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Politics & Government

Republican Candidates for State Rep Debate

Candidates stake out positions and engage in lively discussion.

The three Republican candidates for the 136th State Assembly District in Westport engaged in a lively debate Monday evening at the Westport Town Hall, with state spending the dominant theme. Rancor, discord and ample good humor all surfaced in turn.

The candidates agreed the state budget was dangerously bloated and each offered solutions to that problem.

Allen Levy, a Westport businessman, proposed that state agency heads be compelled to reduce their budgets by 10 percent.

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"And if they can't – replace them with someone who can," he said.

Nitzy Cohen, a self-described conservative Republican, called for a radical reduction in state employees from the current 51,000 to 20,000 employees.

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"This is the core problem for the state," she said. "In the digital age, we should aim for a lean and mean state government."

"I know it's hard to hear but someone has to say it," she added.

Stephen Rubin, who works for the town's Park and Recreation Department and who has volunteered for many of his 26 years as a Westport resident, would also impose state employee cuts, but he said they would be kindler and gentler.

"I would propose staff reductions by attrition," he said.

Levy said he would also repeal the campaign finance law, which awards funding to candidates for public office.

"I can't be a budget hawk and suck up $25,000 from the state," he said, pointing out that he had paid for 10,000 mailings and colorful campaign literature with campaign donations, distinguishing himself from Cohen and Rubin who, he said, are accepting state campaign funding.

Moderator Tony Hwang, who is serving his first term as a state representative for the 134th District, which includes part of Fairfield and Trumbull, challenged the candidates to give examples of how they would consolidate state agencies to achieve budget reductions.

Cohen said she would consolidate into one agency all the state offices that deal with economic development. She said it takes 18 months for new businesses to get permits to operate in the state and that the process should be streamlined and made more efficient.

"If we were more business-friendly, we'd generate a greater stream of revenue into the state. Lower taxes and they will come," she said. "We have to get away from taxing everything that moves."

Rubin proposed consolidating the state's department of homeland security with its armed services office.

Hwang asked the three to address the state's looming budget crisis as it seeks to come up with $42 billion in funding pension obligations.

Levy said it is not complicated to find places to make budget reductions.He said that as chairman of the downtown Bridgeport Special Service District, he eliminated poorly attended "first night" festivities and did other cost-cutting that saved hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The three candidates agreed that the current affordable housing law, which allows developers to exceed zoning density standards under complicated formulas to add housing stock that's affordable for civil servants,  should be amended or repealed.

"It's not fair – it doesn't work for smaller towns like Westport," Rubin said.

"It should be a town's decision if it wants to have low-income housing," Levy said.

"I believe the state should stay out of the business of social engineering," Cohen said. "I will work tirelessly to repeal that law."

On the subject of seniors, Cohen proposed revitalizing areas of Bridgeport with "resort" communities for seniors.

It was an idea Levy said would never work.

"That's a pipe dream," he interjected. "The arrogance of saying we're going to ship all our seniors to Bridgeport and build them palaces there is devoid of reality."

Toward the end of the hour-and-a-half debate, Hwang gave the candidates a chance to sum up why they were the best candidate for the seat.

"Our objective is to win the seat in November," he said, noting that incumbent Democrat Joe Mioli is not seeking another term.

"You should decide who among us is most electable," Rubin said. "This year we have an edge [without an incumbent Democrat]. Let's not blow it."

"I am running because I can no longer not do anything," Levy said. "I will throw myself in front of the freight train that is the state budget."

Cohen, who ran against Mioli two years ago, said she believed in the people, not government, and that she would be the conduit for the voices of Westport in Hartford.

The Republican Town Committee will endorse one of the three at its caucus next week. The Democratic Town Committee is meeting Wednesday night to announce its nominee.

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