to our hard working and already over-extended middle class to make ends meet. I'll fight to limit tax increases on middle class workers and families while maintaining essential services. We need a state revenue structure that is less reliant on income and regressive property taxes. The vast majority of state residents are really struggling to give their kids a better life or struggle to pay for higher education, housing and health care costs while wages basically remain flat year after year. This is unsustainable. I'll fight for greater tax fairness and a state budget that isn’t balanced on the backs of our hard hit residents and families.