45°
To the editor:
Representing my hometown of Fairfield and the residents of Easton, Newtown, Weston and Westport for the past 16 years has been an honor and a privilege.
Serving as your state Senator has truly been one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had. Yet there comes a time when change and a fresh perspective are needed. I believe that is important to the health of our democracy.
As I move on to new opportunities, I want to state clearly and emphatically that the best person to serve as Senator of the 28th District is, without a doubt, Tony Hwang.
I’ve had the opportunity to observe Tony as a community leader in Fairfield for many years, and for the past six years, as a colleague in the Connecticut General Assembly. I’ve been more than impressed.
While political partisanship has reared its ugly head in Hartford and threatened to derail meaningful action on some of the most important issues facing our state, Tony has been a consistent and powerful force in building consensus. Time and time again, he has put public service above politics and demonstrated true character and integrity to get the job done for the people of Connecticut.
Perhaps the most powerful example of his effectiveness was when he rallied more than 70 legislators to support and pass an amendment that preserved the CT Rail Commuter Council’s authoritative role as the legislative watchdog for Metro-North.
Tony has also been a tireless advocate for making responsible investments in our transportation infrastructure, and ensuring that legislators around the state recognize the incredible economic significance of the Metro-North New Haven Line. Given the massive and tragic failures we’ve experienced on our trains, and the critical role our transportation infrastructure plays in our economy, it’s essential to have a Senator like Tony Hwang, who has a demonstrated record of working in a bipartisan manner to get things done.
Tony’s accomplishments also extend into the all-important realm of state spending and taxation. He has exhibited bold leadership in Hartford on these issues. While majority Democrats continue to perpetuate the tax-and-spend mentality that is putting us deeper into debt — year after year passing tax increases and not cutting wasteful spending — Tony has consistently proposed and supported responsible alternatives that would not saddle our state residents and businesses with an even higher tax burden.
Tony’s opponent and her Democratic colleagues have orchestrated a coordinated campaign to undermine Tony’s strong record of support of Metro-North and transportation projects by criticizing him for voting against a $14 million allocation for Metro-North. Those same opponents fail to mention that they supported a $550 million busway from New Britain to Hartford, which diverted hundreds of millions of dollars from Metro-North, or that the $14 million appropriation was part of a $2.4 billion bonding resolution, which only put our state further into debt.
I voted against that same bonding package because I know what Tony knows, that Connecticut’s excessive borrowing is making it virtually impossible for our residents to afford to live in this great state. We already have the highest per-capita debt in the country.
The way a candidate for office runs their campaign speaks volumes about their character and Tony, unlike his opponent, has not engaged in any negative ads or attacks. Tony is running a positive campaign that is focused on the critical issues facing our state.
Tony is a man of character, willing to stand up, take on tough positions and not walk out on important votes. That’s integrity. That’s the kind of senator I’ve tried to be, and that’s the kind of senator Tony will be.
Tony also has an unquestionable ability to connect with people. His smile is omnipresent and genuine. His motivation to serve is sincere and pure. He is someone we can trust.
The son of immigrant parents who came to the United States in pursuit of a better life for their children, Tony is who he is because of the values and work ethic his parents instilled in him as a young boy living in a federal housing project. With the support of inspiring teachers and mentors, Tony overcame a challenging urban educational environment and went on to graduate from Cornell University. Today he lives in Fairfield with his wife and two children.
I’m proud to call Tony my friend, and I’ll be even more proud to call him my state Senator. I hope you’ll join me in voting for Tony Hwang.
John P. McKinney CT State Senator
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