CT Patch Candidate Profile: Jill Oberlander For 36th State Senate District

GREENWICH, CT — Election Day on Nov. 3 is fast approaching, and there are a number of key races on the ballot.

Patch reached out to candidates for office to get more information on their campaigns and the issues that are facing the state and town.

Jill Oberlander is running for the 36th State Senate District, which covers all of Greenwich and portions of Stamford and New Canaan.

Candidate's Name:

Jill Oberlander

What office are you seeking?

State Senator - D36

Age:

60

District:

36

Party:

Democrat

Campaign website:

https://jilloberlander.com

Occupation:

Attorney

Family:

Married to Larry Penn for 26 years with three children and one dog together.

Does anyone in your family work in government?

No.

Previous public office:

Greenwich Representative Town Meeting (RTM), Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET), Board of Selectmen (BOS)

Why are you seeking this office?

I am running to make people's lives better and to make sure our government works for the residents of the 36th district and the State of Connecticut. I have dedicated my professional life and personal efforts to helping people and improving government. As a lawyer and town leader, I have decades of experience with laws, regulations, government grants, and knowledge about our community and its needs. I know I will be a strong and effective advocate for our community and our neighbors.

What do you believe is the No. 1 issue facing Connecticut, and how do you plan to address it?

The high cost of living is the number one issue facing Connecticut. I plan to address it on various levels.

First, I want to work to lower the cost of electricity by holding energy companies accountable, auditing existing programs for effectiveness, and analyzing what we can learn from other states about their programs to make electricity more affordable here. I want to bring back incentives for residential solar, remove capacity restrictions on these installations, and authorize community solar. I also want to make sure other utilities are well prepared for increasing demand and that we are protecting our water quality as well.

Second, I want to focus on the cost of healthcare - for individual residents and their families, for our small businesses and nonprofits, and for our towns and municipalities. I will focus on permitting nonprofits and small businesses to pool together to negotiate better rates and look at caps on prescription drug pricing.

Third, I will look to reduce other taxes, such as the gas tax (through a "gas tax holiday" and rationalizing the car tax.

Energy costs have been soaring in Connecticut. What are your plans to help address this issue?

Please see prior question. I plan to: (1) hold the utilities accountable through increased legislative oversight and support for our consumer counsel; (2) lower bills by auditing existing programs for effectiveness and impact and analyzing whether approved programs should be funded through the state budget or utility bills; and (3) focus on efforts to increase and diversify supply and empower greater demand management.

Affordability has been a major topic across the country and here in Connecticut. How do you plan to address this issue?

Please see prior question.

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

I am a lawyer with decades of experience drafting, reviewing, and interpreting laws, regulations, and other rules and contractual provisions. I also have held elective office locally and am very familiar with community needs, stakeholder concerns, and how to balance spending needs with revenue and budget limitations. As the first Democratic chair of the Greenwich Board of Estimate and Taxation, I was able to present a budget with very low tax increases while maintaining support for desired services and investment in infrastructure and education.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am a centrist and not interested in partisan extremes. I am running to represent all of the district and will work with colleagues across the political spectrum to deliver results. My goal will be to find solutions to our most challenging problems - from energy and healthcare costs to ensuring housing availability for local families and our workforce while preserving local zoning in decisions over where and how property can be developed.