Martha Marx has been a trusted leader for decades, a visiting nurse for over 30 years, a State Senator, a two-term City Councilor, a union president for over a decade and a mother raising her family in New London. She knows how to advocate for patients, neighbors and the community. While growing up in Waterford in a family of eight children, she learned early how to listen, collaborate and negotiate – learned how to speak up when she needed to and has never stopped. We need this kind of passion, grit and advocacy continuing to represent us in the State Senate.
What is the most serious problem currently facing the state of Connecticut? What proposal(s) would you make to alleviate the problem?
The most serious problem facing the state of Connecticut is housing. This is a multifaceted issue and has different solutions in each community. I do not believe the eight towns in my district would benefit from a state mandated one-size-fits-all zoning approach. I would like to see the state incentivise communities to solve the housing crisis in ways that fit each town. We need to allow for all types of housing, not just apartment buildings. Providing support for accessory dwelling units and small, starter home neighborhoods with smaller ranch- and cape-style housing on smaller lots will allow young families who work in their towns to live in their towns and allow retirees to downsize. This will not only help solve a fiscal crisis for many families, but also bolster the fiscal health of our municipalities. We also need to stop predatory landlords from evicting tenants or boosting rents by hundreds of dollars, forcing long-term tenants to leave. Housing problems are public health problems. We need to seriously look at creative ways to protect current residents while also increasing housing options. Housing needs to be a priority, but also needs to be enticing for municipalities to make these projects become reality. I am very proud to be a community member in the 20th District and I want to ensure that all residents in this district have a safe and affordable place to live. 232 words
Book-banning’ has been a significant issue in the community—where do you stand on the matter?
Access to books should not be limited. I believe librarians are highly educated and are fully capable of determining which books should be in their library collections. People of all different backgrounds and walks of life use public libraries and librarians are tasked with making sure their collections are meaningful to as many people as possible. Sometimes that means some people won’t like certain books, and that is okay. We all need to find tolerance for differences in our communities and work together to realize that public library spaces are meant to be places to explore and learn about things that might be outside of our normal days, and that we will be better community members for having that knowledge.
Why are you running for this position?
As a visiting nurse I have seen policies that have worked and don’t work in all of our homes, around many kitchen tables. As a nurse I have been a constant advocate for my patients. After seeing decades of policies that needed to be changed, I decided that if I wanted change, I needed to be a part of making it happen, and ran for office. I love being in Hartford and being an advocate for so many people. I love being a part of changing the policies that do not work well in our communities.
Life can be really hard for all of us, and improving policies to make lives easier brings me joy. I want to work on and pass legislation that makes lives better. Being that I continue to work as a visiting nurse, I am ever-present in our communities, in homes of people of all races and incomes across the district. This gives me a perspective that most legislators do not have – I am having conversations, with regular people everyday, about what would make their lives and our communities better. I hear what our residents would like to see from their government. I take those conversations straight to the Senate chambers and work on policies that make sense and are a direct result of listening to my constituents. Helping people has been my life’s work, it is my passion.