Live Blog - George Colli for State Senate (CT-7)

We need to create the jobs in this area to entice young people to move back following college or to stay in the area. My district had the highest number of jobs lost in the state in 2007. I read that there were 1700 jobs lost in the Enfield, CT region. The second highest region in the state for job loss was in New Haven with 200 jobs. We need to give businesses the incentives not only to come to the area, but to stay.
This district is the transportation hub for the state of CT. Windsor Locks is home to Bradley International Airport. A major highway, Interstate-91, cuts the district in half. We are about a 30 minute drive from Hartford and a 20 minute drive from Springfield, MA. The rising gas prices are really hurting people who work in the cities. There are two proposed train stations in Enfield and Windsor Locks that could connect Springfield to New Haven through the central part of our state. I believe these stations could be the catalyst to bring these new jobs to the area. There is one transit oriented development across from Bradley Airport that could create 250 new jobs from two hotels, restaurants, medical offices, and retail along with 300 affordable condo/apartment units. These are type of smart growth projects we need to bring to the area.

Sorry for the delay... I will be sure to get to all the questions. I think we need to have government officials use technology and the internet to become more accessible to constituents. Sessions like these are are a great way not only for candidates to get their views out, but for citizens to express their concerns. We are using Facebook as just one organizing tool to get out info to volunteers on events, concerns and proposals. I think if candidates used these tools and local blogs on a daily basis to converse with constituents then the the process would be cleaner and more productive. Our generation is receiving our information much differently then past generations and gov't needs to keep up with the times...

Thanks Pete . I appreciate the kind words. We have gotten some very positive exposure so far. The day of the convention the Fox affiliate in Hartford did a "Day in the Life" feature on the political process and used our campaign as the vehicle. The link to that piece is at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWGKug68bTA

I have been focusing mostly on getting out and talking with people one on one. Folks in this district feel left out of the process. I am trying to be as inclusive and accessible as I can with people. I am learning so much from them and want to give them a strong voice in this campaign and in Hartford.

The cost of housing in our area is forcing young people out of the state. It is not only the cost of buying or renting a home, but the cost of powering, heating and mantaining a home that is squeezng young people. The same can be said for businesses in the area. To give you an idea. When I first purchased my home in 2003, the monthly electric bill was about $90. Last year, the average electric bill per month was $260. The cost per month to heat my home in 2003 was $180, this year is $550. While easing the property tax burden on our residents is a major issue, so is the cost of keeping our lights on. The state is currently studying the impact of housing costs on young people and I look forward to working in a bi-partisan way to implement the recommendations from this study.

I can be reached by email at friendsofgeorgecolli@hotmail.com . We will be introducing our website www.georgecolli.com on July 1. Also feel free to look me up on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1312899415 and follow along with a lot of friends and volunteers.

People could help me in so many ways. If there are initiatives being brought forward in your state or town that you think could help us here in CT then please, by all means, send me the links. If any of you are in the area this Summer and Fall and want to get involved with sign waving, door knocking, or research I would love the help.

We are compiling a large email list of voters in the district. If any of you around the country went to school or work with people who live in this area, let them know about this campaign. We are going to have some fun with this campaign and could use any help you are willing to give.

Yes Pete. I am excited to announce that on Monday I received the endorsement of the CT AFL-CIO . We have almost 4000 AFL-CIO members in the district. The union issues, particularily those concerning our corrections officers, will be a major focus of my campaign. My district has 6 corrections facilities and 60% of the prisoners in the state. These guys and gals have to deal with alot on a day in and day out basis. We need to respond in Hartford by getting them the equipment they deserve. Their contract comes up next year and I look to be a strong ally for their cause.

I have a background in real estate. I am a third generation realtor and have spent just about every meal in my life hearing about or talking about the local real estate market. I have spent almost every day of my adult life sitting on couches and at kitchen tables working with people on how make the smartest decision for their future. I know what factors investors look for when they are considering purchasing a piece of property. I understand the issues, street by street, in this district that ether help or hurt property values. We need to make the smart choices in transitioning our 19th century infrastructure into this 21st century world. All too often, the investments made by the state into our towns only alleviate short term problems. This is like covering a virus with a band aid. We need to invest in education, but we must also invest in bringing in the industries that will keep these young people in the district. We need the children who are taking advantage of the great schools we have in the district to stay here and invest in future generations. I will bring a long term vision to Hartford and have the energy to bring these long term goals to fruition.

Michael - Thank you so much for this opportunity. I am going to answer every question posed and would certainly appreciate any questions that would continue to come in. I hope that we can continue this conversation throughout the Summer and Fall. Thanks again everyone.

Thank you very much. The restoration of the Thompsonville Village District is one of the central parts of my campaign. I spoke earlier about the proposed train station in Thompsonville. I think that this proposal can be the biggest boost to the center of Thompsonville and to the area as a whole that I can think of. There are many issues facing this area. One of the biggest is the problem with absentee landlords. Thompsonville has one of the lowest concentrations of owner-occupied homes in the country. I was told last week that only 32% of the homes are owner-occupied. We need landlords to take pride in the homes they rent out. The issues of drug-use, unemployement and crime have ripped the heart out of an area that not too long ago was a vibrant town center. State Rep. Kathy Tallarita held a forum last week that was attended by about 30 residents. The hard working folks who live in Thompsonville are so optimistic about its future, but the negative reports that come out on a weekly basis drown out that optimism. I invite you to attend the next forum, which I believe will be the third Thursday of July. Tell your story. I think you will find that there are a lot of people who share your energy and want to put a positive spin on what is starting to happen in that community. It will take more then money to solve these issues. We will see that area transformed in our lifetime.