Basic Information
Full Name: Kim Healy
Office Sought: State Representative
Contact Information (Email, Phone, Website): kimhealyct@gmail.com, 203-945-7335, www.kimhealyforct.com
General Questions
Top Three Priorities if Elected
1. The number one issue is Affordability. CT residents and businesses are among the highest taxed in the US. In addition to the high tax rates, another driver are the hidden fees and taxes that are embedded within our utilities, car registration, and many other bills. We have well over 200 state-imposed fees that cost more to collect than they generate in revenue. The 42nd district needs a representative willing to work to eliminate these fees and bring down the high cost of living, and doing business, in CT. I am the only candidate with the financial background and knowledge to get this done. A common saying I frequently hear is that CT doesn’t have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem. As a CPA, once elected I will use my expertise to make the necessary legislative changes and drive substantial results for our taxpayers and businesses.
2. Another major issue in CT is state overreach in our local decision-making on Zoning and Education. As a statewide Reading Council member, I have witnessed firsthand the damages of legislative overreach and have been campaigning hard against it. The legislature empowered the state to mandate reading curricula even in the high achieving school districts, such as in District 42. The data has not proven that mandated programs improve outcomes in towns like ours; in fact, it shows quite the opposite. I personally campaigned tirelessly to speak with legislators to detail the changes that needed to be made, but they did not act. Once in office, I promise to always support local autonomy and not one-size-fits-all mandates.
3. In these trying times, with so many challenges confronting us, I believe that Civility, Transparency, and Bi-partisanship need to be prioritized to drive lasting change in Hartford. I have a three-year record of this as a Wilton Selectman and have worked across the aisle in that role and on the Reading Council. I also was the Treasurer of the Wilton Library for four years and presented the financial results quarterly to the Board of Selectman. As a former auditor, I believe in transparency and accountability, especially for our hard-earned tax dollars.
Professional, Volunteer, or Public Service Experience
I am currently in my third year as a Wilton Selectman and have worked in a bi-partisan manner as every vote has been unanimous. I chaired/co-chaired Wilton Minks to Sinks for three years, where I managed a team of 150 volunteers in this large-scale community effort. Additionally, I was appointed by the Board of Selectman as a trustee of the Wilton Library for six years (2015-2021), including four years as Treasurer. With my education and work experience as CPA and former auditor with PricewaterhouseCoopers, I bring much needed expertise to Hartford. As a mother of four children, aged 18-27, I am deeply invested in our community’s future.
I am also a Trustee on the Board of the Family and Children’s Agency, Norwalk and an appointed member of the CT Reading Leadership Implementation Council. As a member of the Reading Council, I have been advocating for local control of our schools and for empowerment of our local educational professionals. I am also a member of the Wilton Garden Club, and have previously served on the Wilton Conservation Commission.
Policy Questions
Local Control: How do you propose to protect your district’s control over zoning decisions? What is your approach to balancing affordable housing needs with preserving the town’s character?
As a legislator, I will oppose any legislation seeking to exert control over the autonomy of our local government, zoning, and education. I will continue to be an active voice speaking against this type of legislation. We need leaders who engage their community and take responsibility when they vote against their town’s best interest. CT has a long history of local autonomy especially around zoning and education. Too many legislators say they support local control but then vote with their leadership and are quietly mandating changes that are forced by the state. One only needs to look at the “fair share” bill that was just passed. It could potentially require that we double our housing stock. Additionally, I will also be a proponent for reforming the 8-30g law. An example of one change that needs to be made is to allow the addition of naturally occurring, lower-priced and senior housing which are currently excluded from the “affordable” calculations, allowing our towns to be singled out. We also need to look at other parts of housing costs besides the actual cost of the property/unit. Utilities, property taxes, and insurance are all increasing at a pace faster than our income growth. There are government-imposed charges in a lot of those bills that could be easily removed to lower the costs and make housing costs more affordable.
When it comes to balancing the needs of each town in the district, I will oppose state interference. Planning and Zoning decisions need to be managed at the town level. Each town’s board knows its needs, challenges, and character best and are clearly committed residents for stepping up to serve on that Board.
Utilities: What steps have you taken/will you take to address rising costs of electricity, natural gas, and water? Please explain your stand on the current situation with Aquarion.
What steps have you taken/will you take to address rising costs of electricity, natural gas, and water? Please explain your stand on the current situation with Aquarion.
One of the biggest frustrations of the exorbitant electricity bill this summer was the fact that the bulk of it came from the Public Benefit Charge. This charge is a direct result of bad decisions made by our legislators; in short, these costs did not have to be added to our bill. I will advocate for charges like the public benefit not falling on ratepayers.
With regards to Aquarion, I agree with New Canaan’s First Selectman concerns: the loss of tax revenue as PILOT payments would be made instead of property taxes, the town would have diminished representation on the board and it appears most likely there would be large rate increases.
Economy: How will you address the economic challenges posed by inflation? What legislative measures will you support to ease the financial burden on households and businesses in your district?
How will you address the economic challenges posed by inflation? What legislative measures will you support to ease the financial burden on households and businesses in your district?
As identified by the Yankee Institute, there are over 200 taxes and fees that cost more to collect than they bring in as revenue. I will propose that they should be eliminated immediately. The legislature should study the possibility of reducing the sales tax rate and reverting back to tax-free clothing under a certain dollar amount. I want to see all revenues for road improvements go directly into the Special Transportation Fund and not be diverted to support other initiatives.
I want to review all state requirements to start a business in our state, eliminate unnecessary requirements, and reduce all associated costs. Our state has been losing our largest taxpayers.
Supermajority: What does having a supermajority in the Connecticut legislature
mean to you and to your district?
What does having a supermajority in the Connecticut legislature mean to you and to your district? It would be horrible for our state and every elected official should agree on this. Our neighbor NYS has a supermajority and we can see that having one party making all the decisions and no checks in balances with the possibility of a Governor’s veto makes for bad governance.
I always say that no one political party has a monopoly on good ideas. We only have to look back to 2017 when the CT legislature was virtually tied, and the fiscal guardrails were voted into law. These guardrails have been instrumental in keeping CT in better financial standing. We need more of that type of governance and fewer one-sided decisions as we had last session. Ultimately, our community places a premium on bipartisanship to shape the legislation and the discourse, and the Supermajority would counter this goal.
Bipartisanship: How would you describe the current political environment in Connecticut? If elected, how will you contribute to improving the tone of political discourse and foster cooperation among different political viewpoints?
How would you describe the current political environment in Connecticut? If elected, how will you contribute to improving the tone of political discourse and fostering cooperation among different political viewpoints?
As a three-year, locally elected official on the Wilton Board of Selectmen, I have acted in a bipartisanship manner and our Board votes have always been unanimous. Our Board signed a Civility, Respect, and Understanding Proclamation and I have always held myself to that standard. If elected State Representative, I will endeavor to bring this type of leadership to Hartford. One does not need to look hard to see nasty political rhetoric on many elected state officials’ social media to understand why so many people are frustrated with the current political climate.
Your View: What should we have asked that we did not?
What have you done recently for your community that show your ability to represent everyone equally and fairly and that you can lead in a non-partisan manner? Also, do you promise to vote for what is best for your district and not what your party expects of you.
My answer would be: As a Wilton Selectwoman, I worked tirelessly on the current year’s budget to ensure that Wilton received a high level of town services while balancing taxpayer concerns. Our state affordability issue affects everyone and as a Family and Children’s agency board member and a volunteer tax-preparer, I am fully aware that too many of our neighbors are struggling. My work is community-focused, not political at all.
My campaign, and public service as a whole, are not geared towards one political party. While I am an endorsed Republican and cross-endorsed by the Independent Party, I have been representing all Wilton residents regardless of party for the past three years and can assure everyone that I will always help anyone regardless of their support of me or their political affiliation. As for the second question, I am an independent thinker and will always do what is best for the people I am elected to represent. Bi-partisanship is the key to achieving results.
