Soaring housing prices. Inflation. The importance of small regional hospitals. Failing infrastructure.
These are the subjects Merry C. Garrett, the Democratic challenger for Connecticut’s 35th State Senate District, spent our interview discussing–and she blames greed for many of these issues.
Garrett is retired from a career in the insurance industry and is an entrepreneur who owned a thrift shop in Vernon that she describes as focused on helping the community. She got involved in local politics when Tolland Democrats sought someone to run for an otherwise uncontested seat on the Town Council less than a month before election day. Garrett says the hope at the time was to maintain a one-seat majority and that she had no expectation of winning more than a few hundred votes. Instead, she says they picked up a seat, and her race was so close that a recount was needed. After that, she says people from all across the political spectrum urged her to run for another office, pledging their votes.
“Hopefully that’s true. I’m going to hold them to it,” she says. Her official launch was this past weekend, and she says it was standing-room-only, so she has high hopes.
Now, Garrett is looking to unseat Dr. Jeff Gordon as State Senator, and she is not afraid to say she thinks the area’s representation in Hartford has been insufficient. “I had no idea who our current senator is…That’s how invisible he is,” Garrett says. Whether or not you agree with that sentiment, you likely agree that small towns are not getting their fair share of state funds.
“We struggle with funding out here,” she says. She describes this as a widespread problem in the area, even in Tolland, which Staffordites tend to think of as a more affluent town.
“These budgets are constantly being balanced on the back of our mill rates or cuts to education…” which she says is not sustainable. “We know the state has money,” Garrett adds and says that other senators are managing to bring that home to their districts. She also points to the state of our infrastructure, including roads (a hot topic in Stafford). "We’re not even saying taking us way into the year 2024… we’re just saying fix our roads!"
When it comes to housing, she likes to avoid words that have a negative connotation, like “affordable housing” or “housing project,” and prefers to talk about inclusive housing that allows people from a wide variety of socioeconomic circumstances to achieve homeownership. And it’s not just about the young people and families struggling to get into the housing market or find a decent, affordable apartment. Garrett says that when she goes door-knocking, she encounters many older people still living in large homes that they do not need or even want. However, they cannot afford to give up their paid-off homes to live elsewhere. On a related note, she says those same folks need help paying for in-home care and transportation.
She says she is also passionate about regional healthcare, saying her husband’s life was saved at Rockville General Hospital after a life-threatening accident. She says the hospital is down to just a few ICU beds and that she does not know if her husband would have the same result today. She also points to Johnson Memorial Hospital’s bid to end its labor and delivery services (which was ultimately rejected by the State).
There's a lot to learn about any candidate for office, but Garrett sums it up: "I just want voters to know that I am a passionate, committed person, and I am willing to work both sides of the aisle to get us what we need so we are no longer an afterthought,” Garrett says. She also wants to urge people to sign up to receive updates from her campaign via her website and to note upcoming appearances where you can meet her in person and ask your own questions.
Meet the candidate office hours TBD
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