Washington Isn't on the Ballot. Connecticut Is.

Last week, a neighbor told me she plans to vote a straight Democratic ticket because she's unhappy with what's happening in Washington. She wants to send a message.

I understand her frustration. But there's an important distinction worth considering: The people we're electing to state office aren't the ones making decisions in Washington. They're the ones making decisions right here in Connecticut.

A state senator doesn't vote on federal legislation. A state representative can't change presidential executive orders. And Connecticut's attorney general can't decide whether the United States goes to war.

What these officials can influence is much closer to home: our electric bills, state taxes, education funding, housing development and the extent to which local communities control their own zoning decisions.

Consider gasoline prices. Global oil markets and international conflicts affect what we pay at the pump. But Connecticut also imposes its own fuel taxes. While state legislators cannot control oil prices or reopen international shipping routes, they can debate whether Connecticut's fuel taxes should be reduced.

The same distinction applies to housing. Decisions made in Hartford help determine how much authority local planning and zoning commissions have over development in their own communities. These are state policy choices, made by the representatives we elect.

Connecticut Democrats have controlled the General Assembly for decades. That makes their legislative record, along with the proposals offered by Republican candidates, particularly relevant when evaluating our choices this November.

Voters can reasonably disagree about taxes, housing, spending and the role of state government. But those disagreements deserve to be considered on their own merits, rather than being overshadowed by events in Washington.

A vote for a state legislator is not a vote on federal policy. It is a decision about who will represent us in Hartford.

Before filling in every oval beside one party, take a closer look at the candidates, their records and their positions on the issues affecting Connecticut.

Washington matters. But so does Hartford. And the choices we make here deserve our full attention.