When I started high school in 2018, pessimism hung in the air.
Headlines in the news were all saying the same thing: “More people are leaving Connecticut than ever before”, “The State has not recovered since the great recession”, “We don’t have enough money for our budget”. My parents, like many others across Connecticut, were thinking about moving away.
When Ned Lamont first ran for Governor, I remember how people talked about how he’d be more of the same. As it turns out, he was different. He gave the middle class the largest tax cut in Connecticut history. But he didn’t only cut taxes; he put tax dollars to use to help those who needed it. When the economy came screeching to a halt during the pandemic, the Governor stepped in to launch P-EBT and the free summer lunch program.
In 2022, upon graduating from high school, I went to Central Connecticut State University, thanks to Governor Lamont’s work to make college more affordable. Now, I’m the first member of my family to get a college degree.
After the pandemic, when the Governor implemented free buses, I started to use public transportation. Thanks to the continued investments in Fastrak and Metro-North, my college U-Pass, and a redesigned Norwalk Transit District network, I’m able to get to school, work, and friends without even owning a car.
The work here is not done. Although Connecticut has turned around economically, the federal government is actively working against us, cutting our social safety net, clawing back infrastructure grants, throwing wrenches in housing reform, and putting unnecessary tariffs on critical goods. But if there’s anyone I trust to deal with these issues and continue to move Connecticut forward, it’s Governor Ned Lamont – and he will have my vote on the August 11th primary.
Editor’s note: This piece is an opinion article. The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the perspectives of the publication or its staff.
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