Candidate Profile: Lucy Dathan, 142nd District

CONNECTICUT — The 2020 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 presidential election, but every state representative and senate seat is up for grabs. All five of Connecticut’s congressional seats are up for grabs as well.

There are 151 seats in the state House of Representatives and 36 in the state Senate. Democrats currently hold majorities in both chambers with a 91 to 60 lead over Republicans in the House and a 22 to 14 lead in the Senate.

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

Lucy Dathan, a New Canaan resident, is running for House of Representatives District 142. She is seeking her second term in the state House.

<b>Party affiliation:</b> Democratic Party
<b>Occupation:</b> State Representative of the 142nd District from 2018 - current
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) 2000 - 2018
Manager of Finance and Intellectual Property 2003 - 2005
Corporate Finance and Investment Banking Manager 1997 - 2000
Public Accounting Auditor 1993-1997 (intern 1992)
Learn more: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucydathan/
<b>Previous elected experience:</b>State Representative of the 142nd District, 2018 - current.
<b>Family members in government:</b> No
<b>Campaign website:</b> Lucy2020.com

<b>The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.</b>
The single most pressing issue currently facing our state is the coronavirus pandemic. I have been focusing on supporting our frontline workers with PPE needs, assisting the unemployed with their unemployment claims, and guiding local businesses with COVID support loans. I also assisted the Real Estate community when they were in freefall and helped them land softly and prepared for the largest boom in real estate sales Connecticut has seen in recent memory. I’m privileged to be endorsed by Connecticut REALTORS® because of those efforts. In our July special legislative session, I focused my efforts on legislation that would improve access to healthcare and that would lower costs of insulin. I led the push for early and no-excuse absentee voting so no voter felt that casting a vote would be unsafe, and increased accessibility to polls for in-person voters. There will be a long road to recovery in our state, and strong finance minded experts will be needed to focus on our state’s budget. I have helped companies in tough situations with their budgets driving them to think long-term and strategically. I also work hard for you in Appropriations Committee reviewing the allocation of Federal CARES dollars and will carry this on in my next term.

<b>What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?</b>
The most striking difference between my opponent and me is our position on healthcare. Healthcare is a fundamental right for every citizen in Connecticut, and it’s my duty to preserve and enhance that right. I have a unique ability to work directly on these efforts given my Vice-Chair position on the Insurance Committee, as well as my seat on the Appropriations Committee, Human Services Committee, and the Medical Assistance Program Oversight Council (MAPOC). It’s why in 2019 I helped codify into statute insurance coverage for preexisting conditions, protecting our residents from any changes at the federal level.

I also helped pass two additional bills that will reduce healthcare costs, increase healthcare equity, and protect our most vulnerable Connecticut residents during the pandemic. Additionally, worked to cap the cost of insulin and other diabetic supplies. My opponent supports Trump’s policies that strip healthcare from Americans, eliminate coverage of pre-existing conditions, and during his time in office voted for an anti-women amendment that eliminated protections for pre-existing conditions, as well as voted against a bill that secured quality care for our seniors and citizens with disabilities who live in assisted living facilities. Our citizens deserve quality, affordable healthcare and I’ll work every day to ensure Connecticut is leading the way.

<b>What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?</b>
I see my strong constituent service record as State Representative being based upon my values and priorities as a mother of school-age children and an engaged member of my local community, combined with the skills and experiences acquired over 25 years working in business finance and accounting. I started out as an auditor in Public Accounting and progressed to executing deals as an investment banker before becoming the CFO for start-up technology companies. This gives me a deep understanding of what goes into long-term business plans and strategies and how best to achieve them. Much of my life has been spent working in different countries and cultures where I have learned how to collaborate effectively with people from diverse backgrounds. Connecticut needs to stabilize its financial future to ensure ongoing funding for our schools, healthcare, transportation, and more, and my experience enables me to contribute strongly to the state’s budgeting process.
For more information, my Legislative Record can be found here.
2020:https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/CGA...
2019: https://trackbill.com/legislat...

<b>Do you believe Connecticut needs reform when it comes to electric utility oversight? What steps, if any should be taken?</b>
Yes. Connecticut needs electric utility oversight reform immediately, which is why I was honored to work on and pass HB 7006. The Take Back Our Grid Act ensures our money is used efficiently and effectively, improving communication and holding big utilities accountable to ratepayers. This will be guaranteed via performance-based rate-making, where regulators establish performance standards that the utilities must meet. It develops metrics for determining progress, and regulators can issue penalties if the utilities fail to meet the standards. Additionally, this legislation provides credits for spoiled food and medicines; reduces charges when lack of preparation by the utility leads to outages lasting more than 96 hours; ties executive salaries (that are funded by ratepayers) to performance; requires minimum staffing levels for the linemen, communications personnel, and others to make sure the utilities respond to storms quickly and convey information to their customers in a timely fashion; and strengthens regulator (PURA) oversight of utilities. PURA has investigations ongoing for the summer rate increase and the storm response, and I am eager to see their findings.

<b>What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?</b>
My priority is our physical and fiscal well-being. I worked with relevant agencies to secure resources, fix issues with unemployment applications, and help businesses apply for aid. We expanded telemedicine, brought additional testing sites to our community, opened a COVID-19 recovery center, expanded affordable childcare options for front-line workers, and delayed due dates for taxes. I worked directly with the Board of Realtors, the Governor, and the DECD to ensure the functionality of real estate transactions. We have an opportunity to build a stronger state while guided by public health experts.

<b>List other issues that define your campaign platform:</b>
Beyond the aforementioned issues of our fiscal and physical health and healthcare, including our state’s economic viability and residents’ access to quality healthcare, my priorities are focused on education, jobs, infrastructure, gun safety, reproductive and women’s rights, and the environment. I invite you to check out Lucy2020.com for a fuller picture of my stances on each issue.

Integral to all of my beliefs and the policy that informs them is my core understanding that every single person was born with unalienable rights, and is deserving of their life, their liberty, and the pursuit of their happiness. This is why I endeavor to be an ally and a champion of all people no matter who they are, or who they love, or what they believe in insofar as their beliefs do not harm others. Our nation is made better by each and every voice that is lifted and heard, regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation, disability, religion, immigration status, or otherwise. It is not in spite of but because of our differences that we are a dynamic and powerful country.

<b>What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?</b>
I sit on Appropriations with three sub-committee appointments: Transportation, Economic Development, and Legislative. Appropriations is the spending side of the State’s annual $22B budget. As a CFO and a CPA, I have scrutinized the financial picture of companies both on a high level as well as on a detailed line-item basis. This has informed my approach to our State Budget these last two years, extensively examining each state agency’s budget line by line.

Like you, I pride myself on being an independent thinker, searching for the root of an issue to gain an informed understanding from which we can move forward with actionable items. To date, my private sector and legislative career has reflected this process. I love delving into research and learning as much as possible about an issue down to the very last, smallest detail, and I cherish learning from my constituents, local leaders, and experts on all matters that impact our community. As your voice in Hartford, I represent both your values and hopes for your state. I endeavor to always be approachable and accessible so that we can find solutions to our most pressing problems together, as a team. I envision a world that, bolstered by your thoughtful input, advances the state through economic recovery with a strict commitment to fiscal health as well as each resident's wellbeing.