State Senator District 7
John Kissel
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Party: Republican
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Current Residence: Enfield
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Cynthia Mangini
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Party: Democrat
CEP Status: participating
Website: manginiforsenate.com
Age: 68
Marital Status: m
Current Residence: Enfield
Current Job: Realtor
Previous Job: Claims Adjuster
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Education: Masters in Law
What action(s) will you take to reduce out-of-pocket drug costs and reduce the impact of the cost of prescription drugs on taxpayers and insurance premiums?
To reduce out of pocket costs and to reduce the burden on taxpayers, I would support legislation mandating a larger contribution from the insurance industry. Also, I would work towards drug companies reducing their costs.In these inflationary times, what will you do to help ensure that Connecticut’s middle-income retirees on fixed incomes are able to keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets?
For middle income retirees on fixed incomes, it would be advantageous to provide tax credits similar to what many municipalities offer Veterans for their property and car taxes.How do you plan to address the growing long-term care workforce crisis in the state?
We need to offer better wages and benefits in order to address the long term care workforce crisis in our stateGas prices are higher than ever, which is difficult for older adults on fixed incomes. Yet, alternatives to cars in Connecticut are limited. What will you do to help older adults access other forms of transportation?
To address the transportation issue for older adults, I would make public transportation readily available and affordable. This would be in the form of buses, taxis and any other means.What are the two most urgent problems facing Connecticut within the context of climate change and the environment, and what will you propose to solve them?
Two of the most urgent problems facing Connecticut's environment and climate change are people and excess gases emitted into the air. People need to be better educated on the severity of the issue and our state must place a better focus on air quality.How can Connecticut's education systems create better outcomes for students in low-income communities?
All children deserve a quality education. Tools such as computers and Ipads should be given to all including low income households so the children have the same learning opportunities as middle to high income families. Also, before and after school tutoring should be offered at no cost to students in low income communitiesPedestrian deaths spiked a few years ago and remain high, and it's fairly clear that driver behavior, such as distracted driving, is only getting worse despite significant efforts by law enforcement to stop it. How can Connecticut's streets be made safe for pedestrians and bicyclists?
Stronger fines and better enforcement along with safety zones marked strictly for pedestrians and bicyclists should help.How should the state and its school districts deal with COVID-19 going forward?
The state and schools should deal with COVID by monitoring case by case, and day to day. If the need arises, then masks should be required for all -not just staff, but children as well.What should be done on the state level to further address Connecticut's lack of affordable housing? Do you support, for example, mandating or incentivizing towns and cities to alter their zoning codes to be friendlier to affordable housing?
As a Realtor I see the need for affordable housing. Incentivizing rather than mandating municipalities to address their zoning codes to be friendlier could help.What can be done to prevent excessive consolidation of the healthcare industry and the loss of services – or, in some cases, the loss of small hospitals themselves – in the state's rural areas?
Perhaps legislation overseeing these consolidations could deter some of the loss of servicesDo you think the state's two major electric utilities (Eversource and United Illuminating) are sufficiently regulated? If not, what measures would you take to ensure that consumers are protected to the greatest extent possible against prolonged loss of services and unfair rate increases?
No-they are not sufficiently regulated. Specifically, Eversource not only charges for the electricity, but also a delivery fee. This makes the cost unbearably high for most people. I would support legislation for a committee to oversee these companies in an attempt to minimize prolonged loss of service and unfair rate increases.What is your position on whether Connecticut should open its election primaries to unaffiliated voters?
All registered voters should be allowed the opportunity to vote