To the Editor:
Happy New Year and Happy Legislative Session! On January 8 in Hartford, legislators from around the state including myself were sworn in for our two-year terms in office. There’s a lot of work ahead of us, but as I look forward, I’m also looking back, too.
I am grateful to all of the voters of the 33rd Senate District, across 12 different towns, for their participation in the election this past year. It was certainly consequential and will represent significant changes in Connecticut and the United States, but the most important part is how many people turned out to make their voices heard. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all who voted for me, and am also grateful to those who voted against me; your voices matter, and I will not forget your needs.
I’m looking forward to my fourth term in the State Senate and am ready to get down to business as soon as I’m sworn in. I’m focused on the Energy & Technology Committee, which I chair. Last summer’s high heat and expensive power bills reaffirmed that our residents deserve a high-quality, reliable and affordable power grid that’s built for the needs of the present as well as the future. With costs putting a damper on families’ budgets, I know this is an issue we must address, and I will do whatever I can to find short- and long-term solutions accordingly.
I’m also excited, and ready for more work, in my additional committees. As the Vice Chair of the Planning and Development Committee, I am mindful of our state’s housing crunch and will work alongside my colleagues to find new strategies and avenues that can create new housing units and help support our communities, businesses and families. As well, I’ll keep my eye on the Commerce, Finance, Revenue and Bonding and Transportation Committees as a member, making sure our roads, finances and funding remains in order.
There are plenty of additional issues that I will need to weigh in on in the Senate chambers, and my priorities will include supporting the businesses of Connecticut, finding ways to provide financial relief to families across the state and balancing our budget amid financial pressures within our borders and across the country. The new Presidential administration may also lead to changes in how our state operates, and I will be ready to address new approaches that may be necessary in the coming months.
Overall, the new legislative session represents five months of hard work, but it also represents real opportunities to give back to the people of our state and find ways to improve Connecticut now and in the future. I’m ready to do whatever I can to help our communities and our state.
To learn more about what’s going on in Hartford or to contact my office, please visit https://www.senatedems.ct.gov/senator/norm-needleman.
Sincerely,
Norman Needleman,
Essex, CT
Editor’s Note: The author is the State Senator (D) representing Connecticut’s 33rd Senate District, which includes the Town of Lyme, along with the Towns of Chester, Clinton, Colchester, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Deep River, Haddam, Portland, Westbrook, and part of Old Saybrook.
Leave a Reply