Candidate Profile: Julie Kushner For CT Senate District 24

CONNECTICUT — The 2020 election is heating up in Connecticut and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office. Eyes are primarily focused on the presidential election, but every state representative and senate seat is up for grabs. All five of Connecticut's congressional seats are up for grabs as well.

There are 151 seats in the state House of Representatives and 36 in the state Senate. Democrats currently hold majorities in both chambers with a 91 to 60 lead over Republicans in the House and a 22 to 14 lead in the Senate.

Connecticut Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Julie Kushner, a Danbury resident, is running for Senate District 24.

Age: 68

Party affiliation: Democratic Party
Working Families

Family: Husband Larry Morgan; children Ole and Keri Hermanson, Raychel and Jim Wishart, and Cara Morgan; four grandchildren, Abbey, Sophie, Jackson and Shelby

Occupation: State Senator, 24th District, two years

Previous elected experience: N/A

Family members in government: No

Campaign website: julie2020.com

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing our state is keeping our residents safe from Covid and ensuring that our small businesses and working families survive, and this is what I intend to do about it. I hope to continue as the Senate labor chair, where I am in a good position to advance legislation to help create job training opportunities and assist with other resources. I will work with the commissioner of DECD to advance initiatives, like the governor’s recent grant program for small businesses.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I have spent a life-time advocating for working families. I have experience in building strong coalitions that have succeeded in winning real material benefits for people. Through listening to all our residents and developing relationships with community leaders, we can work together to address problems and find solutions.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I ran in 2018 to get big things done — and we did! I led efforts to pass paid family and medical leave and a $15 minimum wage. I led on important legislation for police and firefighters — Workers compensation coverage for post-traumatic stress injuries incurred on the job. As vice-chair of the Environment Committee I was able to lead on several important bills for our district: creating a fund to protect Candlewood Lake from invasive species, securing funding to help analyze the air quality monitoring to detect potential problems resulting from the Cricket Valley Power Plant and passing a ban on single-use plastic bags. I worked on district concerns like restoring funding to keep the Western CT Mental Health Network open, providing funding to pay for upgrades to the Women’s Center of Greater Danbury, and funding additions to the Regional Hospice and Palliative Care in Danbury. We also passed three bills to reduce gun violence, including banning ghost guns. We made debt-free community college a reality, which will make Naugatuck Valley Community College even more accessible to our community. Most importantly, we recently secured funding from the state to ensure New Fairfield and Danbury can build new schools to address overcrowding and other issues.

Do you believe Connecticut needs reform when it comes to electric utility oversight? What steps, if any, should be taken?

Yes, I believe reforms need to take place and that’s why I voted for the Take Back Our Grid Act, which seeks to hold utility companies accountable for their actions and practices, additionally adding further oversight and restitution for customers who suffer extended power outages. It’s a good first step in ensuring we are protecting our constituents, not the shareholders of Eversource.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?

Of the proposed measures, I am a big proponent of Gov. Lamont’s plan to provide $5,000 grants to small businesses to help them get through this pandemic. And also the proposal to provide rent relief because it gives us a two-fold benefit: families can use their income without worrying about rent, and landlords also get paid, so they too have usable income to spur on our state economy. One thing is clear: The state government must ensure the needs of working families and small businesses are addressed first. We must make it our first priority to help them build back stronger after the pandemic and its economic impacts. We saw from the first federal response how it was misdirected and as a result plenty of huge corporations got a check, while our small businesses struggled, and I am committed to making sure the state government doesn’t repeat those mistakes.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

The impact of the pandemic has brought the need for affordable health care into even sharper focus. Many people lost their health insurance when they lost their jobs. And now, with the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Republicans are emboldened to repeal Obamacare and strip healthcare away from millions of Americans. No matter what happens with Trump, states will be the next line of defense when it comes to protecting care for people. Connecticut's economy will suffer unless its residents and businesses have access to high quality, affordable health insurance. I've fought to cap the cost of insulin this summer and won; we still need to address other ways to bring down the cost of prescription drugs. One way is to allow the state to leverage its heft in the marketplace to provide Connecticut employers the best quality and most efficient health plan choices possible. The bottom line — Connecticut residents should have access to the same health care plan legislators give themselves.

I have worked in Hartford to ensure we are fully funding our public schools and delivering state funds to build schools in New Fairfield and a new school in Danbury — the Danbury Career Academy. The Danbury Career Academy will provide students and parents more choice, while providing an innovative program and addressing overcrowding at Danbury High School. But there’s more to be done. In Danbury, we will still need to look at our elementary and middle schools to make sure we are addressing not only class size, but integrating the technology we now have into an innovative curriculum that gives all of our students the same opportunity to advance. We also need to hire teachers that reflect the diversity of our students, particularly our English Language Learners. The Danbury Public Schools haven’t received the funding they’ve requested from the city to maintain, let alone expand their programs.

Whether you are a small school district, like Sherman, or a mid-size system like New Fairfield, it’s our responsibility to make sure all students have access to a high-quality education. I strongly believe that free public education for everyone is the foundation of a strong community and of our democracy. That’s why we need to fund our public schools fully and make sure our children receive a great education no matter what school they attend.

Additionally, in 2019 we passed legislation to protect our environment — banning single-use plastic bags, establishing a fund to protect against invasive species in Candlewood Lake and other lakes and rivers, and appropriating funds for local air quality monitoring impacted by the Cricket Valley power plant. I want to build on these environmental victories and move forward to restrict the use of dangerous chemicals and pesticides that threaten the health of our state.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I work hard and never give up! Growing up, my father owned a grocery store. He worked seven days a week, 14 hours a day. This was normal for our family, and we loved and respected my father and mother for the way they managed. So, it’s not surprising that I have carried that work ethic into everything I’ve done. I’ve been fortunate in life, I have a beautiful, loving family and I’ve been successful in my work. But, mostly I’m thankful that I have been guided by a belief that everyone should have the opportunity to live a safe, healthy and prosperous life. In the past, that translated into fighting for fair workplace conditions. Today, in the legislature, I strive to enact legislation that will make Connecticut a better place to work and raise a family.

This article originally appeared on the Danbury Patch