During this election season The Connecticut Mirror is convening groups of people from around the state to ask their opinions on key campaign issues and their perceptions of the appropriate role of government. The participants in each group share a common circumstance or stage of life.
In this installment, we asked a group of people from the Waterbury area, all of whom qualify as ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) the following questions: If one of the gubernatorial candidates walked into the room right now, what you would say to him about health care? And what is the most important thing government can do to make a difference in your life, to enhance your community, or to improve the state?
Here are their responses (See earlier responses here):
 | Nikki Allison: Increase cost of living pay, decrease gas and sales taxes. [Most important?] Universal healthcare. |
 | Terry Felton: I hope that you will explore all healthcare options before you set some laws. Don’t work a one-sided deal. [Most important?] To enhance living in Connecticut by lowering the income tax, sales tax, and property tax. |
 | Tomas Olivo-Valentin:Please think about possibly proposing ways to make healthcare accessible and affordable for everyone. [Most important?] Lower taxes, cut spending, improve equality in education, create / bring well-paying jobs. |
 | Sophia Weber: I want everyone to have the same access and that access to be sufficient for us all to thrive. [Most important?] Holding government and business accountable, working with communities to represent their own interests. |
 | Rachel Murray: Make healthcare more financially affordable for the consumer and less lucrative for the CEO’s. [Most important?] Once a quarter we should have live, in-person access to elected leaders in various places around the state. |
 | Joshua Angelus: Work to institute Medicare for All/single payer and include holistic health coverage. [Most important?] Provide jobs for older citizens to combat defacto age discrimination… while enhancing our community to promote public/municipal owned electricity, and to improve and promote small business and coop/worker owned businesses. |
 | Dolores Nowell: Make healthcare affordable for everyone, and why are taxes so much higher in Connecticut than in other states. [Most important?] Lower our state and property taxes. |
 | Lisa Ferrucci: Make healthcare insurance easier to use, use clearer language, don’t want a board deciding if care is necessary. [Most important?] Open, honest dealings with our money. Don’t accept “deals” to get desired results. |
 | Sandy Phair: I hope you will make health care accessible and financially affordable, but before that talk with the people in your state, from all walks of life, listen to them. Provide programs that local youth and families who are financially limited can access. |
This initiative was made possible through funding by Universal Health Care Foundation and Solutions Journalism Network.
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