Candidate Profile: Laura Bush, 56th House District
VERNON, CT — Laura Bush, a Vernon resident, is running for the state House of Representatives in District 56.
Age: 59
Party affiliation: Republican Party, Independent Party
Family: My husband Tom is a retired Engineer having worked over 37 years at Pratt and Whitney. We have three sons who all graduated from Rockville High school. Our oldest; Jonathan (36) is an EMT with ASM, and a volunteer firefighter in Vernon. He and his wife Claire and son Connor still live here in Vernon. Matthew is 34 and also still lives and works in Vernon. Travis is 30 and works at an IT company.
Occupation: I have been a teacher for over 25 years. I have taught in Andover CT for over 20 years.
Previous elected experience: I have served as a Town Council member for 5 years. Before that I served 6 years on Vernon's Board of Education.
Family members in government: No
Campaign website: www.bushforthe56th.com
The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.
The most pressing issue we face in our state is economic recovery from Covid-19. We need to get our businesses back open and our workers back to work. We need to provide assistance to the businesses and workers to help in this process. This will ultimately make our community stronger.
What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
I make my decisions based upon the needs of the residents of Vernon. I will not just vote on the party line. I will focus on what is best for the Vernon Community. I will work alongside town administration instead of against the leadership of Vernon. I will support Vernon Police Officers and other first responders in our community. Our current representative has made it perfectly clear that his priorities are not aligned with the community's priorities by voting against Vernon Police officers. He continues to increase our tax burden, by voting for new state taxes. I will work to make Vernon more affordable for all.
What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
As a Vernon Town Council Member, I have worked along with the mayor and town administration to keep taxes under control. We have had a 0% increase in taxes for several years. We are working to continue to be fiscally responsible for the residents. I supported the planning and completion of the new Senior Center, the new dog park, road repairs and resurfacing, the Gene Pitney Memorial Park, and the new fields for our sports teams. On the Board of Education I worked to enhance our educational quality by improving curriculum which lead to higher test scores while making needed improvements to our school buildings. I have a strong track record in Vernon.
Do you believe Connecticut needs reform when it comes to electric utility oversight? What steps, if any should be taken?
Connecticut has some of the highest utility costs in the country. We need to expect high standards from Eversource and the other utility companies when it comes to storm recovery. We should work to lower utility cost in the state.
What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?
As I stated in the previous question, this is one of the most pressing issues facing us at this time. We need to get our businesses and people back to work safely. We cannot continue to keep everything shut down without a strong reopening plan. Phase 3 was promised months ago and we seem to be in a holding pattern. I would advocate that with safe social distancing practices in place, we need to get Connecticut moving forward again.
List other issues that define your campaign platform:
We need to get Vernon businesses strong and working again. I want young families as well as our senior citizens to be able to live in Vernon. without state taxes and fees making it unaffordable. We need to get state spending and taxes under control. I will vote NO on tolls and work to find a responsible solution for our transportation budget. I will support Vernon Police officers and first responders who keep our community safe.
What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I have at this point been endorsed by the Independent Party of Connecticut and will will have my name appear on the ballot on the Independent Party line. I have also been endorsed by Connecticut Realtors and the Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut. I have signed the pledge to Rebuild Connecticut with the Connecticut Business and Industry Association. (CBIA) I have also made The ARC Connecticut 2020 Candidate Pledge. My husband and I chose to live in Vernon and raise our family here over 20 years ago. I want to make sure more families will want to make the same choice.
Laura Bush (Andrew Tedford)
This article originally appeared on the Vernon Patch
