Steve Fontana announced today that his State Senate campaign has met the eligibility thresholds for a public campaign finance grant, and that he will be submitting his prequalifying paperwork to the State Elections Enforcement Commission this week.
Under public campaign finance rules, State Senate candidates must raise $15,000 overall, and collect at least 300 contributions from people who live in one of the towns of the district, to qualify for a public campaign finance grant. The Fontana for State Senate campaign has exceeded both of those thresholds: as of Saturday, March 31, the campaign had raised more than $18,000 overall, and collected more than 340 in-district contributions.
“As a believer in the power of grassroots democracy, I’m really pleased that we’ve met the earliest possible deadline to submit our paperwork for the public campaign finance program,” Fontana added. “When I announced my candidacy a little more than two months ago, I didn’t know whether we could do it.
“I’m heartened and humbled by the outpouring of support we’ve received from people who not only want a greater say in our political process, but a better State Senator than they’ve been getting for the last ten years. The people of all backgrounds and financial means who helped me to reach this goal want a real fighter for the middle class.”
“I’d like to thank everyone who has supported my campaign so generously,” Fontana concluded. “I’d also like to thank my campaign treasurer, Sarah Aziz, and her deputies – Tessa Marquis, Pat Brown, and Judith Meyers – for all of the hard work that they put into making this early filing possible.”
Fontana is running for State Senator for the 34th District, which includes all or part of the towns of Wallingford, East Haven, North Haven, and Durham. He served as North Haven’s State Representative from 1997 to 2011, and is a former member of North Haven’s Conservation Commission, Board of Finance, and Board of Selectmen. He has a B.A. from Oberlin College, an M.B.A. from Cornell University, and a J.D. from the University of Connecticut.
Paid for by Fontana for State Senate, Sarah Aziz, Treasurer. Approved by Steve Fontana.
