Name and Biographical Information:
Jason Perillo
What are your qualifications for this position?
I have served in the legislature for seventeen years. Prior to that I served on many local boards and commissions. I am a Certified Public Accountant with over twenty years of experience in healthcare. I currently work at Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan.
My wife and I live in Shelton with our daughter, who is eleven years old.
The 21st District includes Shelton, Monroe, Seymour, and Stratford. Each town has their own unique issues and “asks” from the State of Connecticut to serve their constituents. How do you plan to serve these very different 4 towns?
More binds our communities than divides them. Issues like education funding and state mandates are important across the board.
I always worked very closely with Kevin Kelly, and he was always a true partner and advocate for all four communities.
I have strong relationships with the local officials in all four towns. This gives me the opportunity to understand their needs and priorities.
What specifically will you do for Stratford? (i.e., Sen. Kelly requested and provided funding for the Shakespeare property and for Housatonic River clean up)
I have already proposed legislation to allocate funds for river cleanup, and I am committed to that cause.
In addition, I worked with Kevin Kelly to ensure that Stratford has a voice in decisions regarding the airport. There have been legislative efforts to erode that voice, but I will continue in my effort.
Education funding is extremely important to Stratford and all towns in the 21st Senate district. Ensuring that our communities get their fair share of education funding is not only the right thing to do for students, but it helps all taxpayers by alleviating property tax increases.
Economic Development: What specific policies would you advocate for to support small businesses and economic growth in our communities and across Connecticut?
When you talk to business owners, they generally want government to get out of their way. Helping businesses is often less about creating new programs and more about trimming back old ones.
For example, many small businesses involve licensure through state agencies, for which those business owners get nothing in return. It’s essentially a tax. I support the elimination of licensure fees for many of our workers.
There is a role for government in being a first-mover on infrastructure projects. I have brought in millions of dollars for road construction that has led to tens of millions in private investment.
Transportation & Infrastructure: How will you address traffic congestion, public transportation improvements, and infrastructure needs in the district?
Transit oriented development can alleviate congestion on our roads by making it easier for people to utilize public transportation.
I support state funding for these projects because the more people who utilize public transportation, the more cost-effective it becomes. Suggested solutions like tolls, congestion pricing (like in New York) or the proposed Metro north fare hike are not the answer.
The Metro North New Haven Line is an economic driver throughout Fairfield County and we shouldn’t discourage its use by increasing fares. We’ve seen that low ridership (like that seen on Shoreline East) can be an economic drag on the state. Transit oriented development and an extension of the platform at the Stratford train station would be helpful.
Education & Funding: How would you work to ensure that local schools receive adequate funding and that students in the district have access to high-quality education?
This is a constant legislative battle that often pits suburban school districts against the state’s four or five largest ones.
The only solution here is constant vigilance, and a willingness to work across the aisle with legislators from towns like ours to reach consensus on the need to bring additional funding to Stratford for Education Cost Sharing and Special Education costs.
When we bring in additional dollars for education, it lowers the property tax burden on residents and local businesses. This goes directly to keeping our towns affordable places to live and own a business.
Housing: What policies would you advocate for to make housing more affordable and help residents deal with the rising cost of living in Connecticut?
Our affordable housing statutes don’t work. They allow developers to bend the rules to their benefit and force zoning commissions to approve otherwise inappropriate projects. We see the makings of this at 150 Oronoque Lane where a developer is seeking approval for an excessively dense project.
Instead, the state should offer tax incentives to developers who revitalize old (and often blighted) structures and turn them into affordable housing. This creates housing opportunities for would-be employees while also helping to alleviate blight.
Public Safety & Community Well-being: What measures would you support to enhance public safety and address issues like crime, emergency response times, and community policing?
Over the last five years, the state has tied the hands of local law enforcement officers. There was a time where hundreds of young men and women would compete for one or two open police officer positions. Those days are gone and many young people feel that the profession of law enforcement is no longer attractive. Many officers feel that laws and regulations are stacked against them and that criminals will not be punished properly.
Until the state gets serious about prosecuting and punishing criminals, our local law enforcement officers will struggle to keep communities safe.
Environmental & Coastal Protection: With coastal communities in the district facing climate-related challenges, how would you address environmental concerns such as flooding, coastal erosion, and sustainability efforts?
We all know that Stratford is lowland and the risk of flooding has increased due rising water tables. I have dealt with similar challenges along the waterfront in Shelton and in surrounding communities.
State and local officials can come together to mitigate these risks. Mayor Hoydick worked very closely with the Stratford legislative delegation and the state’s Community Investment Fund to obtain funding Bruce Brook Flood Mitigation Project. This will reduce the frequency and severity of flooding and property damage.
Opportunities like this exist for coastal flooding and I will continue to identify opportunities to obtain bonding to deal with flood mitigation.
