CT Patch Candidate Profile: Charles Ferraro For 117th House District

MILFORD, CT — The 2022 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 gubernatorial election, but every state representative and senate seat is up for grabs. All five of Connecticut's congressional seats, plus one U.S. Senate seat, are up for grabs as well.

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

Rep. Charles J. Ferraro, 70, of West Haven is seeking re-election for the 117th State House District, which covers parts of Orange, Milford and West Haven.

Campaign website

District, if applicable

117th House District

Party affiliation

Republican

Education

Bachelors Degree (BS) in Biology

Occupation

Martial Arts Instructor - 48 years

Family

Spouse - Geralyn Ferraro; Two Sons Christopher, President Galaxy Holdings and Brandon, Manager, Vale Resorts

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

None

Previous public office, appointive or elective

I have been a State Representative for four terms since 2014.

Why are you seeking this office?

My purpose for running for office is to help my constituents in whatever problems they might have in accessing state programs. As a small business owner myself, I want to do my part to help small business in CT by improving the working environment and making CT more business friendly. I am also concerned with affordability in our state as many of our citizens are aging into retirement and are on fixed incomes. By limiting the number of unpaid for mandates on our towns we can also relieve pressure for our towns to have to raise their mil-rates. I am also extremely concerned about the rising cost of energy in our state. Our state is at the end of the pipe-line and costs are higher than the surrounding states. I have served on the Energy and Technology committee where we have been successful in replacing the energy produced by Millstone Power Plant with 2000 MW of off-shore wind. We were also successful in passing a bill that would have CT completely 100 percent on renewable energy sources by 2040.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Energy cost and affordability. I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to come up with programs and policies that reduce energy costs and help keep CT as an affordable place to live by holding down unfunded mandates on towns and putting in place policies that encourage assistance to those that are most vulnerable.

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

I do not know anything about any other candidate who is seeking election to the 117th House District.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Public Safety is an important issue and I will continue to support our law enforcement and look for ways in which our towns can attract and keep qualified individuals for our police departments.

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

I have served on the Appropriations Committee for 4 years and have helped to establish and oversee the state's budget. I have voted to fund all the programs that provide assistance for CT's most vulnerable. I have served as ranking member of the Energy and Technology Committee which as established renewable energy earmarks, held power companies accountable for reconnecting outages in a timely manner. I have served on the Human Services Committee and worked to provide funding for programs and waivers for Brain trauma and damaged citizens, children on the autism spectrum and programs for the elderly. I have also served on the Veterans Committee for the past 8 years looking out for our veterans by maintaining and creating policies that will help them sustain themselves in the work-force and in our communities. The most important bills that I authored / co-authored are making sure that CT is energy independent with renewable energy sources by 2040, allowing veterans with PTSD to be able to obtain a handicap placard which previously was only allowed for physically handicapped individuals. PTSD is both a mental and a physical handicap and was heretofore ignored. I co-authored the Off-shore Wind Bill that mandated CT purchase 2000 MW of off-shore wind energy by 2030. This was important because Millstone Power Plant is scheduled to come off-line by 2032 and the power plant supplies 50% of CT's energy. In my private life I oversee over 100 martial arts schools throughout the USA and South America which has taught me the importance of working with people to find solutions to improve their businesses. I have had 8 years of assisting constituents in helping them navigate the many state programs in the various state agencies.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Be honest, be true to yourself and never, ever give up.

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

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve my constituents who reside in West Haven, Orange and Milford as well as CT residents in general. I will always fight to protect their rights and needs. Public service has been a privilege and an honor and I look forward to the next two years and being able to help the residents of CT in any way I can.