Stamford Advocate: Stamford Democrats to decide between David Michel and Eilish Collins Main in 146th CT House District primary
By Brianna Gurciullo, Staff Writer
August 6, 2024
Eilish Collins Main is running in the Aug. 13, 2024 Democratic primary in the 146th state House District, which includes part of Stamford.
Contributed photo / Katharine Calderwood
STAMFORD — Registered Democrats have a choice between incumbent David Michel and newcomer Eilish Collins Main in the 146th state House District’s Democratic primary.
Members of the Stamford Democratic City Committee endorsed Collins Main earlier this year over Michel, who has represented the 146th District since 2019.
Michel collected signatures from Democratic voters in the district — which extends from downtown to the South End and Shippan — to force a primary election.
The Stamford Advocate sent the below questions to the candidates. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
David Michel
What are some specific steps you believe the General Assembly could take that would help those struggling with the cost of living in Stamford?
We should have a cap on increasing rents after seeing extraordinary rent hikes in my district, as well as expand “just cause” for evictions from 62 years old and up to everyone.
We should also stop incentivizing developers to build whatever they want. We need to build real affordable housing as homelessness in Fairfield County is on the rise and one-third of our new homeless are our elderly and retirees and another third are children from low-income households. We should explore retrofitting some historical structures with housing for those populations and build downtown for the working class.
Today, not only is the median property value in Stamford double that of the state, but for middle-class to low-income households, there is not much available in our city. We need to review the “fee-in-lieu” process, which pushes back in time “below market rate” housing accessibility.
What do you believe the state’s role should be when it comes to development and the building of housing on the local level?
The state can always play an important role in facilitating development and housing. What is important for Stamford is to use smart growth principles in development so that we preserve a good quality of life by respecting our environment and historical structures.
Affordability in Stamford is a huge issue, and the state can assist in encouraging mixed-income and working-family housing to ensure our city remains welcoming to all. New construction does not equal lower rent or purchase prices. It’s actually the inverse because builders will always match pricing to the surrounding units in order to see the highest return on investment.
Elected officials from the state should have open communication so we can develop solutions that balance diverse perspectives, helping us reach real inclusionary housing and development goals that work for us all. The state can be used to organize a public discussion and help enable agreeable compromising.
Stamford has one charter school, and two more are looking to open in the city. Do you support the opening of more charter schools? Why or why not?
As a fighter to better our public education and protect teachers, we do not get enough funding for our public schools in Stamford, particularly with whatever influence the grand list has on the Education Cost Sharing formula. We need more funding for our public schools, for our special education students, for our English language learners and for all our students to have more materials and teachers and paraeducators in class.
Charter schools are quasi-private entities and they do not have the same level of transparency and amount of reporting to send to the state. Charter schools usually reach high levels of excellence. I am not against our existing charter school, but I have concerns about spending education funding for new charter schools. We should use the funding to elevate all our students in our public schools.
Eilish Collins Main
What are some specific steps you believe the General Assembly could take that would help those struggling with the cost of living in Stamford?
Affordability is one of my three priorities in this campaign. When it comes to ways that the General Assembly can take action to address the cost of living crisis, I think there is more that can be done around public transportation investments, small businesses and child care.
Since we don’t have endless appropriations available, it is important to use the money allotted in an effective and efficient manner. This means focusing on areas that have the most impact and return on investment. The state legislature should make transportation more accessible and affordable to reduce commuting costs and traffic congestion. Our small businesses are often the backbone of communities, so we should provide grants like the City of Stamford does to boost economic development. On child care, subsidies should be provided to help families handle the growing costs.
What do you believe the state’s role should be when it comes to development and the building of housing on the local level?
Development needs to be conducted in a responsible approach that centers community voices. Connecticut has the potential to be on the frontlines of addressing the housing crisis. To date, that has not necessarily been the case.
The state’s role in housing at the local level should include incentives to address the housing shortage, funding to help create transit-oriented housing projects like here in the 146th state House District where we have the Stamford Transportation Center and collection of data to analyze shortfalls and areas to highlight.
According to CT Data, around half of Stamford residents are renters. We need everyone to be part of this conversation so an equitable effort is made for current and future generations. It is possible to have a sustainable housing policy at the state level while ensuring that local voices are heard throughout each process. Connecticut can finally take the lead.
Stamford has one charter school, and two more are looking to open in the city. Do you support the opening of more charter schools? Why or why not?
First and foremost, I would start by listening to residents for their ideas. From canvassing, that has often been where my policy proposals connect with their own concerns. Education is another one of my three campaign priorities. As the sister of a Stamford educator and a Stamford school counselor, I am well aware of what the school district is currently facing ahead of the 2024-25 academic year.
During such an important time in the city and state, students must be able to learn with the proper materials and without hindrance, and educators must be able to easily access the resources they need to thrive in the classroom and beyond. School choice can provide diverse educational opportunities for students, but it is crucial that we continue to invest in our public schools to ensure every child has access to high-quality education.
brianna.gurciullo@hearstmediact.com
Aug 6, 2024
REPORTER
Brianna Gurciullo covers local government and politics for the Stamford Advocate. A Meriden native, Brianna came to the Advocate after four years at POLITICO, where she wrote about federal transportation policy. She is always looking for a dog or cat to befriend when she is not working -- and sometimes when she is working, as evidenced by her photo.