Jennifer Leeper Has Proven Her Value to Fairfield and Southport

To the Editor:

Jennifer Leeper Has Proven Her Value to Fairfield and Southport

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Too often, we hear elected officials say they will stand up for their communities. But when a real threat emerges, what matters is who actually does the work, asks the difficult questions, investigates the facts, and is willing to stand up when others do not.

State Representative Jennifer Leeper has proven her value to Fairfield and Southport by doing exactly that.

When serious concerns were raised about United Illuminating's proposed transmission project and its potential impact on our community, Jenn listened. She investigated. And she took the concerns of residents, property owners, businesses, and community organizations seriously.

It was Jenn who listened to and investigated the claims that United Illuminating was seeking to take approximately 19.5 acres of land from our community. It was Jenn who worked to verify the proposed height of the transmission poles and understand what structures of that magnitude could mean for our historic downtown and the character of Southport and Fairfield.

And it was Jenn who recognized the very real, potentially existential threat this project posed to the vital family-owned businesses along Route 1. These businesses are not simply buildings on a map. They are the backbone of our community. Taking significant portions of their property, restricting access, or otherwise diminishing their ability to operate could have consequences severe enough to put some of these businesses out of business.

This was about more than one infrastructure project. It was about property rights. It was about protecting our historic neighborhoods. It was about preserving the businesses that have invested in and served our community for generations. And it was about making sure that ordinary residents and small business owners had someone willing to ask the questions that needed to be asked before irreversible decisions were made.

Jennifer Leeper demonstrated what effective representation looks like. She did not dismiss concerns. She did not simply accept the assurances of a large utility company. She listened to her constituents, investigated the facts, and stood up for the people and places she was elected to represent.

Whether you agree with Jenn on every issue or not, her work on this matter should remind us what we should expect from our elected officials: engagement, independence, diligence, and the courage to stand with their community when it matters most.

Jenn has been instrumental in our struggle against big power. Jenn has worked hard in Hartford to make our voices heard, and she did not stop there. Jenn led the effort to craft new legislation to FIX a broken process. This new legislation will prove vitally important when a new proposal comes from UI and the law she helped craft and get passed is used to protect us and force UI to create a better, more cost-effective, community-friendly solution.

Fairfield and Southport are fortunate to have a representative who understands that protecting a community means protecting its people, its history, its businesses, and its rights.

Jennifer Leeper has earned our respect and our gratitude for standing up when it counted.

Sincerely,

Steve and Andrea Ozyck