Editor’s Note: HK-Now.com and Haddam Killingworth News asked the candidates in the November 2026 election to provide brief biographies as a way of introducing themselves to voters. The statement below is from Charles Ferraro, who is running for State Senate in the 33rd District, which includes Haddam, East Haddam, East Hampton, Chester, Deep River, Essex, Clinton, Colchester, Lyme, Old Saybrook, Portland and Westbrook. The candidate’s reply is unchanged from the original as submitted. HK-Now.com and Haddam Killingworth News are not responsible for errors in grammar, usage, punctuation or spelling.
As State Representative I served 5 terms from 2014 to 2024. I became a fighter for lower energy costs, benefits for our veterans, support for first responders, higher educational standards, and safer communities.
Hearing from Democrats that ‘we are making steady progress in Hartford’ convinced me it was time to return to public service. If the goal is to lead the nation in tax burden and electricity costs, Connecticut is nearly there, ranking second highest in the nation for both.
It is time for a new direction. I ask for your support in my campaign to serve as your state senator for the 33rd District.
In 2016 our State Senate became balanced with 18 Senators from each party. Only 7 seats separated the two parties in the House. As a result, we were able to enact the Republican budget which had spending, bonding and volatility caps to curb wasteful spending and rapid government growth. These caps led to CT’s budgetary surplus in subsequent years. We also blocked the Democrats’ proposed tax increases, including taxes on tires and cell phones.
Since that time Democrats have held a supermajority in both state houses. We have seen poor policy decisions deepen the affordability crisis in Connecticut. From housing and electricity costs to our overall tax burden, including sky-high property taxes, it has simply become too expensive. There is a lot to be done to move Connecticut forward. We can cap property taxes and end unfunded state mandates that contribute to property tax increases. We must permanently eliminate the public benefits charge on your electric bill. No more bloated budgets; state government must become more efficient.
I have enjoyed meeting people across the 33rd district and will continue my effort to speak to as many of you as I can in the coming weeks.
