State Rep. Andres Ayala represents Connecticut’s 128th State Assembly District that covers the East Side, the Hollow and a piece of the West Side. His State House district includes the Steel Point redevelopment area now formally called Steelpointe Harbor with Bass Pro Shops announced recently as an anchoring tenant. Ayala highlighted his legislative work on behalf of the redevelopment responding to five questions suggested by OIB readers. He is challenging party-endorsed Ernie Newton and incumbent Ed Gomes in a hotly contested Aug. 14 Democratic primary for State Senate. The district covers about 70 percent of Bridgeport and a piece of western Stratford. Ayala, a long-time city school teacher, is an administrator for the Board of Education. He was also City Council president during the John Fabrizi mayoral years. See Ayala Q&A below.
Q. You have built prestige serving for years in the State House. Why risk your seniority to run for the State Senate?
A. I am proud of my record of service in the State House and that I have earned a measure of respect from my colleagues and community leaders. However, public service is not something we use to further our careers or public reputation. Public service is a way to help our neighbors and I believe the Senator of the 23rd District can and should deliver more to the City of Bridgeport and the Town of Stratford.
Q. The Charter Revision Commission has formulated a question that will appear on the November ballot asking city voters to approve a mayoral appointed Board of education. As an educator, do you support an elected BOE or one appointed by the Mayor?
A. As an educator I know students in Bridgeport deserve a better education system. Thus, I would support a process which ensures we select the most qualified BOE members who can implement important policy reforms to deal with the fundamental problems our school system faces. Historically the Board of Education members have been handpicked by major political parties in Bridgeport. In many instances the members who have been selected have no background experience on important education issues which the system faces. Thus, I applaud the work of the Charter Revision Committee for bringing this important question forward to the voters in Bridgeport. The Committees recommendation must be acted upon by the City Council and then the voters of Bridgeport. I look forward to the residents of Bridgeport making this most important decision.
Q. What specific pieces of legislation were authored or co-authored by you that became law that directly helped Bridgeport?
A. Over the years I have authored or co-authored numerous pieces of legislation to benefit my constituents. Most recently I authored the current Steel Pointe Tax Incentive Funding legislation which was used to attract significant investment and infrastructure improvements to the site. I also authored the bond bills which helped bring $2.5 million for the planning and development of a second train station in the East End and East Side of Bridgeport. I also authored a bond bill which brought $2.5 million to Optimus Healthcare which they used to build a garage for their clients relieving traffic congestion on the East Side and provide more parking for their East Main Street business.
Q. What is the most important issue in Bridgeport that needs fixing?
A. As I walk door-to-door in Bridgeport and Stratford, three issues are on the minds of residents–education, jobs and taxes. We need to foster economic development to attract business to our region, producing more jobs for our families and thus reducing the tax burden on property owners.
Q. What can you do on a legislative level to attract private-sector investment, jobs and building Bridgeport’s tax base?
A. These last five years have been tough on middle-class families. It’s important that we have an economy that supports job growth. I will continue to support fiscally responsible planning to grow our state and local economy while protecting the interests of our community. It is the legislator’s job to create the opportunities for private-sector investment and jobs. As I have in the past, I will work with the Governor’s Economic development efforts, along with the Mayors of both Bridgeport and Stratford, whose job it is to implement the details of economic development.
Newton and Ayala both punted on the BOE election vs. appointed issue. Weak. Wonder where Gomes is.
*** Well like Newton, Ayala sidestepped the question about the BOE “what do you prefer, elected or appointed?” Also the answer about not using public service to further a career or public reputation, I personally don’t buy. However I did like his answer about the most important issue that needs fixing in Bpt. It’s not just one issue but many and the three he picked were right on the money! So for me, Ayala was 3 out of 5 like Newton on the Q&A’s. Thanks for your input Mr. Ayala! *** NEXT ***
*** Ayala Senate Campaign song, “Moving on Up” by Curtis Mayfield. *** GOT TO KEEP ON PUSHING! ***
*** Myself, on the BOE question of “elected” or “Mayor appointed,” I personally liked the “State Appointed” change if implemented right. But back to the CH/R question; rather than have this Mayor have more control than he did by appointing his own posse, I guess I would vote to continue with the “elected” board process but hopefully with some term limit changes. *** CHANGES THAT REMAIN THE SAME, GO FIGURE. ***
The question would have garnered a more honest response if it was posed … “Do you agree with Mario Testa the BOE should be appointed?”
Ayala has always been a politician who goes along to get along. His silence on all of the BOE problems has been amazing.
His statement that public service is not something you use to further your career; what bullshit. How did he get his recent promotion to work under Fabrizi?
This guy is basically a do-nothing who always stays out of the line of fire.
Ayala is lucky he didn’t have to prove his knowledge on the issues before getting on the city council or else his career would have never begun.
Ayala is your typical bottom feeder. Does the deeds of the powers that be and moves on up. When he was on the council not only was he on the payroll but he got his dad a job with the city. And the Y and his girlfriend’s nonprofit did pretty well when it came to getting favors. His public service starts and ends with self service.