Supporters Like What They Have in Hovey

Hard working, dependable and approachable were common adjectives used to describe State Rep. DebraLee Hovey (R-112) at a meet and greet with the incumbent at First Selectman Steve Vavrek's house on Sunday afternoon.

Guests enjoyed a spread of gourmet hamburgers, pastries, crackers and cheese and talked politics over cold drinks around a table in the backyard.

Hovey, who has been in office for eight years, is trying to fend off challenger, Town Councilwoman Michele Mount, a Democrat she beat handily two years ago.

Mount plans to scrutinize Hovey's record, a tactic the state representative welcomes.

"I have consistently brought home the bacon, so to speak, and advocated for my community consistently," Hovey said. "I consistently voted for transparancy, accountability and reduced government."

Hovey said government was originally designed to provide the things people could not, such as education, health care, transportation and infrastructure.

"We've gone so far beyond that," she said.

"The reason we are a two-party system is for checks and balances," Hovey said. "I'm part of the checks and balances. You see me voting against mandates, against out of control government, and for accountability."

Hovey questions Mount's motives for entering the race.

"My opponent's' only response to why she's running is that I should be opposed," Hovey said. "She has to think of things to be negative about, but never talks about what she is going to bring to the table."

In a telephone interview Sunday night, Mount said it is obvious that Hovey has not been listening.

"I want to bring a new and fresh perspective to the capital," said Mount, an attorney and former lobbiest for the city of Bridgeport. "I worked successfully on both sides of the aisle. I want to be part of the solution and not walk away from the table."

Mount said her campaign is about education, health care and job creation.

"I don't think anybody in this political climate would run, unless they think they can do a better job," she added. "I don't think anyone looking at this election would think someone would be running for the heck of it."

'Common sense' solutions

Republican State Senate candidate, Kevin Kelly, attended the meet and greet to show his support for Hovey. He is running against former Stratford mayor, James Miron, a Democrat.

Kelly said Republicans' message of lower taxes, smaller government and creating jobs is resonating with voters. He says the government should reduce taxes and regulations on doing business in Connecticut.

"We need common sense solutions in Hartford," Kelly said. "That's what people want. We don't need fancy programs."

The Democratic party has maintained majorities in the state legislature for decades and Kelly said it's time to try new things to kick-start the economy.

Of course, those attending the pro-Hovey event believe her being in office represents one things that should not change.

"We love DebraLee," said Gary Scrofani, treasurer for her campaign. "We've known her for a while."

Mount is seeking public financing but — though she did so two years ago — Hovey is not using it in this election.

"We're raising private funds and it makes it harder," Scrofani said. "We're trying to keep it private. Nobody likes to ask for money. Times are tough and people don't have a lot to give. But when they donate, it shows people like what you're doing."

Town Councilman JP Sredzinski, co-campaign manager of the Hovey campaign, believes she has a great shot at a fifth consecutive term.

"It really comes down to her being the voice of Monroe and Newtown," Sredzinski said. "She always does what's best for Monroe and Newtown, whether it's best for her party or not. She's a true representative of the district."

Sredzinski said Hovey represents "common sense leadership" amid a budget crisis with a deficit in the billions and an economy that desperately needs jobs.

Constituent issues

Sponsored legislation and major votes make headlines, but Hovey said there are a lot of other things a legislator does that never makes the papers.

"We handled 710 constituent concerns in one year," she said. "We served 10 percent of the voting population of Monroe."

Among them, Hovey said she and her staff helped a family navigate through "the bureacracy" to get health benefits they needed when the father lost his job.

In another case, a town business thought a state practice gave an out-of-state competitor an advantage, according to Hovey.

"I worked with the attorney general and got it resolved," she said.

Hovey said she also helped a woman with a cadaver dog assist search teams.

"A local truck driver thought Connecticut should increase its load limits," she said, adding she contacted the transportation commissioner and educated herself on the issue.

As a result, enforcement hours were changed to stop more violators.

"I told him we can't increase our load limits," Hovey said. "But he wants an even playing field because some truckers were sneaking in."

Among projects she was able to secure funding for are Masuk, Webb Mountain Park, the Wolfe Park pool and the police department.

The entire community

Vavrek said he talks to Hovey once a week and has a formal meeting once a month. The first selectman credits her with helping to influence legislation allowing the Jewish Home for the Elderly to come to Monroe.

Monroe got an exemption, allowing the nursing home to be closer to other ones, according to Hovey.

"DebraLee is a proven hard worker, very bipartisan, she has a history of working with people on both sides of the aisle," Vavrek said. "She's very accessible. That's what we need in a state representative. Everytime constituents need something from her, she gets right back. I admire her.

"I've been in politics since 1993 and she's the best I've seen."

Republican Town Committee Chairwoman Elizabeth Edgerton criticized Mount for voting against bonding $2.2 million to improve town roads. At the Town Council meeting, Mount had argued with Republican council members over her strong stance on funding education.

"You can have the Ritz of education, but if you don't have roads to get the kids to school, what's the sense of having the Ritz?" Edgerton said. "That's where Michele Mount showed her short-sightedness. She sees education as the only way to economically develop this town.

"But you just can't have people with families. We need the Swiss Armies. If you don't put the money in the infrastructure, those companies may leave."

But Mount said she never advocated for addressing one town issue, while ignoring others.

"I agree wholeheartedly," Mount said of funding town infrastructure. "That's why the federal stimulus money, which had paving for roads, is something I would take. There is less burden on property taxpayers."

Mount said she voted against the road funding because there was a no-bid contract "with a middle man who would jack up the costs."

"It would be more prudent to go out to bid on the project and get the best price," she said. "I was not given a good reason. I was  just told we can back out of it. That's not good enough."

Mount said road funds should be in the town's operating budget, rather than being a bonded expense.

She said the town will rack up significant debt with the next five years if it continues this practice.

"If you're going to bond, bond for more," Mount said. "If you have more money, you have the ability to do more roads at once and be guaranteed a better interest rate."

Mount believes she can do a better job of representing Monroe and Newtown in Hartford. But town Republican leaders like what they have in Hovey.

"DebraLee gets the job done," Edgerton said. "Plain and simple."