Candidate Q&A: Ethan Wrestler, State Senate, 35th District

Earlier this summer Stafford Free Press sent a set of questions to the four candidates who are vying for the votes of Stafford's residents. We set a deadline of July 18 to receive answers. This particular set of questions focused entirely on affordability, but we hope to hear from readers about other topics they would like to hear from the candidates on. We do not edit or alter candidate answers.

These are the answers provided by Ethan Werstler (D) who is challenging the incumbent.

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Q:   Towns are increasingly feeling the burden of funding school systems. Yet, Educational Cost Sharing (ECS) funding seems to be a problem during every session. Many call the formula outdated. What solution would you put forth to solve this problem?

A: The Education Cost Sharing (ECS) Funding Formula is outdated at best and broken at worst. The formula was never designed with small rural towns in mind. Year after year increases in education costs have burdened property taxpayers and the state’s share has proportionally diminished. We need to rewrite the ECS Formula to better accommodate smaller, rural, school districts, increase the per-pupil foundation, and index the formula to inflation. Put simply, property taxes are a bad way to pay for education. The State share of education funding should increase while towns and local boards of education should retain governance authority. 

Q:   Housing costs are skyrocketing. The reasons for this are varied, and many are outside of the control of state governments. What can you do in your role to address this?

A: The costs of housing have skyrocketed in Connecticut due, in part, to a limited, and aging, supply of housing. For decades, policies championed by my opponent, and others, have severely limited the ability of the state to build housing. I support converting abandoned and commercial property into residential when sensible. I support allowing municipalities to levy an additional property tax on 2^nd homes owned by out-of-state non-residents worth more than a million dollars. These policies maintain local control and the right of a community to plan for its own affordable housing goals. 

Q:   Unusually high gas and oil prices are impacting citizens’ wallets. What can and should the state do to help regular people cope?

A: I believe in a diversified and durable energy grid comprised of traditional and renewable energy sources. When expensive foreign wars, sanctions, tariffs and natural disasters impact our energy costs, our state suffers. We would benefit from diversified local energy production. We see our energy costs spike because of our over reliance on natural gas. I disagreed with my opponent’s decision to oppose HB 5340 AN ACT CONCERNING RENEWABLE POWER GENERATION.  Had he been successful, new residential solar in Connecticut would be effectively killed.

There is no silver bullet, no perfect resource, in energy generation. Solar has weather limitations, nuclear has cost limitations, wind has geographical limitations. Despite what my opponent seems to think, fossil fuels also will not lead to energy security for our state. We need to invest in renewable and local energy generation. Invest in public power utilities to compete with Eversource and UI and support energy efficiency programs and microgrid technology for business and residents to reduce peak consumption. 

Q:   Many towns, including Stafford, have complained about unfunded mandates that deeply impact local budgeting and the property tax burden. How would you address this ongoing issue?

A: My opponent has been unable to protect our towns from unfunded because he is in the minority party. These unfunded mandates are crippling our small towns. 

As State Senator, I would stand up for Stafford, and for all the towns in my district and bring our voice to the majority party. Our state should be investing in our towns, offering municipal aid, education funding, infrastructure grants and bonding, not digging the hole deeper. I further support empowering residents to exercise greater control over their mill rates.  

Furthermore, the state should take the enormous financial burden of paying for high-need special education costs off the backs of property taxpayers. Property taxes are a bad, regressive, way to pay for education, and especially for special education. With the state solely responsible for negotiating rates of these services, it could better manage costs and ensure students are receiving quality education. 

Q:  Medicaid reimbursements play a significant part in towns’ revenues. From the ambulance budget to reimbursements for services provided by the schools, Medicaid matters in Stafford. What solutions do you support for shoring up Medicaid funding?

A: Thanks to the impending federal cuts to Medicaid, which my opponent will not condemn, Connecticut must be ready to meet the moment and ensure its residents can receive the care they need. Medicaid rates are set by the state and funded by both the federal and state government. 

Rural health care providers, crippled by outdated Medicaid reimbursement rates while servicing a large population with Medicaid; they are struggling to survive. It’s past time to increase a variety of Medicaid reimbursement rates and index them to inflation so we aren’t back here in 10 years. 

Q:   During this election season, gubernatorial candidates have promised to phase out the state income tax. This is a campaign promise many have made and failed to deliver on. Is this a move you would support, and if so, how would the State prevent leaving towns already struggling with their own budgets in the lurch?

A: No serious candidate is proposing eliminating the state income tax. Not only would that be catastrophic for the state’s finances and necessary services, but it would also be a mistake to eliminate one of the few progressive tax revenues in the state. 

But our working families do need relief. 

I am proposing eliminating the income tax for residents making less than $50,000 dollars and adding an additional tax bracket (+1%) for residents making more than 1 million dollars a year.