Republican Senate leader off and running for a third term in 30th District

By Scott Benjamin

NEW MILFORD – There is a sign at Housatonic River Brewing on how to say “A Beer Please” in every language from Hungarian to Japanese.

Wednesday is trivia night and on March 4 it will be about Mel Brooks movies.

They’re bound to ask: In “Blazing Saddles,” 1974, who played Mongo and punched his horse?

As a former Pop Warner coach, Pete Bass would know: Alex Karras, the former John H. Outland Trophy winner at Iowa who was All-Pro four times with the Detroit Lions.

On one wall there is a large painting of the Beatle John and the Beatle Paul, which looks as though it might be from the 1965 sell-out at the Cow Palace.

Bass is on stage, at the microphone, but he isn’t holding the Roger McGuinn 12-strong Rickenbacker guitar that produced the opening riff for “Mr. Tambourine Man.”

He is now in his fifth term as mayor of a town with 61.6 square miles – the most of any municipality in Connecticut. Since 1987, when New Milford went from a first selectman to a mayor, only Republican Pat Murphy – six terms – has served longer.

New Milford represents 25 percent of the voting population in the 30th state Senate District, which stretches from Brookfield to North Canaan - 18 municipalities.

Bass is the master of ceremonies at a Republican fund-raiser to support a candidate that he thinks deserves double exclamation points after his name.

Brookfield Republican Stephen Harding (R-30) is running for third term in the state Senate. Two years ago he became the leader of the GOP Senate caucus.

Harding said fund-raising is running ahead of schedule and he hopes to reach the $20,100 threshold by May, at the latest, for a Citizens’ Election Program grant.

Chris Zavagnin, his campaign manager, said they need to attract at least 300 contributions from residents of the district of $340 or less. On this night the suggested contribution is $40 a person.

Bass, 63, says in an interview that he’s proud that when so many millennials have departed high-cost Connecticut, Harding, 38, has not only gotten married and is raising two school-age children, but has been serving in the General Assembly since he won the seat in the 107th state House District 11 years ago.

“The job market it is more complex than when I was young,” Bass remarked. “Unfortunately now you have people living at home multi-generationally.”

The expansion of Route 7 in New Milford, completed nearly 20 years ago, has increased traffic, boosted the economy and also resulted in more vehicle collisions.

Bass praised Harding for lobbying the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to conduct a traffic audit.

That resulted in some town-related improvements.

Said Bass, “We’ve seen some reductions in accidents.”

Harding remarked, “The biggest measure is the implementation of a traffic light near the Willow Springs condominium complex,” where it has become hazardous to make a left-hand turn.

He said if approved by the Bond Commission and the DOT, the traffic light could be installed within a year.

The Republican senators have proposed an ambitious $1.5 billion tax cut, which, among other things, would reduce income tax rates for the lower- and middle-class residents.

Harding insists with well more than $4 billion in the rainy-day fund there is ample room for tax reductions.

In 2023, the state approved lowering the rate for the lower income from the percent to two percent and for the middle-class from five percent to 4.5 percent.

Harding said the new Republican package, which also would eliminate the public benefits charge on electricity, “is going to spur the economy. To some families this could be $3,000 or $4,000 annually in their pockets as opposed it being in the hands of government.”

However, David Hebert, a senior research fellow with the American Institute for Economic Research, wrote in The Wall Street Journal last year, “When Americans can’t afford something, Washington loves to help buyers and ignore producers.”

He stated that Republican President Donald Trump has proposed extending mortgages from 30- to 50-years but isn’t addressing how to produce more housing supply, which would reduce prices for consumers.

How will the state Senate Republican tax cut proposal help providers?

Harding said with more disposable income residents will “be able to pay the providers of the state – whether it be industry, health care. That’s money that will go back into the economy right here in Connecticut. “It is not going to sit in a hedge fund or retirement account.”

However, former Danbury Republican Mayor Mark Boughton, when he was running for lieutenant governor in 2010, told The Housatonic Times in an interview before the New Milford Republican Town Committee’s Ronald Reagan dinner that credit card debt had reached historic highs in 2007 and afterwards people started to wisely save more money.

Wall Street Journal columnist Alyssa Finley wrote last September that credit card debt was then at about the same level as right before the Great Recession in 2008.

If the GOP Senate tax cut becomes law, shouldn’t people utilize a sizable part of that money to retire debt instead of spending it at local businesses?

Commented Harding, “I think it is getting harder to be affordable in this state. There is less money to put into saving accounts.”

The Dow Jones average hit a record peak on February 6.

With so many investors in the Fairfield County Gold Coast, does that mean that the capital gains revenue will grow in Connecticut in the coming months?

“Yeah,” said Harding “Our revenue is very much dependent on capital gains and how Wall Street performs because of the revenue coming from the Gold Coast.”

The headline for a recent Peggy Noonan column in The Wall Street Journal stated, “Brace Yourself for the AI Tsunami.”

Harding commented, “I think it is impossible for me or anyone else to project the impact of AI. It does need to be regulated. I’d like to see it done at the federal level, frankly.”

“If it is regulated at the state level, we have to be very smart about doing it,” he explained. “It can become a significant source of economic development in Connecticut. We have to be sure not to stifle that potential development. But at the same time we need to make sure that it doesn’t usurp critical jobs, as well as protect the general population from the negative aspects of AI, such as the criminal aspects of artificial intelligence.”

George Mason economist Tyler Cowen recently told The Washington Post’s Megan McArdle on a podcast that “evil humans” have the potential to turn AI into “glorified cash registers.”

On another topic, nationally, the labor reports indicate that in January there was growth in healthcare employment.

Is Connecticut going to experience a similar increase?

Harding said he doesn’t have specific figures, but added, “Some of the biggest employers in the stat are hospitals, particularly in the western part of the state. “The 30th district has some of the oldest populations in the state.”

Speaking of the hospitals, in a recent news release Jennifer Jackson, the chief executive office of the Connecticut Hospitals Association, stated that Gov. Ned Lamont’s revised 2027 state budget is taxing their members too much.

She wrote, “This tax proposal continues to ask hospitals to shoulder higher taxes while making little real investment in patient care at a time when financial burdens are already enormous. The result will be fewer resources at the bedside”

Harding declared, “Under the current mechanism in his current budget proposal it really put the hospitals further into the red. Many of these hospitals are operating in the red to begin with. They are critical. health care resources to everyone in the 30th District, whether it is Sharon Hospital or Danbury Hospital, as well as New Milford Hospital.”

Harding commented, “If we don’t do what is right and supplement them effectively, they’re going to continue to operate in the read and not be able to provide the services that are needed.”

Homelessness has increased in Connecticut.

CT News Junkie reporter Karla Ciaglo recently wrote that, “The Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness released its 2026 legislative agenda Friday at the Legislative Office Building, seeking roughly $123.9 million annually to expand rental assistance, prevention programs, emergency shelter capacity, and supportive housing services amid federal funding uncertainty.”

Harding agreed that steps need to be taken, saying, “I think we need to work better with our non-profit organizations. I point to one specific example right here in New Milford. The funding mechanisms that the state is using to help subsidize some of the on-profit organizations that are offering homeless shelters and homeless services to those in the community were dis-proportionately impacted by the lack of funding, as opposed to other parts of the state.”

Harding explained, “ I’m working with local stakeholders right here in New Milford in trying to get proper funding for Greater New Milford, Greater Danbury for shelters so they can provide the critical services that are needed.”

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who is running for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in California recently told Wall Street Journal columnist Andy Kessler that his administration has, among other things, constructed modular quick build housing as alternatives to the tent encampments. Mahan said it has helped reduce the homeless figures by a third.

Should Connecticut adopt a similar policy?

Harding said the solutions will come from the non-profit organizations.

“They’re truly the experts,” he commented. “Work with them to find the best possible solutions.”

Outside Housatonic Brewing a sign reads, “No Persons Under 21 Allowed.”

In a June 2025 Wall Street Journal column, author Scott Johnston wrote that, “It’s time to lower the drinking age.”

He stated that since “Congress established a federal drinking age of 21 in 1984 . . . the rate of drunk-driving deaths has dropped almost 50 percent . . drivers of all ages have responded to much tougher enforcement and severely increased penalties.”

Harding disagreed, saying, “I think we have seen substance abuse in this country and this state come to a rise, unfortunately, and we have seen people lose their lives.,” declared Harding. Unfortunately, we’ve seen some traffic motor vehicle accidents that involve alcohol.

“I think it is important to have 21 as the age of majority when it comes to alcohol – just because of the fact of a public safety perspective.,” Harding added. “I would have lot of fear particularly on our roadways in reducing that age from 21. To 18.”

A lifelong New York Yankees fan, Harding wears team clothing during some of his workouts at the Regional YMCA of Western Connecticut in Brookfield and even took his school-age son for a tour of Yankee Stadium about two years ago.

Baseball Digest Editor-In-Chief Rick Cerrone recently wrote that Major League Baseball should revise its tie-breaker system.

For example, The Blue Jays and the Yankees each finished 94-68 last year, but the Blue Jays, based on an 8-5 record in the head-to-head season series, were awarded the American League East crown and a bye from the Wild Card playoff round.

Cerrone noted that in 1978, the Yankees and Red Sox tied for the American League East crown and after a coin flip there was a tie-breaker game was played the next afternoon, which the Yankees won on a historic Bucky Dent home run. The Yankees and the Royals started the American League Championship Series the next night, with the Yankees winning Game One.

Cerrone wrote that a tiebreaker game would generate excitement and would not impair the schedule since the losing team could travel immediately to start the Wild Card Playoff Series.

Commented Harding, “I think baseball is working on trying to attract new fans, particularly younger fans. That is an example of something that is very exciting leading into the playoffs that week ahead. I would love to see that.”

He added that it would “make sense” that instead of having a coin flip, the team that won the head-to-head season series would get the home field for the tiebreaker game.

Jim Bowden of MLB Radio has said that agent Scott Boras should be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Said Harding, “I’d have to argue that he may be the best ever.”

The movie poster collectors will tell you he is the most famous agent this side of Jerry Maguire.

Harding commented, “ I don’t particularly like what Boras has done to baseball. However, it is hard to argue how impactful he is. From that perspective, he probably deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.”

Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman has had 28 consecutive winning seasons, seven World Series appearances and four World Championships.

Does he belong in Cooperstown?

Remarked Harding, “I’ve disagreed with some of the things that Brian Cashman has done. I know the Yankee fam population is a little disgruntled with Brian Cashman right now, including myself in some respects. But there is no arguing how successful he has been.”

“He has been the general manager of a team under the new Steinbrenner regime, the children, that hasn’t spent nearly in the manner that George did. They always are top five in baseball at the very least, but at the same time it’s not the L.A. Dodgers.”

Bowden of MLB Radio has said that the Dodgers have a $530 million payroll and pay more in luxury taxes than the payrolls for 16 of the major league teams.

Commented Harding, “[Cashman, who lives in Darien] has operated under a different set of circumstances and he has been very successful. I think he is one of the greatest general managers of all time.”