Politics is a difficult place to be right now, and this moment is another painful reminder of how, too often, everyday people lose. It seems time again to urge leaders to focus on policies and not people as they seek solutions.
Public Utilities Regulatory Authority Chairwoman Marissa Gillett is a brilliant leader, engineer, and attorney. She has led with principle and courage in the face of years of relentless attacks from utility companies. When those companies repeatedly lost on the merits of their arguments, they turned to personal attacks instead. No one can be expected to withstand that level of pressure forever.
Gillett is not only an exceptional regulator – she is also a devoted mother, wife, and friend. Too often, people forget the humanity of our public leaders, especially when smear campaigns fueled by corporate money take hold.
In conversations about Gillett, people often liken her fight to David and Goliath. That story inspires us to believe in the underdog – but when the Goliath is a powerful, well-funded corporation, David and everyday people falter under the constant weight of profit-driven pressure. Make no mistake: utilities are accountable first to their shareholders, not to the ratepayers they serve.
Her departure is a sad moment for Connecticut’s fight to improve fairness in utility rates. Her expertise, intellect, and resolve are unparalleled, and her absence will leave a void not easily filled. More than that, her colleagues and the public alike have watched in dismay at the treatment she has endured.
That is why Connecticut needs a PURA Commission grounded in real expertise — regulatory attorneys, engineers, forensic accountants, finance specialists, and policy experts — so that decisions are shaped by evidence and the public interest, not by lobbying strength. But it is hard to imagine anyone standing as long and as strong as Gillett did after watching what she has endured.
I wish her nothing but the best in a bright and brilliant future. May she find relief from the constant onslaught she has endured in this disgustingly politicized environment.
I also hope her stepping down does not mark a victory for the utilities over the regulators – here in Connecticut or across the nation. If we are to make lasting progress, we need to focus on policies and structures, not tearing down the people who serve within them.
Rep. Jaime Foster, D-57th District, is a member of the Connecticut General Assembly’s Energy and Technology Committee