Governor · Connecticut

EDUCATION FUNDING & ACCESS

After eight years of Governor Lamont, our children cannot afford another four years of the status quo. Connecticut has one of the most highly educated adult populations in the country and ranks among the nation’s highest-spending states on public education, yet our reading achievement has fallen and our math …

What specific policies would you support to address concerns about the impact of data centers on communities? (1,000 characters)

As Governor, my position is clear that we have said no to hyperscale AI data centers and we’ll keep saying no. Connecticut ratepayers should not be left paying the energy bill for them, and communities here don't want them. To protect our communities, I support strict policies putting ratepayers and affordability first. Any data center must bring its own clean power generation attached so it does not strain our electrical grid or increase utility rates for local families. Second, we must respect the right of municipalities to reject projects through local planning and zoning boards. Finally, we must enforce strict standards on water usage for cooling, mandate noise mitigation, and set high clean-energy requirements to protect local air, water, and quality of life. We will continue putting Connecticut families, ratepayer protection, and local community voices first.

What can Connecticut do to mitigate the effects of climate change? (1,000 characters)

Climate change is real, and I have repeatedly spoken out about the federal government’s efforts to roll back reasonable policies to address the issue. One of the best ways to address climate change is through more energy efficiency programs. These programs save the homeowner on their bills and reduce demand. We have also incorporated higher standards in state funded building projects. We are also moving towards affordable, clean energy sources like offshore wind, solar, and nuclear power. This past legislative session, we provided more tools to encourage residential solar. And we continue to work on building out electric vehicle charging stations and expanding public transit. Finally, we are mitigating the climate impacts already at our doorstep by fortifying local infrastructure and protecting coastal communities from severe flooding. We are encouraging the development of rain gardens, rebuilding culverts and seawalls. We are rebuilding bridges a little higher and wider.

What specific policies would you support to address concerns about the impact of data centers on communities? (1,000 characters)

Data centers should not be allowed to shift their costs onto Connecticut families, small businesses, taxpayers, or ratepayers. Connecticut already has some of the highest energy costs in the country, and we cannot allow massive new facilities to place additional strain on our electric grid. Gov. Lamont signed legislation providing property tax exemptions to massive data centers, leaving taxpayers and ratepayers to shoulder more of the costs while these facilities receive special treatment. As Governor, I will ensure data centers pay their fair share of the costs they create and eliminate Lamont’s giveaways to them. I will also protect local input. Communities deserve a meaningful voice when projects are proposed in their towns, so I will support local representation in the state’s data center siting process. Any economic benefits must not come at the expense of Connecticut residents.

What can Connecticut do to mitigate the effects of climate change? (1,000 characters)

Connecticut’s natural environment, from our coastline and rivers to our forests and farmland, is one of the reasons people are proud to call this state home. Protecting it should go hand in hand with making Connecticut more affordable. We should preserve open space and farmland while maintaining local control over land-use and zoning decisions. I also support investing in public transportation, including rail and infrastructure improvements that reduce congestion and emissions. Connecticut is uniquely positioned between New York and Boston, and better transportation can connect residents to jobs and help people access the state’s tourism destinations without relying solely on cars. We should pursue practical, cost-effective policies that protect our environment, improve transportation, and strengthen our economy—without imposing more mandates and higher costs on Connecticut families.

Please explain your position on the use of “flock” cameras and the data they collect. (1,000 characters)

This year I supported and signed legislation strictly limiting data retention, prohibiting data sharing to protect individual rights, and restricting access strictly to active law enforcement investigations. Automated license plate readers can be effective tools for solving crimes and locating stolen vehicles, but public safety cannot come at the expense of privacy and civil liberties. Connecticut residents are rightfully concerned about unchecked surveillance and data collection. That is why I called for a statewide pause on installing new equipment, and called the Police Officer Standards and Training Council to recommend new rules to implement the legislation. That process is ongoing and I hope it is useful for local municipal leaders as they make these decisions.

Crime

Homicides, car thefts, and other serious crimes rose to unacceptable levels under the Lamont administration. Ryan’s plan reforms the 2020 anti-police legislation, closes parole loopholes for violent offenders, and reinstates proactive policing to keep our communities safe.

Please explain your position on the use of “flock” cameras and the data they collect. (1,000 characters)

I voted against the legislation authorizing the expanded use of Flock cameras, and I remain concerned about their impact on privacy and civil liberties. Public safety matters, and law enforcement needs effective tools to investigate crime, but we should not sacrifice the privacy of law-abiding Connecticut residents without strong safeguards. Flock’s system collects and stores sensitive information about where vehicles travel, creating a massive database that could be misused or compromised. The company has also acknowledged data breaches, raising additional questions about data security. Connecticut should prioritize proven law enforcement strategies, adequate staffing, and policies that directly address crime rather than relying on technology that creates new privacy risks.

Do you believe that Connecticut’s tax system is fair? Please explain your answer. (1,000 characters)

I increased the Earned Income Tax Credit, cut taxes for working families, and reduced our reliance on property taxes. After years of deficits, I have delivered eight years of balanced budgets, giving us the fiscal room to invest in education, child care, state employee and teacher pensions, and other priorities. If re-elected, one of my priorities will be ending corporate welfare and ensuring that large corporations pay their fair share, instead of shifting healthcare costs to taxpayers. I will continue cracking down on tax avoidance and closing loopholes that allow large companies to avoid their tax obligations. We must ensure large corporations contribute fairly to the investments that make Connecticut a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

Do you believe that Connecticut’s tax system is fair? Please explain your answer. (1,000 characters)

No, Connecticut’s tax system is not fair. Connecticut’s taxes are the third highest in the country, and Gov. Lamont has made it even worse. He raised taxes on food, increased taxes on online purchases, and raised taxes on your paychecks, among other increases. When you add up all the increases and decreases in taxes over his term, Lamont has increased taxes by more than $400 million per year. More of the same won’t cut it. As Governor, I will deliver the largest tax cut in state history: a 2 percentage point reduction in personal income taxes and more than $2,500 in annual relief for the average family in our state. I will also fight to eliminate waste, reduce costly mandates, grow our economy, and make sure Connecticut lives within its means. As with all my plans, I encourage you to visit ryanfazio.com/issues to see how I will provide relief and pay for it as well. Our campaign will provide specifics in a way that no other gubernatorial campaign in the country will.

What measures would you suggest to increase the amount of affordable housing in our state? (1,000 characters)

We cannot solve affordability in Connecticut without addressing housing, and we cannot address housing without working closely with our cities and towns. To expand our housing supply and lower costs, we are making historic state investments to build workforce and affordable housing where it makes sense—near transit hubs, downtowns, and job centers. To achieve this, we launched a new entity - the Connecticut Municipal Development Authority that works with local leaders to identify parcels where we can speed up permitting approvals and help finance new construction or infrastructure. We also work to make the current housing stock more affordable for working families. Through our Time to Own program, we provide forgivable down payment assistance to help first-time buyers build wealth. We have expanded rental assistance programs to keep families stably housed. And we have increased the property tax credit to provide some additional relief.

What measures would you suggest to increase the amount of affordable housing in our state? (1,000 characters)

Connecticut needs more affordable housing, but we must be honest about what drives costs. This is not simply a supply problem. High taxes, state mandates, regulatory burdens, and Connecticut’s enormous debt make it more expensive to build, buy, and own a home. I oppose expanding 8-30g because it allows developers to bypass local zoning and strips communities of meaningful input. I would also repeal HB 8002, which expands state control over local zoning and imposes additional mandates on municipalities. Ned Lamont supports 8-30g and signed HB 8002 into law, giving large developers more power to build without local input. That is wrong. We should reduce construction costs by eliminating unnecessary regulations and unfunded mandates while creating incentives for communities that voluntarily expand housing in ways that fit their needs and character. Lowering taxes and the overall cost of living will also make homeownership more attainable for Connecticut families.

Affordability as a regulatory standard

Require affordability to be considered when determining utility profits, ensuring ratepayers are not asked to shoulder unreasonable costs

Protect consumers

from unnecessary spending by requiring rigorous cost-benefit analyses before major infrastructure investments can be charged to ratepayers

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Hold utilities accountable

through stronger oversight, transparency requirements, and regular reviews of their performance

Lowering Costs for Families

Connecticut families deserve a state where they can afford to live, raise children, and plan for the future.

Please provide your background and qualifications and tell the voters why you are the best candidate for this office. (800 characters)

As Governor, I am proud that we have delivered real results for Connecticut families. We have gone from one of the slowest growing economies in the nation to being one of the fastest. We have cut taxes for middle class and working families, and paid down more than $12 billion in debt. At the same time, we passed one of the best paid family and medical leave programs in the country, raised the minimum wage, and moved our state towards universal pre-K. We can and will continue to deliver for Connecticut. We have more work to do to make our state more affordable. This is why I am focusing on my third term to deliver affordable child care for all children in the state, reduce healthcare costs to small businesses and families, expand access to affordable housing, and lower energy costs.

Please provide your background and qualifications and tell the voters why you are the best candidate for this office. (800 characters)

I was born and raised in Connecticut, attended Greenwich public schools, and returned home after earning a degree in economics from Northwestern University to build a life here. I spent most of my career in energy and agriculture trading and logistics, then invested in and advised small businesses. For over a decade, I’ve volunteered in inner-city schools and delivered meals through Meals on Wheels. In the State Senate, I’ve worked across the aisle to lower electricity costs, protect local control, grow our economy, and hold government accountable. I co-authored and passed seven bipartisan laws, including measures expanding birth control access, strengthening utility oversight, and increasing local control. I’m running for Governor to make Connecticut a place where families can afford.