Harding opposes Malloy criminal justice reform on drug dealers

By Scott Benjamin

BROOKFIELD – State Rep. Stephen Harding (R-107) of Brookfield says some of Gov. Dannel Malloy’s (D-Stamford) criminal justice reforms have harmed “public safety” in Connecticut, including making parole a “right” instead of a “privilege.”

“I believe he is putting fiscal matters in reducing the inmate population ahead of what’s best for the residents of the state,” he said in an interview.

On drug possession, for example, Harding said the governor has signed legislation that has moved “all drug possession offenses from a felony to a misdemeanor.”

“I agree with that approach in regards to those that are strictly in possession,” said the legislator, who is a member of the General Assembly’s Judiciary Committee. “But the practicality of it and the slippery slope it creates is that drug dealers have been going in, pleading down to possession charges and therefore only have misdemeanor convictions on their record, despite the fact that they were selling narcotics.”

Malloy has touted his reforms, noting that he has created more second chances for criminals and Connecticut’s prison population is now at its lowest enrollment since 1994.

“Generations of mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters were locked away and introduced to a life of crime instead of being offered a chance to right their wrong and become productive members of their communities,” Malloy stated earlier this year in a news release.

“I think the desired goal should be public safety as opposed to clearing out the prisons,” said Harding, whose district includes all of Brookfield, the Stony Hill section of Bethel and a slice of northern Danbury.

He said that Malloy has taken steps to “essentially make parole almost a right for most criminal defendants as opposed to a privilege,” he said.

“Recently released parolees have gone out and committed even more violent cites than what they [were previously] convicted for,” declared Harding, an attorney. “We need to have a more stringent policy on who we are releasing.”

On another subject, Harding said he strongly supports the proposal in Brookfield to spend $62 million to build a new Huckleberry Hill Elementary School, which would enroll pre-kindergarten through fifth grade students, and make $38.3 million in improvements to Whisconier Middle School, which was last renovated about 20 years ago.

“We absolutely need a new school,” said the legislator, who formerly served on the Brookfield Board of Education.

He said he would seek to get additional state funding to help offset some of the costs. About 25 percent of the $32.7 million renovation to Brookfield High School, which was completed in 2009, was paid for through state funds.

On a separate topic, Harding, the ranking Republican House member on the General Assembly’s Environment Committee, said there has been “modest” improvement over the recent years in the water quality at Candlewood Lake, which borders Brookfield, Danbury, Sherman, New Milford and New Fairfield and is the largest lake in Connecticut.

“It seems to have been a focus of the CLA [Candlewood Lake Authority] and the municipalities that border Candlewood Lake to put in a renewed effort in regards to water quality,” he said.

Harding commended them for having “addressed a lot of the seaweed issues in the lake.”

However, he said more will still need to be done, such as taking steps to address reports of invasive zebra mussels” in the lake.

On another topic, Harding has signed a legislative petition to hold a special session of the General Assembly to overturn a recent vote by the state Bond Commission to spend $10 million on a study of electronic highway tolls.

“It is a waste of money,” the state representative said. “I think there is plenty of information.”

However, columnists Susan Bigelow of CTNewsJunkie and Dan Haar of CT Hearst have said that without tolls, Connecticut will not be able to embark on a long overdue transportation infrastructure program.

“Republicans can talk all they want about spending more money wisely,” Haar stated. “The cold, hard fact is Connecticut can’t find the $50 billion to $100 billion needed over the next 40 years without tolling. The numbers don’t add up.”

“I don’t think that is necessarily true,” said Harding.

He said with fewer bonded projects in other areas there could be “plenty of money to address the issue.”

Harding said, for example, that since Malloy took office the state has added, “An Expensive busway from New Britain to Hartford that is used by a small part of our population.”

He said more transportation projects will have to be completed through public-private partnerships – as some of the Republican candidates for governor have recommended.

Additionally, Harding said state officials need to be more aggressive in seeking federal funds, since for generations federal transportation money has financed about 80 percent of the costs of major projects. The Route 7 bypass in Brookfield, which opened in 2009, is an example.

Regarding the August 14 Republican primaries, Harding announced long ago that he supports Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, who has led the Hat City since 2001.

He said one area that doesn’t get enough attention as the candidates debate and air 30-second television commercials, is their ability to interact with legislators.

U.S. Rep. John Delaney (D-Md.), who is seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, wrote in his recent book, “The Right Answer,” that, if elected, he would go before Congress unscripted once every three months and answer questions.

Should Connecticut’s next governor take that step at least once a year before both the state House and the state Senate?

“It’s a noble idea,” said Harding.

He said Malloy, who is not seeking a third term this year, has been ineffective in building relationships with legislators.

“It’s so important as a leader to listen,” Harding said. “That people feel open to express their opinions in front of you. That’s a critical part of being a successful governor.”

He said the next governor will have to devote at least 80 percent of his attention through the early months to the state’s fiscal obligations, which include a public employee pension system that is only 29 percent funded, according to the state Commission on Fiscal Stability and Economic Competitiveness.

“We need to have collective bargaining that is in the best interest of everybody in the state,” Harding said in reference to the need for state employees to make further concessions.

State union leaders have said the package approved last year would save taxpayers $24 billion between 2017 and 2037.

Harding said he is supporting New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart for lieutenant governor, indicating that she will “bring a new voice” to state government.

In the 107^th District, Harding, who is seeking a third term, faces Democrat Daniel Pearson, of Brookfield, the vice chairman of the municipal Housing Commission, in the November 6 election.

Pearson began campaigning door to door in late June and already had a campaign headquarters.

Harding’s campaign began posting lawn signs before end of June and he and up to five volunteers have been canvassing neighborhoods on weekends since early summer.

He said Connecticut’s economy, which reportedly contracted eight percent between 2007 and 2016, has been the prime topic of conversation among voters.