After Successful Re-Election,Michelle Mccabe

Hwang Promises ‘Better Days Ahead’ After Successful Re-election State Senator Tony Hwang celebrates his win with his wife, Grace, after receiving the good news. Shortly after his successful win against Democrat Michelle McCabe to continue to represent the 28th Senatorial District, Republican state Senator Tony Hwang made some vows. He promised voters he would work to help businesses impacted by COVID-19 in their recovery, to assist the district’s working families and other vulnerable populations who continue to struggle and to help children safely return to their classrooms. “Our businesses need an opportunity to recover, our children need to be able to return to the classroom safely, and our democratic institutions and economy require strengthening,” Hwang said. “I remain committed to serving the best interests of our community and representing all of you. Better days lie ahead, and we will get there by working together to find solutions to the challenges before us.” According to unofficial vote results, Hwang beat McCabe by just over 2,000 votes, including a vote margin in Easton of 2,776 to 2,173. The unofficial numbers were 31,494 for Hwang and 29,447 for McCabe. “I am incredibly thankful for the continued trust placed upon me by the voters of the 28th Senate District,” Hwang said. “I am humbled to be given the opportunity to continue to represent and serve our community and state. I would also like to acknowledge Ms. McCabe, for a hard-fought campaign and wish her well.” McCabe, a Fairfield resident who currently works as the director of the Center for Food Equity and Economic Development at the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport, ran a Connecticut-focused campaign. If elected, McCabe said that one of her priorities was to tackle the high cost of medical insurance and expand access to mental health care. “I planned to bring my persistence and courage to see policies enacted that could bring immediate relief to the high cost of living in Connecticut while making sure that we leave no one behind, “McCabe said. Hwang will serve his fourth term in the state Senate. He previously served three terms as a state representative from the 134th district. Hwang campaigned on his legislative record to rebuild the state’s economy after COVID-19 and restoring jobs. Locally, he said, he would maintain local control and input on housing, land use and zoning against the state-mandated 8-30g density housing law and educational excellence. Michelle McCabe Candidate Statement: The Importance of Supporting Small Businesses The CBIA and a dozen other organizations are calling for a $70 million state grant program to help small businesses struggling through the coronavirus pandemic. I fully support setting aside funds to assist our small businesses during the pandemic. In fact, I would argue we need to do more than just provide financial support. We will be living with COVID-19 for a long time, certainly through 2021. The impact most likely will involve moving between different stages of opening and closure with fluctuating numbers of people allowed to gather indoors. We need to work with our small businesses to adjust their business models accordingly so they too can shift between different means of delivery of services or production or even manufacturing based on restrictions. For example, chain stores discovered that curbside delivery, as reported in The New York Times, “ has…emerged as many retailers’ best strategy for long-term survival in the e-commerce age. And what started as a coronavirus stopgap is likely to have a permanent impact on the way people shop, along with giving them a new reason to continue to visit beleaguered physical stores.” While curbside may be a challenge for smaller retailers, we can help create an infrastructure that would allow stores on Main Street to collaborate on a curbside option for consumers. We could similarly create a COVID consumer confidence initiative that identifies retail, restaurants, gyms, etc. as “safe spaces”, meaning they have been inspected and approved as following COVID-19 benchmarks or protocol. We also need to pass a public option for health insurance so businesses can lower the cost of providing coverage and free up funds to reinvest. We need to lower the cost of electricity in order to produce the same result. We need to partner with the small business community to explore ways that we can help them continue to generate revenue throughout the pandemic in order to ensure their resiliency and sustainability that will outlast any short-lived loan program. As the director of the FEED Center, I have a demonstrated track record of leveraging resources for maximum impact, following a lean startup model in business to adjust to changes in the market, and assisting workers and entrepreneurs gain a successful foothold in our economy. I look forward to applying the skills and knowledge gleaned from doing the work into policy solutions that will truly help our business community and their workforce weather the impact of the pandemic. Editor’s Note: This is McCabe’s second political statement. Per the Easton Courier Political Campaign Publication Policies, candidates may submit two statements, explaining their positions. Michelle McCabe Candidate Statement: Supporting Easton Farmers is Key to Our Resilience My career was launched by local agriculture. I learned where my food came from in 2007 when I read Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma. It changed not only how I got my food but also my life’s calling. For the last 12 years, I have endeavored to find ways to strengthen our local food system through supporting growers, harvesters, and consumers. In my current role as the Director of the Center for Food Equity and Economic Development with the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport, I’m leveraging food waste to provide workforce training and food business launch for low-income area residents. Easton contributes mightily to our local food supply. I’m excited that as senator, I can partner with growers, harvesters, and consumers to support a sector that is necessary for our survival into the future. My vision for the future of Connecticut centers on ensuring our collective resiliency, sustainability, and equity in all policies we pursue. Connecticut is entering a critical juncture where current events are forcing us to confront the realities of global warming, as well as economic and racial injustice. The success of local agriculture — the ability for farmers to be self-sustaining, for our food supply to be robust, and for season extension — is absolutely critical for our state and region to survive the supply chain disruptions caused by pandemic, extreme weather events, and economic fallout. We need to ensure that the infrastructure exists to protect and expand our local growing, including but not restricted to animal processing facilities, fruit and vegetable production and processing facilities, ocean farming, hoop houses, and other season extenders. Policies that can help the farming community be sustainable include reinforcing the symbiotic relationship between farms and green energy. I plan to help farmers diversify their revenue by partnering with solar and anaerobic digestion, exploring payment for carbon sequestering, and creating a market for seconds. I hope that working with local growers and harvesters, we can both ensure that farmers are financially successful while also providing fresh, local produce to all Connecticut residents, regardless of their income status. A strong, well-staffed, well-informed, and responsive Department of Agriculture, UCONN Extension, and Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station who are equipped with cutting-edge information, robust technical assistance capacity, and ability to grant-make to the farming community are necessary in order for Connecticut to come closer to providing enough food for our residents. I plan to ensure that these agencies are responsive to the needs on the ground, rather than relying on a top-down approach to the work at hand. Easton’s farming community holds the key to our collective ability to be resilient and sustainable into the future. As your senator, I will ensure that Easton farmers and residents get the support they need to be successful. Editor’s Note: This is McCabe’s first political statement. Per the Easton Courier Political Campaign Publication Policies, candidates may submit two statements, explaining their position. Letter: Elect McCabe Our Next State Senator To the Editor: A voice for the people — that’s what Michelle McCabe will give us as our next state senator. She cares about public educational excellence and so many other issues that matter to you and me. She will deliver for our district by voting to protect and promote what we care about and by having the ear of those in Hartford who control access to resources. Michelle McCabe is the leader we need now to keep Easton, and the entire 28th State Senate district, on the move! Elect Michelle McCabe so we have a senator that can get it done! Bob Lessler Member, Easton Board of Selectmen Letter: Michelle McCabe for State Senator – 28th District To the Editor: Michelle has spent her career taking on some of the biggest challenges that face our community. As director of the Center for Food Equity and Economic Development (FEED) in Bridgeport, she has hands-on experience in small business development. She will work to strengthen Connecticut’s green economy with an eye toward resiliency and job creation. This district needs someone with a bold vision who is singularly focused on investing in Connecticut and rebuilding the economy after Covid. A vote for Michelle McCabe is a vote for a vibrant economy! Paul Lindoerfer Easton Letter: Vote for Michelle McCabe To the Editor: I support Michelle McCabe for State Senate.

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