Transportation
As a member of the Transportation Committee and a member of the Transportation Bonding Sub-Committee, I will continue to push for legislation and ensure funding priorities are focused on expanding infrastructure for pedestrians, cyclists, buses and rail lines. Reducing the negative environmental, sociological and economic effects of our failed transportation system is a core priority of mine. A more intelligent re-allocation of our resources would yield tremendous benefits for our State. Studies show that public transportation is one of the most effective tools to reduce carbon emissions, combat our nation-leading asthma rates, and improve workplace productivity and economic activity. This is one of many reasons I continue to work to improve Connecticut's statewide rail system and other forms of mass transit. I will continue to fight for strong investments in improved rail service along Shoreline East, Metro-North and the new New Haven-Hartford-Springfield line. Furthermore, as one of the State's leading advocates for expanded bus service, I will continue to push CT Transit and the Department of Transportation to make meaningful investments in our bus system to improve reliability, on-time performance and give greater technological support to bus users through GPS and on-line tracking availability. We have the opportunity and obligation to offer our residents a high-quality transit system – I will remain one of the leading advocates for that investment!

Education
Expanding access to high quality early childhood education is one of the smartest investments Connecticut can make. Research continues to show the early years of life as the key window of opportunity to mold academic, social, and cognitive skills that best support a child's later successes in school. Strengthening early childhood education for ALL of our state's learners helps prevent achievement gaps before they start. Universal Pre-K is one of the smartest investments we can make for the future of our state, and will be a focus of my legislative agenda in Hartford.

Similarly, I also want to help lift the burden off working parents by providing affordable after-school programs so parents can work in peace knowing their children are supervised and safe, while also providing the enrichment and activity that are now missing in so many traditional school and home environments. As the father of three young children, I know how hard it is support and balance the many needs of our families – I think smart investments in after-school programming will provide valuable benefits for all of our children.

Finally, earning a college degree is no longer an optional pathway to opportunity but rather a near prerequisite for the middle class jobs of the new economy.  I will continue to work to make college more affordable and attainable for all Connecticut families, including Dreamers, by building on the success of the New Haven Promise program, focusing investments into our State colleges and Universities and building more robust financial aid/college affordability standards for our students.

Transparency in Government
I hope to establish a new level of openness in state government. Transparency strengthens democracy and promotes efficiency and effectiveness in Government. Public engagement enhances the Government's effectiveness and improves the quality of its decisions. Connecticut residents should have the opportunity to participate in policymaking; the Government can benefit from your collective expertise.

One of the most important components of a healthy democracy is the ability for all citizens to run for office. That is why I fully support the public finance for campaigns. Not only does public financing allow for greater participation but it helps remove the donations for deals mentality that can come with large donor support. I support expanded access to public campaign finance, transparency in reporting, and limits on large donations from interest groups, including the repeal of 'Citizens United'.

It is imperative that those receiving state funds are growing jobs and complying with the necessary rules and regulations that come with that funding. Shedding light on economic assistance programs will allow constituents, businesses, and lawmakers to know the direct impact of these programs. Furthermore, this data will be helpful for lawmakers looking to improve the effectiveness of existing programs. That is why I championed a bill in 2013 that forced the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) to report on how effective its partnerships with businesses across the state have been in creating jobs. Thanks to the Executive order from Governor Malloy, information will be released on the type of assistance businesses were given, the number of new jobs created and jobs preserved, and the rate of program compliance, among other indicators of program success. This is an incredible opportunity to provide true transparency and clarity for our constituents on where their money is spent and what the businesses that receive our tax dollars are doing to provide jobs for our CT workers.

Economic Development
The best way to expand our tax base is new developments in New Haven and East Haven. But new development must also be smart development. This is why I fight for mixed use housing and multi-use properties that build off of our existing infrastructure, repurpose our existing brownfields and our build our neighborhoods. Our region, particularly in New Haven, is seeing an extraordinary development boom and increasing population – we can grow in a sensible way that builds an exciting, cohesive City and builds our tax base.

A strong economy requires meaningful employment. I continue to push for job training programs and small business loans that allow CT residents to succeed. Expanding programs like reSet and StepUp are necessary to grow our economy, help link our residents to the growing job opportunities in our region, and enable mid-life career shifts.

But I believe that businesses in our state should be mindful of the communities from which they profit. For the past few years I have been working to establish "benefit corporations" in Connecticut. The legislation, backed this year by Governor Malloy, would provide legal protections to businesses that use profits to advance a particular cause or to promote other social benefits. The creation of this new corporate form will draw these types of businesses – commonly known as social enterprises – to our state, encourage current and future social entrepreneurs already working in Connecticut, and create new jobs while benefiting the public good.

Bringing your tax dollars home
As a former Alderman, I know how tough it is to balance the local budget and that was why, as Vice Chair of Finance, I remained resolute that we needed to protect New Haven taxpayers and ensure that state aid is not cut. I will continue to fight for our share of State funding, and am proud of the fact that despite the challenges in our state and national economy, we have continue to bring more dollars home to New Haven and East Haven each year.

Increases to New Haven Education Funding and Bonding Money 2010-2013