We’ve been reading a lot of articles on Patch about Linda Monaco and James Albis, and on Feb. 22 we in the 99th District have to make a decision on who we should select as our next state representative. If the recent debate, airing on ETV, is an indicator on who we should choose, I think the clear choice is Linda Monaco.
I must say I have never met James Albis but I do know his Father, Mike. Even though in the political arena you have differences, it is truly hard to find anything wrong with Mike Albis. He’s truly just a nice man with a very nice family. Being that we have heard such great things about the family I certainly expected to turn on ETV to find an inspiring debate between two heavyweights, Linda Monaco and James Albis. What I discovered is that the Democratic candidate is not ready for this job in any facet.
On almost every issue -- health care, taxes, old high school -- Republican Linda Monaco had a clear command of what the issue was and a plan to take action and in some cases a full remedy to solve the problem. You could see the confidence of Linda Monaco as she laid out her vision. When you looked at James Albis, it was painfully obvious that he had no command and grasped at times just to get the words out.
Monaco talked about taking the costs out of health care by trying to eliminate costs, introducing light regulation and her own personal experiences with controlling health care with her own business. Even telling us at one point she needed to reduce her health-care coverage and place her husband’s care to the VA hospital so she could afford it. Albis said he fully understood the health-care issue because some of his friends lost their health-care coverage and he knows the pain. What pain does Albis truly know? Monaco had to make a choice; Albis just had to empathize.
Monaco talked about how we need to revamp our tax system, bringing new ideas in on how to reduce costs and stressed no more taxes and making Connecticut business friendly. She leaned on her experience as a business person and what she did as a business person. I honestly could not articulate what Albis was trying to say on the issue.
Monaco on the old high school mentioned specifics on asbestos removal, seeking grants from the state and even Washington to try to revitalize the 200 Tyler St. building. While Albis said that we needed to keep the building because it is a beautiful piece of property.
I think the Democratic leadership in East Haven is banking on a four to one margin of Democrats vs. Republicans along with heavy absentee ballots to carry this election home for them. It is very clear that despite what the Democratic Town Chairman Gene Ruocco says about James being a young Mike Lawlor, James has nowhere near the experience that Mike Lawlor had at his age and I don’t think it is fair to Mike Lawlor to compare the two.
I encourage those who have Comcast or AT&T U-Verse to tune into East Haven Public Television to watch. The show airs at 8 a.m., 2 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. If you don’t have these services at home you can watch online by clicking East Haven Public Access.
Lastly, the argument which I personally cannot stand because it’s insulting to every non-naturalized East Haven resident, that in order to serve you must be born here. I think Monaco summed it up beautifully. She said she chose to move to East Haven, she wants to be in East Haven and she loves East Haven. Just because you were born here doesn’t give you entitlement.
