The primaries are Tuesday, when local towns and city voters will tackle taxes and educational leaders.
"Here in New Britain we give a lot of tax breaks to very wealthy companies, but small businesses and working people often have to pay one of the highest tax rates in the state," Alicia Hernandez Strong says.
Strong is 25 years old and she’s running for New Britain mayor.
"The second big issue is definitely education. New Britain is second to last in terms of per pupil spending and a lot of people don’t feel comfortable sending their kids to schools," Strong says.
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Strong, a community organizer is challenging state Rep. Bobby Sanchez who co-chairs the Education Committee in the General Assembly.
What are they hearing from voters?
"A consistent message about our taxes being too high, our schools being underfunded," Sanchez says.
Local
Sanchez says he’s also hearing complaints about the lack of services during the pandemic.
The two are vying for the opportunity to run in November against incumbent Mayor Erin Stewart.
"When you flat fund education then you don’t have the resources to hire more teachers," Sanchez says.
"With the pandemic we do have kids coming in with socio-emotional trauma," he added.
He says the kids he spoke to are excited to be back in school.
"Local government is where the rubber meets the road," Deputy Secretary of the State Scott Bates says.
Bates says every one of tomorrow’s races focuses on local issues.
"Talking about education of our kids, talking about public safety, economic development, couldn’t be more important for peoples voices to be heard," Bates says.
There are 15 towns with Democratic primaries Tuesday. There’s a Democratic mayoral primary in West Haven where John Lewis is challenging the incumbent Nancy Rossi, Stamford where Rep. Caroline Simmons is challenging the incumbent David Martin and Hamden where Lauren Garrett and Peter Cyr are challenging incumbent Mayor Curt Leng.
"The government that touches your life every day is going to be voted on tomorrow in 15 towns in the Democratic primary and five towns in the Republican,” Bates says.
NBC Connecticut will have results Tuesday night.
Polls open at 6 am and close at 8 p.m.
