MONROE, CT — The Monroe Sun interviewed both candidates running for the open 21st Senatorial District seat in a special election to be held on Feb. 25. Each question and their answers will be posted in a series of stories leading up to Election Day.
State Rep. Jason Perillo, R-Shelton, is running against Stratford Town Councilman Tony Afriyie, a Democrat. The district includes Shelton and parts of Seymour, Monroe and Stratford.
Registered voters living in Monroe will vote in the gym of the former St. Jude School, 707 Monroe Turnpike, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 25. Early voting will be at Monroe Town Hall, 7 Fan Hill Road, on Feb. 20, 21, 22 and 23 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.
“I knocked on 2,000 doors, so far,” Afriyie said during an interview at The Cutting Wedge in Stratford last week. “We keep hearing people don’t know about the election. They see politics as tiresome and they’re happy to see a young person with a fresh perspective. I’m running to give people a choice. I’m running to be a public servant, not a politician.”
“I knocked on doors in all the towns and had a very positive response,” Perillo said during an interview at the Common Grounds on Bridgeport Avenue in Shelton last Thursday. “The biggest question is how and when they will vote.”
The veteran lawmaker said his campaign team has been working to ensure voters know where the polls are in their towns on Election Day.
Today’s question: What’s the biggest issue in this election?
Afriyie: This election is about the cost of utilities for a lot of people. Energy prices touch everyone. What I want to do with my candidacy is push for more oversight for our investor-owned utilities, which are raking in profits, while also being realistic on how to make our grid more resilient to extreme weather events and pushing for modernization.
I support making PURA (Public Utilities Regulatory Authority) an independent agency. They are under the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). If we give them autonomy, that gives them more agency to work on behalf of rate payers.
Perillo: People are saying to me the biggest issue is affordability. I believe there should be no income tax on Social Security or pension benefits, and we can eliminate the Public Benefits Charge on our utilities.
The legislature would have to repeal a number of different programs. We can do it. We just need the will to do it. You can roll back spending in a way that preserves all services to seniors too. There’s room in employee pensions. You have to reopen some of those state employee contracts.
All respectful comments with the commenter’s first and last name are welcome.
Good Morning,
Electricity is a basic need.
For the people on medical devices to families in our community.
To have any ” profit’ on the backs of homeowners is unconscionable.
Use the ” rainy day fund” to eliminate any debt.
Please Hartford.grow a spine and do what is in the best interest of your constituents
Thank you