Greenwich Candidate Profile: Harry Arora For State Representative

GREENWICH, CT — On Tuesday, residents in Greenwich's 151st legislative district will cast their votes in a special election to replace former state representative Fred Camillo, who stepped down from the post after being elected as the town's first selectman in November.

Democratic candidate Cheryl Moss and Republican candidate Harry Arora are both running to fill Camillo's vacant seat.

A resident of Greenwich's "mid-country" area, Arora has worked in the private sector for many years. According to the League of Women Voters, he has run an investment management business in town since 2006.

During that time, he has also been involved in political advocacy. A few years ago, Arora decided he wanted to "make a bigger commitment" to serve his community.

"I am running to build on the legacy of Fred Camillo, our prior state [representative], who worked tirelessly to build consensus, support good fiscally sound and sensible policy, and get things done," Arora said in an email to Patch. "I am running so that our community can lead in Hartford."

Arora said he wants to make sure the Greenwich community plays a lead role in policy-making at the state-level.

"I love my community," Arora said. "My values drive me to spend my time and energy serving the public and making our community, our state and our country a better place for everyone."

Arora finds the biggest issue facing Greenwich is a need to attract new businesses to the state. He said Connecticut has yet to recover all the jobs lost in the "Great Recession" a decade ago.

"This can be directly attributed to our state policies which have been hostile to small businesses and the private sector," Arora said, "and have created an environment where businesses and residents have elected to move out."

If elected, Arora said he will advocate for a change in course "so that we become a destination for investment, not one from which businesses and residents are fleeing." He also said he plans to launch a "plan for growth" for the state aimed at stimulate Connecticut's economy.

Another issue Arora hopes to address is state bureaucracy, something he hopes to "cut down" in order to "make [state] programs efficient and effective."

"We need to cut the bureaucracy 2 percent a year for the next decade by investing in technology and focusing on operational improvement," Arora said. "Coming from a private sector background, I believe that investment in our workforce and increasing its productivity and efficiency are critical."

Arora also thinks Connecticut spends too much on "unnecessary" transportation projects, and that by "investing in efficiency and operational excellence," the state can reduce its spending by 10 percent while improving its transportation.

"This will allow us to vote no to tolls and still have a strong transportation plan," Arora said.

Arora points to his work running a "successful investment management business" in Greenwich as evidence that he can handle the state-level position. He also pointed out his "meaningful experience in business, leadership and civic service" and stressed his ability to bring people "from both sides of the aisle" together.

"I know how to manage money and work with people," Arora said, "two things our community and state needs."