NEW BRITAIN — Former longtime New Britain mayor Erin Stewart has spent more than a year exploring a run for governor and is now seeking the Republican nomination for the state’s top office. As part of that effort, she has traveled across Connecticut and spoken with residents in communities both large and small.
Through those conversations, Stewart said she has heard concerns about a range of issues facing the state. One topic, she said, keeps coming up in city neighborhoods and suburban towns alike: the cost of living.
“There’s been one issue that has been consistent across the board that I’m hearing from everybody, regardless of what political party they’re with,” Stewart said. “Connecticut is a very difficult state to live in because of the high cost of living.”
The former mayor said residents have told her they are struggling with rising grocery prices, taxes and energy bills. She said the pressure is especially hard on working families, including parents trying to pay for child care and basic necessities.
“People who are living in suburban towns are having to get second and third jobs just to be able to pay their bills,” she said.
Stewart said those struggles have shaped her broader criticism of state leadership. She argued that Hartford’s leaders have not kept pace with what families are facing and also criticized how the state has used its budget surplus.
Stewart said addressing affordability would be a central focus of her administration if elected.
Cutting taxes and fees, starting with the car tax
Stewart said she believes the state should reassess its tax structure and reduce government costs. She criticized the state for talking about budget surpluses while residents continue to struggle, and she questioned why surplus money is not being used in ways that people can feel.
She said residents are frustrated because they continue to hear that Connecticut has extra money, but do not see relief in their daily lives. Stewart questioned why surplus funds are being spent on programs that, in her view, do not help people who are struggling to pay bills. She said if the state’s finances are strong, taxes should be lower and residents should have more money in their pockets.
“If the state is doing so well, then why are people struggling?” she said.
State officials have said the approach is meant to stabilize finances over time while maintaining services and avoiding future tax increases.
When asked what she would do early in a term as governor, Stewart said she would start by eliminating certain taxes and fees. She pointed to the local car tax as a change she believes would be felt quickly.
“I really believe that there are many taxes and fees that we can eliminate right from the beginning to make things easier for people. I’d like to eliminate the car tax,” Stewart said.
She said a person should not have to keep paying taxes on a vehicle each year after paying taxes at the time of purchase. She described it as a small change that could matter to families watching every dollar.
Frustration with property taxes
Stewart said property taxes are one of the biggest financial burdens for residents and a major reason some people believe they cannot stay in their homes. She also said the current system puts towns and cities in a difficult position because property taxes remain the primary source of revenue for many communities.
“Property taxes are some of the biggest reasons why cities and towns in our state struggle, why people can’t afford to stay in their homes,” Stewart said.
According to her, the state should explore new ways for municipalities to raise revenue so they are not relying so heavily on property taxes. She noted cities and towns generally do not receive a share of certain state revenues and fees, which she said limits their ability to balance budgets without raising property taxes.
She said she is frustrated that, in her view, state leaders have not taken on the problem with enough urgency.
“It’s a problem that nobody has had the guts to address,” Stewart said.
Stewart pointed to discussions held through the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, saying local leaders have raised alternatives for years. She said past reports have outlined possible changes, including ideas for what she described as revenue diversification and shared services. She argued structural changes like that could lower costs over time and help the economy by leaving residents with more spending money.
Public safety and law enforcement
Stewart said the cost of living is not the only issue driving her campaign. She also said Connecticut’s approach to public safety has weakened accountability and has left residents feeling less safe.
In her view, state policies have led to repeat offenses in some cases and have not provided enough consequences for certain crimes. She cited car theft and re-arrests as examples of what she described as a lack of accountability.
“You have kids that are stealing cars constantly. They get arrested. They’re let out of jail later that day. They’re not held accountable for their actions,” Stewart said. “They’re not even put in any type of rehabilitation program half the time.”
Stewart said she believes the state should revisit laws and policies she considers “soft on crime,” while also acknowledging not every case should be treated the same way. She said the goal should be a system with a clear expectation that breaking the law carries real consequences. She also said the current climate has affected law enforcement morale and recruitment.
For her, fixing public safety in Connecticut would not come from listing individual bills or public acts but from a change in leadership and approach from the top. She said the state needs a governor who is willing to say certain policies are no longer acceptable and to take a firm stance on accountability.
She suggested stronger action could include issuing executive orders in some cases, such as setting clear consequences for repeat violent offenders.
Energy costs and supply
Stewart also tied affordability to energy policy. She said Connecticut needs a more diverse energy supply and criticized the state for not expanding enough options to bring down costs. She said clean energy sources can be part of the mix, but argued they do not currently produce enough electricity to meet demand.
“One of the things that I think the state has failed on is creating diversity in energy supply. They have not looked at windmills coupled with expanding gas pipeline options, or possibly expanding nuclear power options, to really increase the supply that we’re pumping into the grid.”
She also criticized Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration, saying the state has not taken a clear path on energy planning and has pushed goals that residents cannot afford.
“Governor Lamont and his staff have been vehemently against expanding energy production options,” she said. “These are people who want us to all be driving electric cars by 2035 and want to mandate that. How are we going to pay for that with the highest electricity rates in the nation?”
Housing law and local control
Stewart said she would seek to repeal HB 8002, the housing law. She said she has repeatedly asked for proof of where housing shortages exist and what kind of housing is needed, but has not received data that answers those questions.
“I have yet to see data that has been provided that shows that we have a housing shortage,” Stewart said.
Stewart said she believes the law takes decision-making away from local communities and can force developments on towns that may not be ready for them. She argued that new housing should be planned in ways that match a town’s infrastructure capacity, including roads and sidewalks, as well as water and sewer systems.
Stewart said local governments should have a say in decisions that could increase population in a short period of time and put pressure on public services.
Immigration and the Connecticut Trust Act
The former New Britain mayor, who led one of the state’s larger Hispanic and Latino communities for 12 years, said immigration is largely a federal issue, but she criticized Connecticut policies that limit coordination between law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
“I believe that the federal government should be improving its systems for people to become citizens,” she said. “I don’t support people who are here illegally and living off of the rest of us that are paying taxes.”
Stewart said she has concerns with the Connecticut Trust Act and argued that limits on coordination can force federal agents to spend more time tracking down violent offenders after they are released from the court system, rather than taking custody in a more controlled setting. She said that approach can put neighborhoods at risk.
Comparing herself to Ryan Fazio
Stewart said she expects Republican candidates to agree on many policy goals, including lowering taxes and reducing the cost of living. She said the main contrast, in her view, is background and experience.
Other Republican candidates who are or might be running in the primary include State Senator Ryan Fazio, former New York lieutenant governor Betsy McCaughey, Timothy M. Wilcox and Scott P. Merrill.
Fazio is widely viewed as Stewart’s main rival for the Republican nomination.
When asked about how she differentiated herself in this race, Stewart argued that running a city and crafting budgets provides a different kind of preparation than writing and debating bills as a legislator. She said executive roles require putting ideas into practice and being responsible for the outcomes.
“We’re both Republicans. We’re both running for governor. We’re going to have similar policy ideologies,” Stewart said. “We’re not going to differ much. And the same thing with the other candidates that are in the race, too. We all believe that there should be lower taxes. We all believe that the cost of living should go down. We all believe that there should be better education systems in our state. We all believe these things. What sets me apart is my experience, my geographic location and where I am from. I am not from Fairfield County.”
She contrasted her own work background with her opponents’, saying her path into leadership stemmed from a working-class background.
“He’s wealthy. That is the difference. I bring a different perspective, a different set of experiences. While he worked, I don’t even know what he does for work, working for some company. I was waiting on tables as a waitress,” Stewart noted.
Campaign funding, travel and the road ahead
Stewart said her campaign has already met the small-donor fundraising threshold to qualify for Connecticut’s Citizens Election Program, which provides public financing to candidates who meet certain requirements. She said reaching that mark shows organization and support across the state.
“It’s the first time in history that a campaign was awarded the grant so early,” Stewart said.
For the past months, the former mayor has been holding meet-and-greet events around Connecticut and plans to continue building support ahead of the state Republican convention. She noted the party’s convention is scheduled for May 15, and if the nomination is not decided there, the race could move to a primary in August before the general election.