Candidate Profile: Anne Hughes For 135th Assembly District

WESTON/REDDING/EASTON, CT — Democrat Anne Hughes, 55, is running for reelection to the House of Representatives for Connecticut's 135th District. A social worker, Hughes lives with her husband Tim in Easton.

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

The single most important issue facing Connecticut is accountability to voters, whether it’s accountability to mobilize quickly to make sound pandemic policy and make up for nearly nonexistent federal COVID pandemic strategy, accountability to citizens who need sound policies to make Connecticut’s economy more competitive and our small businesses more successful, accountability to consumers by forcing power companies to provide a more reliable power grid and reduce our vulnerability to surprise rate hikes and lengthy outages, or accountability to our children to make sound gun safety, education, and climate policy NOW. I have worked for accountability on all these fronts with daily COVID updates and PPE projects, support for a balanced on-time state budget without raising taxes, advocacy for the Take Back Our Grid Act, capping insulin prices, and working proactively and urgently for climate action by developing wind, encouraging solar, and supporting the passage of The State Water Plan.

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

Because my opponent previously served in this office, voters in the 135th district have a clear choice based on what each of us accomplished as a state representative. During his tenure, my opponent failed to support increased oversight of electric utilities, while I sponsor the Take Back the Grid Act. My opponent failed to introduce initiatives to support working families, while I worked for the Family Leave Act, the Insulin Cap Act, and measures to reduce insurance price gouging. My opponent did not support urgent climate action or many other environmental protection measures that are important to voters in my district, while I have worked for climate policy, renewable energy strategies, and conservation—including securing a grant to expand the Aspetuck Land Trust. I believe I am more accessible and engaged than my challenger; I co-sponsored or sponsored 79 bills last session—most driven by constituent concerns--far more than my opponent when he held this office several years ago.

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

As a freshman legislator, I co-sponsored or introduced 79 bills (in contrast to my predecessor who introduced 5), I earned the unusual distinction of 2019 Environmental Champion by the CT League of Conservation Voters for advocating for Youth Climate Strikers and pushing for bolder renewable energy transition, renewable investment into transportation infrastructure, for carbon-neutral future and crisis-resilient measures. I was also instrumental in garnering the grant from the Governor for 160 more acres to be added to the Aspetuck Land Trust and Nature Conservancy, I have also collaborated with the leadership and House majority to pass a balanced, on-time state budget that follows the spending cap, the Education Cost-sharing formula, and that supports Town Aid be distributed in a timely, predictive manner, without raising income taxes, or sales tax rates and I worked for passage of the act capping insulin costs and mental health parity. I am also proud of my "F" grade from the NRA.

Do you believe Connecticut needs reform when it comes to electric utility oversight? What steps, if any should be taken?

I am a sponsor of the Take Back Our Grid Act to reform electric utility oversight, strengthen PURA, and require a more reliable power grid because this is a major issue of economic competitiveness and consumer protection. Connecticut pays the highest rates in the lower 48 states for electricity—higher than the rest of New England, which undermines our economy. Among my priorities: Strengthening PURA’s oversight ability, burying lines in the areas most vulnerable to outages, prohibiting power companies from surprising ratepayers with unapproved rate hikes and using rate increases for multi-million dollar executive pay packages instead of investing in the grid, which includes requiring adequate staffing during storms so that we don’t wait for days for out-of-state crews to arrive after outages. I also work to expand solar power initiatives and the Green Bank to expand access to solar and serve on the Offshore Wind environmental subcommittee, to ensure protections for our ecosystems during our transition to renewable wind power.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?

Recovering from the COVID pandemic recession will require us to build upon the economic competitiveness strategies I have advanced in Hartford. To manage health care costs for recovering COVID victims in particular, and generally for local businesses, we need to provide more services without raising taxes on the struggling working class and small business owners. I supported the budget which did not increase taxes, and preserved the Rainy Day Fund, which should now enable state government to expand access to affordable health and childcare, particularly for small businesses and recovering COVID victims. I plan to build on my support for the capping of prescription drug prices and limiting insurance price gouging in the last session by submitting an expansion of the Connecticut Plan for healthcare. I worked for passage of the Paid Family Leave Act which also makes the state more attractive for workers and business alike. I support debt-free community college and open up the 'on-ramp' to advanced manufacturing jobs, building trades, advanced tech and health/biotech jobs, and environmental, renewable investment to support transitioning quickly to a renewable, low-carbon future and infrastructure.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

In the Connecticut legislature, we must serve as a FIREWALL to protect our state from federal dismantling of so many fundamental environmental, civil, reproductive, and voting rights, and to fiercely fight for equitable recovery from the COVID pandemic. As the Trump administration seeks to invalidate the Affordable Care Act, pre-existing conditions are on the ballot this November. We need to protect access to affordable healthcare in Connecticut.

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

One of my highest priorities is to be accessible for my constituents whenever they need me. I publish my personal cell phone number on all official communications and am always eager for constituent contact and input, whether for assistance with a problem or ideas for solutions-based policy. Before COVID, I held weekly Office Hours and constituent coffees at Greisers. I literally work every day to help constituents work through COVID-related problems such as Unemployment, DMV issues, assistance with sourcing childcare, and help for struggling nonprofits. I authored 79 bills in my first term (far more than my opponent when he held this office), and the vast majority originated from constituents’ concerns.