Candidate Profile: Pam Salamone, 103rd District

CHESHIRE, CT — The 2020 election is heating up in Connecticut and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office. Eyes are primarily focused on the presidential election, but every state representative and senate seat is up for grabs.

All five of Connecticut's congressional seats are up for grabs as well.

There are 151 seats in the state House of Representatives and 36 in the state Senate. Democrats currently hold majorities in both chambers with a 91 to 60 lead over Republicans in the House and a 22 to 14 lead in the Senate.

Connecticut Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns.

Pam Salamone, a Cheshire resident, is running for House of Representatives District 103 to represent parts of Cheshire, Southington and Wallingford.

Age: 52

Party affiliation: Republican Party
Endorsed by the Independent Party as well

Family: Husband Michael 58, daughters Rebecca 24, Nicole 22, Olivia 18, son Michael 17

Occupation: Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Purchasing and Service Coordinator as well as legislative aide to former Senator Joe Markley

Previous elected experience: None

Campaign website: pamsalamone.com

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Our single most pressing issue is the economy. Economic growth is the only answer to our problems. We still enjoy the advantages that made Connecticut prosperous—a great location, an educated workforce, and outstanding quality of life—and we can rebound, if government allows business to thrive.

We must begin to reduce the crushing burden of taxes and regulation; that means cutting unnecessary spending and breaking the cycle of tax increases. The challenge begins next year, when the legislature faces a $7 billion deficit. Another tax increase—inevitable if big-spending Democrats remain in charge—would crush our recovery. We must find another way.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidate seeking this post?

I haven’t sought political office before, but many of our friends and neighbors have encouraged me to run for the state legislature, to make sure that our communities are represented by someone who understands the pressing needs of local families. I believe that public safety, supporting police being present in our community is the number one function of Government. My opponent has voted against the police and made it harder for them to keep law and order.

Unlike my opponent I will not be voting to give 500 million of our hard earned dollars to Hartford. The massive tax and spend policies put upon us by the legislative majority in Hartford won’t be able to turn our economy around. We can’t keep raising taxes—it’s driving good paying jobs and too many of our neighbors out of state. We need to restore opportunity in Connecticut, so that young people can stay and prosper in our great community.

Unlike my opponent I will never vote yes to forward any legislation that could give big cities a say in our local schools.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I’ve been involved with small businesses all my life. My father was a self-made man, who started a home security company. During the years I worked with him, he moved me through every aspect of the operation. I came away with a thorough understanding of what it takes to turn a profit—and a deep appreciation of how much my father accomplished.

The man I married is also an entrepreneur. For twenty-six years, Mike and I have shared struggles and successes in a number of ventures, including a small manufacturing firm in Cheshire and a small business in Wallingford. Overcoming the difficulties inherent in business is a healthy challenge, requiring thrift, efficiency, ingenuity, and application. Those qualities are desperately needed at our State Capitol.

I believe I know what business needs to come back, and that knowledge will inform my votes as a State Representative.

Being a legislative aide to former Senator Joe Markley has given me the knowledge of the political process in Hartford which will allow for an easy transition into the position of State Representative.

Do you believe Connecticut needs reform when it comes to electric utility oversight? What steps, if any should be taken?

Our utility control system has failed the ratepayers: not PURA alone, but also the legislators—my opponent included--who passed regulations that increased our rates, the Capitol insiders who advocated for higher costs, and the utility companies that put the salaries of their executives before the welfare of their customers. All of them bear the blame.

Connecticut has the highest electric rates in the continental United States. It’s a crushing burden for hard-working families, and a reason for businesses to locate elsewhere.

Our rates are a staggering 88% above the national average, and the high profits and massive executive salaries allowed by PURA are one of the reasons. While consumers struggle, the president of Eversource takes home a cool $19 million a year at our expense.

As a legislator, I will not support utility mandates that raise rates for small businesses and hard-working families.

I will also propose legislation to replace appointed utility commissioners with an elected board, as is done in eleven states. If utility commissioners had to answer to the people, I believe they would be less beholden to well-healed lobbyists and the other powers that be in Hartford.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?

All the suggestions I lay out above to assist business are even more important during this recovery: relief from burdensome taxes and regulations, an end to outrageous utility rate increases, and a return to stability and predictability in the lawmaking process.

Beyond that, the reopening needs to be as swift as public safety allows. Governor Lamont’s insistence on imposing the same rules on the entire state has been a clear and avoidable error. Though Connecticut is a small state geographically, it’s always had high variety per square mile. Some sections—our northern corners, for instance—have largely escaped the pandemic, which was concentrated in Fairfield County and, most tragically, in our nursing homes.

The governor should allow communities which are essentially free from the virus and businesses which can control contact with the public to make their own decisions about reopening. We should concentrate our effort at protecting those most at risk, which Lamont failed to do: the death rate in our nursing homes was the highest per capita of any state in the union. That disaster could have been avoided with just a little common sense.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

Two critical issues that separate me from my opponent are forced school regionalization and support for our local police.

Representative Linehan three times supported bills which would clearly put us on a path toward regionalization—and she admitted it. On March 29, 2019, in a meeting of the Education Committee, Linehan said of SB 874, "It does seem like it's a step towards regionalization, which my district is whole heartedly against." Moments later, she voted in favor of this bill. She knowingly sold out the parents, students, teachers, and taxpayers of our district.

On February 11, 2019, Linehan voted for SB 738, which called for “a commission responsible for developing a plan to implement regional consolidation of school districts, and that such plan shall realign those towns with a total population of fewer than forty thousand… and require such towns to join a regional school district.” On the same day, she voted for SB 457, which required any school district with fewer than 2,000 students to join a regional school district or to justify its refusal.

I strongly support local control of our public schools, and will oppose any attempt to force regionalization with all my energy, every step of the way.

This July, Linehan supported HB 6004, the so-called Police Accountability Bill. This legislation diminishes the ability of law enforcement to practice preventive policing, curtails their ability to defend themselves and others, and makes officers personally liable to frivolous lawsuits. In light of this vote, I am proud to say that both the Cheshire and Southington Police Unions have endorsed my candidacy as well as the Connecticut Fraternal Organization of Police. I will defend their interests and our safety. I stand with our local police officers and with our law abiding families.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

My greatest love is that for my children. Watching them grow into the young adults they have become would make any parent proud. My husband and I have always had a love of animals as many would already know from us having a Bison farm for approximately 15 years. Hosting many groups of kids to come view, learn and taste bison burgers. No one will pass by our house without seeing our 3 dogs running around outside in our yard. I think we have some of the happiest dogs around.

See also: Candidate Profile: Liz Linehan, 103rd District