Candidate Profile: Joanne Romano-Csonka For Fairfield State Rep.

CONNECTICUT — The 2020 election is heating up in Connecticut and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office. Eyes are primarily focused on the presidential election, but every state representative and senate seat is up for grabs. All five of Connecticut's congressional seats are up for grabs as well.

There are 151 seats in the state House of Representatives and 36 in the state Senate. Democrats currently hold majorities in both chambers with a 91 to 60 lead over Republicans in the House and a 22 to 14 lead in the Senate.

Connecticut Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Joanne Romano-Csonka, a Fairfield resident, is running for House of Representatives District 133.

Age: 68 as of 9/11

Party affiliation: Republican Party

Family: Husband: Lance Csonka (lifelong Fairfield resident)

Parents: Joseph A. and Mary E. Romano, both deceased

Daughter: Jessica L. (Kevin) Hwang

Grandsons: Cortney J. (CJ) Davis and Paul B. Hwang

Three sisters, two brothers (one deceased)

Occupation: Retired but work as a needed private eldercare and prepare meals for elderly.

Previous elected experience: Common Council, City of Norwalk, At-Large member (2005-2013)
- Parks and Recreation Common Council
- Personnel Committee Common Council
- Health, Welfare & Emergency Services Common Council (Chairwoman)
- Ordinance Committee
- Ethics Committee

Norwalk Human Relations Commission (1996-2002)
- Commissioner Vice Chairwoman (2000-02)

Connecticut Justice of the Peace (2000-2014)

East Norwalk Historical Cemetery Committee, Secretary (2004-2014)

Norwalk Republican Town Committee, District C Secretary (2004-2014)

Neon Board of Directors, Council Representative & Neon Executive Board of Directors (2005-07)

Wolfpit Elementary School PTO, Member (1996-2002)

Norwalk Emergency Preparedness

Current: Fairfield Affordable Housing

Family members in government: No

Campaign website: www.romanocsonka133.net

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Our fiscal decline. We were $65 billion going into the COVID pandemic and due to circumstances we are looking at much higher numbers that we must tackle and find solutions for without hurting the municipalities and taxpayers. I believe it's time we start looking at incentives to bring big business back to Connecticut and not keep raising taxes and having them flee for greener pastures. It may not be popular amongst some but I believe we need to bring back manufacturing and trade schools, Connecticut was once one of the most successful manufacturing states in the country. It just may be time to get back to our roots and prosper and get our blue collar workers back to work and off unemployment.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I don't believe in following party line politics at all costs when it is detrimental to my constituents. If we can't lead by example and stand up for what's right for all we don't belong leading. I'm very old school when it comes to tightening our belts and living within our means and not expecting someone else to foot the bill.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Having served on many boards and commissions over a 25-plus year span that involved all aspects of municipal accountability, planning budgets, overseeing revitalizations, protecting the rights of those who were in need, from harassment to housing to employment to predators and being a large part of the everyday events of a large city and making tough decisions that were to the benefit of all I believe I am up to the task of learning and performing to the best of my ability and rolling up my sleeves and digging into the tough decisions.

Do you believe Connecticut needs reform when it comes to electric utility oversight? What steps, if any should be taken?

Absolutely! I believe there needs to be a larger accountability net and less monopoly by two companies. Private electric companies in many towns have proven successful and should be explored in most municipalities as an alternative to the high costs of doing business with no concern for the average ratepayer.

We also need to expand and promote utility deregulation.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?

Recovery incentives in order to get the businesses back up and running. Many small businesses were denied small COVID-19 relief packages because it was consumed by the large greedy corporations leaving local small businesses to struggle and in many cases close their doors. They need our help and understanding to compete at this time because ultimately those who have barely survived will also end up closing their doors, causing a trickle-down effect on local municipalities, and we will see more and more empty storefronts and people leaving the state for more affordable living. We need to devise a tax incentive for small businesses only. Not to just those struggling but to entice entrepreneurs to open up shop and help our towns and cities thrive. Our legislatures have a very bad habit of raising taxes to fix a problem, which in turn compounds the problem and leaves everyone with a higher tax burden they can ill afford.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

Education (assuring our children have the best education and our teachers the important tools they need to teach), transportation (it's time we address the elephant in the room. This has gone on way too long and our highways and infrastructure are crumbling around us. We've spent monies allocated to transportation and used it for a slush far too long. Time to put on the brakes and come up with a solution to fund real-time transportation needs without throwing in the usual "lets add tolls," that's not the answer), 8-30g affordable housing is an antiquated system — though there have been a few tweaks — that is still threatening our municipalities with unattainable numbers for moratoriums when developers come in under the guise of 8-30g and build monstrous brick complexes four and five stories high and are only required to set aside 30 percent of their units as affordable while charging at or above fair market for the rest of the units and not getting us even close to the state's 10 percent affordable requirements. Most towns and cities have an abundance of affordable housing stock but the catch is, they were built prior to the implementation of 8-30g and do not count towards a moratorium even if they are torn down and rebuilt. Elderly affordable assisted housing, workforce and veteran housing, taxes (we have to cut the cord on the tax and spend mindset we've lived with for far too long and revisit the police accountability bill to actually make it something that everyone can live with rather than a knee-jerk reaction to pressure from a political climate). On the most part, the police are in agreement with reform. They understand the need for more training and actually welcome it. What they don't welcome is having their livelihoods and lives compromised and opening up frivolous lawsuits that will not only hurt them personally but also each and every municipality who will be responsible for court and legal fees whether the officer in question is found guilty or innocent and ultimately the taxpayers. More unfunded mandates coming from one political party.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I have always had the ability work across party lines and actually listen to my constituents without prejudice. I have always been of the mindset that while you belong to a political party, ultimately when you are elected you work for the people and must have their best interests at heart and speak to your constituents on their level not as though they are beneath you. They are who elected you and they can just as easily remove you if you are not fulfilling their needs.