Hamden Candidate Profile: Debra Rigney For Legislative Council

HAMDEN, CT — The 2019 municipal election is heating up in Hamden and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Hamden Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Debra Rigney is running for a seat on the Legislative Council in the 1st District as a Republican. She has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a focus on legal administration and a minor in Criminal Justice. She worked full-time as a compliance specialist for six years until the department was outsourced and has been working at the Kohl’s in Hamden for the past 20 years.

Are you running for office in Hamden? Contact Vinnie Salzo at vincent.salzo@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Hamden Patch.

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

The financial. We need more responsible people who can stop our town from insolvency. The mill rate is ridiculous and we need to take a good look at budgeting and hiring practices for the town, so we can pay our obligations. We cannot do what has been happening... which is putting it off on another generation.

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

I am not a part of the one-party system that has been governing for nearly two decades. I will be able to look at things, not beholden to anyone but my constituents. And I will vote accordingly.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

Communication. We need to look into improving police and community relations. I would like to explore the possibility of employing community policing and hiring a full-time police chief. We need to open better lines of communication with Quinnipiac University, both with the administration and the students.

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

All my life I have tried to make a difference for the betterment of those around me. In college I helped to create the University's first ACLU chapter. I was a columnist for the paper. I was a CASA volunteer and represented my clients in court. I did my internship at the Courthouse in the Administrator's office. I also worked with the Universities college student government system all four years, being the head of one of the counsels. As an adult I have worked as a paralegal in criminal law and volunteered to help register voters. I ran previously for the State Legislature in District 88. I also hold leadership positions at my church.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

"Accomplish your mission and take care of your people" Old Marine proverb. My mission is to take care of my neighbors and bring back fiscal responsibility to Hamden. A fiscally responsible town government leads to a happy and healthy town population.

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

Again, it's all about communication, clarity and balanced decision making. We have to look at all the angles and all the pieces so we can bring Hamden back into solvency. And we cannot delay any more. In my area alone we are losing our most precious resources; people. Within a two-block radius of my house there are at least three family homes up for sale. We need a stable and solid town economy.