Candidate Profile: Geoff Luxenberg, State House 12th District

MANCHESTER, CT — Geoff Luxenberg, a Manchester resident is running for House of Representatives in District 12.

Age: 36

Party affiliation: Democratic Party

Family: Wife Jessica, Children Mack, Zamira and Zoey

Occupation: Non-Profit Manager and Realtor (several years experience in both)

Previous elected experience: State Representative 2011-2015 and 2019-2020. Board of Education 2007.

Family members in government: No.

Campaign website: Facebook: @GeoffLux2020. Contact me directly anytime on my cell phone - 860-335-2023.

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it: The economic devastation and public health impact of COVID 19 is the single most pressing issue for Connecticut right now. We have to follow the science and public health experts, protect people, and make sure State Government is working to help the thousands of people and their families who have lost their jobs, lost loved ones, and provide support to the heroes who are working hard on the front-lines to help us get through this terrible crisis - including teachers, first responders, health care workers, and all people who are going to work everyday and risking their lives to protect us.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post? I'm a pragmatic, hard-working, consensus building Democrat who cares about the middle-class, seniors, workers, veterans, education, health care and civil rights for everyone. My opponent is a Trump-supporting libertarian right-wing extremist who is anti-vaccines during a pandemic and has opposed common sense measures to protect us from COVID 19 during this terrible time. I support common sense gun safety measures and he opposes them. I support black lives matter and equal rights for everyone - he is opposed to civil rights and important justice-oriented reforms. We also disagree on the issue of crumbling foundations - I want to help people with this problem in Manchester and have helped deliver over $40 million in assistance - he believes government has no role in helping victims of crumbling concrete in Manchester - and that people whose homes were ruined through no fault of their own in our community should have no remedy. The other difference is experience. I have a track record of delivering millions of dollars to help Manchester - including saving and renovating the Whiton Library, millions to renovate Broad Street, new sidewalks for Green Manor neighborhood, millions in extra education dollars which has reduced our local property tax burden, veterans property tax relief, and I helped deliver Paid Family Medical Leave and a minimum wage increase for workers.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job? I have a record of results for the people of Manchester - whether it is securing millions of dollars for our public schools, libraries and infrastructure, or whether it helping hundreds of Manchester residents get access to help during COVID 19. I authored and got signed into law two major pieces of legislation last year - one was a major civil rights and criminal justice reform bill, and the other was a major bill to help Manchester people harmed by crumbling concrete foundations. I also played a key roll in delivering Paid Family Medical Leave and a minimum wage increase of $15 an hour to workers. Our campaign has been endorsed by the Connecticut Education Association, Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters, American Federation of Teachers, the League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club, The Connecticut Building Trades, the Connecticut Realtors, the AFL-CIO, SEIU, AFSCME Council 4, CSEA, The Working Families Party, NARAL-Pro Choice CT, Connecticut Against Gun Violence and many other groups based on my track record of bipartisan hard work that achieves results for Manchester.

Do you believe Connecticut needs reform when it comes to electric utility oversight? What steps, if any should be taken? Yes reform is desperately needed. I have a consistent track record of voting for legislation, which sadly did not become law due to special interest influence, which would have prevented the problems we have faced this year from ever occurring in the first place. No one will work harder to hold Eversource accountable and protect consumers and I will never vote to give away $700 million dollars. We need a stronger regulatory structure that protects consumers from rate hikes and multi-day power-outages. Enough is enough.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses? We have to invest in infrastructure: roads, bridges, schools, green energy projects. We also need to bolster the social safety net to help people dealing with job loss and who are living paycheck to paycheck and just trying to survive this horrible pandemic without losing their apartment or home. Local infrastructure spending to create jobs and direct economic relief to people who have been hurt by the pandemic is what is needed right now.

List other issues that define your campaign platform: I am passionate about civil rights and human rights and on the Judiciary Committee I get to do a lot of work that it is designed to try to level the playing field and create a more just system that gives more people a chance to compete and succeed in this challenging economy. I am also passionate about addressing economic inequality and believe in a tax structure designed to narrow the gap between the wealthiest in our State and those who are working hard and struggling to make it here in Manchester.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions? I'm accessible and I work hard for everyone I represent. That is why I give everyone my personal cell phone - which is 860-335-2023 - and encourage any person in our district to contact me directly on my cell phone if you have issues you want me to work on or problems you want me to try and solve. It is an honor representing Manchester in the Connecticut General Assembly and I will always work hard for Manchester and will do so with integrity and dignity.