Running Unopposed in ‘08

CLINTON:

    State Representative Brian O’Connor, a Democrat, is seeking re-election for a fifth term to the 35th State Assembly District of Clinton, Westbrook, and Killingworth.

    First elected to the House of Representatives in 2001, O’Connor is chairman of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee.

    “I’m known at the Capitol and in the district for putting people and groups who have opposing interests together to forge legislation or solutions that work for the parties involved,” said O’Connor.

    Born in New Haven and raised in Westbrook, O’Connor lives in Clinton. He is employed by Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce as director. He holds a B.S. in business administration from the University of Colorado.

    O’Connor has served as a member of the Westbrook Town Forest Commission and Westbrook Democratic Town Committee and is currently a member of the Clinton Democratic Town Committee.

    His volunteer experience includes the Board of Trustees, Ivoryton Playhouse; Board of Directors, Valley Railroad Company; Board of Directors, Connecticut River Coastal Conservation District; Member, Community Impact Council of the Middlesex United Way; Board Member, Middlesex Coalition for Children; Past Board of Directors, Middlesex United Way; Past Member, Kiwanis Club of Middletown; Past Board of Directors, Connecticut Forest and Park Association.

    The Harbor News recently asked Rep. O’Connor to talk about important issues facing his district and the state.

What do you feel are the top three challenges facing the 35th District in the next two years and what are your plans to address these issues?

    “Maintaining our quality of life is the primary challenge facing the people of Connecticut. Household budgets are being squeezed by the high costs of living, young people and seniors are finding it difficult to live here and our businesses face a tough economic environment to do business in.

    “Creating jobs, growing the economy, and offering educational opportunities are the keys to improving our quality of life. Many of the rising costs are out of our control such as the price of oil and the stock market turmoil, but we can foster an economic climate that spurs growth in existing industries like insurance, manufacturing and the marine trades, while positioning Connecticut to benefit from new economy industries that are developing.

    “As state representative, I have consistently supported measures that bolster our ties between our education system and the business community. Integrating the curriculum with the necessary job skills to compete in the global economy will help Connecticut compete for high paying jobs. With an already strong public school system, Connecticut can capitalize on the worldwide economic trends just as we have in the past.

    “Improving the affordability and accessibility of healthcare is another area of concern. As chairman of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee, I have worked with all the different stakeholders in the healthcare industry to build upon the current infrastructure and develop a model for increasing access and affordability.

    “We have made great strides in accomplishing our goals, but there is much to be done. We have reduced the number of uninsured in Connecticut, promoted transparency, and improved administrative efficiencies through expanded use of electronic health records. I will continue to work on making health insurance more affordable and will concentrate on establishing incentives for wellness, chronic disease management and other preventative measures.

    “While understanding that we cannot move from an oil-based economy and lifestyle overnight, I believe it is necessary to transition to clean, renewable energy resources and become less dependent upon foreign oil. I will support initiatives that move toward this goal, which will ultimately reduce costs, provide stability to our economy and create jobs.

What are some of your past accomplishments as a state representative that have had or will have the most impact, in your opinion, on the average member of the community?

    “There are three items over the last two years that I would like to highlight that will directly impact the people in the community. As chairman of Insurance and Real Estate, I spearheaded efforts along with other coastal legislators to pass legislation prohibiting insurers from denying or refusing to issue homeowner policies to coastal residents solely because a person did not install storm shutters. Another key provision of this legislation was that we created a Coastal Market Assistance Program to help coastal-area residents obtain homeowners insurance if they cannot obtain it elsewhere. The key to the legislation is that it did not negatively impact the insurers’ ability to underwrite risk, which preserved access to homeowners’ policies for coastal landowners, and it protected consumers from oppressive underwriting criteria sought by a handful of insurers.

    “The next two items are health insurance related. I helped author legislation to provide insurance coverage for those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. If a child is diagnosed with autism, they will be able to access the speech, occupational and physical therapies available to them through their health insurance policies. Previous to this, many were denied coverage. With earlier treatment, we hope that the child will receive and respond to the necessary therapies and lead more productive lives.

    “The legislature passed legislation, which allows 19-26 year olds to access health insurance through their parent’s health coverage regardless of whether or not they are enrolled in school. Exceptions to this law are that it is not available to 19 to 26 year olds who have access to their employer’s coverage or if they marry.

    “Of note, the two health insurance measures sited above may not be available to those who are employed by companies with self insured plans.”

As we are entering the winter season of ‘08-‘09, homeowners are facing record-breaking prices for home-heating fuel. What are some action items you are looking at to help decrease prices and help those who need assistance the most?

    “This was probably the number one issue in my office last year and I expect it to be prominent this year as well. On August 22, we held a special session to allocate more funding for the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program and we increased the income eligibility limits for individuals and families. There was an emphasis to provide incentives for conservation by subsidizing energy efficiency audits and offering furnace replacement rebates. As stated above we cannot control the price of crude, but can offer assistance until we transition to more sustainable, independent energy resources.“