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 House of Representatives has the power to impeach executive and judicial branch officials.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.
Candidate Name
Dottie Lerner
Campaign Website
DottieLerner.com
Campaign Email
lernerforstaterep2024@gmail.com
Campaign Phone
(475)265-0701
Facebook
Dottie Lerner for 122nd State Representative
Originally from Queens, NY, I am a product of New York City public schools, where I learned in detail about what it means to be an American and a patriot. I received a BA from Queens College and taught for several years in the New York City Public School System. After raising, teaching, and advocating for my son with autism, I earned a master's in social work from SCSU. With 15 years of counseling and residential management experience at non-profits, I became a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor for the State of Connecticut. I am currently an active member of the Stratford DTC.
My top priority for the 122nd district is to advocate for all people in the district in order for each person to be able to maintain or have the opportunity to attain a fulfilling quality of life and economic stability and security. This priority includes equity of access to necessary services.
Overall, I support the 2024 ballot measure on no excuse absentee ballots. The right to vote for all eligible voters is a basic right in a democracy. Further eliminating barriers to voting allows more eligible voters to participate in this basic right. No eligible voter is limited to casting their ballot in person, either at the poll on Election Day or
by early voting on designated days before Election Day. Absentee voting or voting by mail is just another procedural option and should not require further restrictions. The voter has already been found eligible. Regarding concerns about voter fraud, the voting systems in place, including election officials and machines are responsible for detecting possible fraud. During the Covid epidemic, absentee voting by mail was the norm. It was found to be safe and efficient with no significant irregularities in this procedure reported.
The legislature has a wide range of options available to it to address the housing shortage in CT. The legislature can appropriate funds to municipalities to prepare an affordable housing plan. It can strengthen and reinforce already existing affordable housing bills, i.e., PA 21-29, by mandating deadlines and penalties for meeting the requirements set forth in these bills. Currently, the bills only recommend measures to meet these requirements, which include: providing low-income housing units to the Elderly, the Disabled, and to lower-income families with children; repurposing and reconstructing already existing buildings not n use, such as nursing homes; providing more multi-family housing in 1 parcel zones. Further, the legislature can overrule judicial deference to local zoning choices that subscribe to exclusionary zoning, Also, the legislature has the power to mandate the designation of appropriate sites for homeless shelters.
The legislature should introduce and enact bills that support small business owners who are starting, maintaining or growing their businesses. However, this legislation should be mindful of the needs and interests of the employee as well, The legislature should be a liaison between small businesses and the various resources available, i.e. the Connecticut SBA, the Black Business Alliance, in addition to being a proactive advocate for expanding funding opportunities, i.e., grants, business counseling services, low or no interest loan opportunities, and help businesses access these resources. The legislature should and has enacted legislation to provide financial assistance and incentives in the form of tax rebates to small businesses that hire employees in designated distressed areas for a win-win.
Ct is seeing an obvious increase in flooding, both inland and along the shoreline. There has been a noticeable increase in rain fall, as opposed to snow. Another urgent problem of climate change in CT is the increase in diseases from mosquitoes, ticks, and bacteria, some of which are life-threatening. As a legislator, I would introduce a comprehensive bill providing for funding for additional research on concrete ways to protect the environment, funding, for engineering projects to decrease flood destruction, and increase of educational opportunities in environmental and energy studies in the public schools and in higher education in our state universities and colleges.
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