State Senate District 32
Together, the House of Representatives and the Senate constitute the Connecticut General Assembly (CGA). The General Assembly enacts legislation dealing with state appropriations and finance, public welfare, the environment, public works, housing, education, civil and criminal laws, and other matters. The Senate tries all impeachments of executive and judicial branch officials. In Connecticut, members of the state’s legislative body, the General Assembly, must be at least eighteen years old and reside in the district they represent. Senate and House members serve two-year terms. Candidates were asked to respond to questions developed by local Leagues of Women Voters (LWV). Candidates enter their replies directly into Vote411, and replies are not edited by the LWV.This is the link to the CGA website: https://www.cga.ct.gov/This is the link to Sample Ballots for each Town found on the Secretary of State website: https://portal.ct.gov/sots/election-services/town-ballots
Click a candidate icon to find more information about the candidate. To compare two candidates, click the "compare" button. To start over, click a candidate icon.
-
Eric Berthel
(Rep)
-
Matthew Knickerbocker
(Dem)
What is the most feasible plan for addressing the energy supply and cost issues in Connecticut?
Housing costs and supply are issues across Connecticut. How would you address these problems in our local region?
Based on the needs of Connecticut and your local constituents, what would be your priorities in the next legislative session?
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate Name
Matthew Knickerbocker
Campaign Email
mknicker@gmail.com
Campaign Phone
2034826731
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/knickerbockerforsenate
This question requires two answers, one focused on short term relief and the other on long term strategy.
Regardng long term planning, using EU nations as a leading example, we must increase investments in renewable energy (solar and wind) and decrease reliance on greenhouse gas emitting fossil fuels. Denmark, for example, is now able to generate more than 60% of total domestic power from wind and solar sources.
Finding immediate, short term relief will be challenging, due to the age of the New England electrical grid and the severe need for infrastructure reliability improvements. We should focus on removing some elements from the "Public Benefits" charge and finding other means to cover those costs, rather than pass to ratepayers.
In understanding the housing crisis in our state, it is important to state that "cost" and "supply" are "two sides of the same coin." Costs are abnormally high, both for purchasing and for renting, because inventory is too low to satisfy growing demand. We need to address this crisis in several ways:
1) Incentives must be put in place to stimulate new housing construction, and;
2) Barriers to new development must be identified and eased. This should include making it possible to redevelop unused commercial spaces where feasible and removing unnecessary regulatory restrictions.
3) We must put an end to large scale property aquisitions by private equity funds which have had the effect of driving prices up and availability down.
1) Connecticut needs to increase its funding for local public education. Currently our state ranks 45th in the nation for cost sharing reimbursements to local public schools and does not fully cover the costs of special education. The lack of state support increases local property taxes.
2) Connecticut must devise a health insurance plan that covers all of its residents, including small businesses that cannot currently afford to join a pool.
3) Connectic must protect and preserve our independent family farms, many of which date back generations. In recent decades, many have ceased to exist, which is a dangerous trend.
4) We need to address the high cost of energy and the outsized burden it places on family budgets.
To make a selection for a candidate you must first find your races. Would you like to find your races now?
You have already selected the maximum number of candidates for this race.
You must uncheck an existing selection before making another selection.