Patch Candidate Profile: Melissa Osborne For 16th State House

SIMSBURY, CT — The 2024 election is heating up in Connecticut and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Eyes are primarily focused on the U.S. presidential election, but every state representative and senate seat is up for grabs.

All five of Connecticut's congressional seats, plus one U.S. Senate seat, are up for grabs as well.

There are 151 seats in the state House of Representatives and 36 in the state Senate. Democrats currently hold majorities in both chambers.

Connecticut Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

State Rep. Melissa Osborne, D-Simsbury, is seeking re-election against Simsbury Republican Michael Schulitz for her 16th House District seat.

What office are you seeking? State Representative

District: 16th State House District

Campaign website: https://www.melissaforct.com/

What city or town do you live in? Simsbury

Party affiliation: Democrat

Education: Bachelor of science in political science, Hunter College/CUNY; Juris Doctorate, New York Law School

Occupation: Attorney, 27 years

Family: I am the mother/bonus mom of four grown children, ages 19-30.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No

Previous public office, appointive or elected:

Yes, I just completed my first term as Simsbury's state representative. I also served on Simsbury's Zoning Commission from 2019-23, the Charter Revision Commission, from 2015-16, and the Clean Energy Task Force, nka Sustainability Commitee.

Age: 56

Why are you seeking this office?

The state legislature needs independent-thinking people with analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as legal and financial backgrounds, who are willing to roll up their sleeves and problem-solve. That is what I do best.

What do you believe is the No. 1 issue facing Connecticut, and how do you plan to address it?

In order to be able to address the numerous social needs that exist in our state, we must grow our economy.

That means passing small-business-friendly policies, addressing our energy costs, supporting communities building housing where businesses need it, creating programs to re-connect a generation of disconnected youth, and continuing to apply responsible fiscal guardrails to pay down the decades of legacy debt.

None of what we want — and need — to accomplish to help people can happen without creating more businesses generating more revenue and reducing the huge bite our legacy debt takes out of our annual revenue collections.

There have been an alarming number of deaths on Connecticut's roadways. Is there anything from a legislative standpoint that can be done to address that?

While the legislature can increase funding for various enforcement or awareness programs, much of this is impacted by personal responsibility (or lack thereof) and choices.

The pandemic changed driver behavior nationwide, especially so in Connecticut.

The state police have recently started increasing roadway stops again, which is a good start.

Increased expenditures for signage may impact wrong-way deaths. Public awareness campaigns may have some effectiveness, and the legislature can increase penalties for bad driver behavior.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I haven't seen any substantive positions taken by my opponent, so I cannot comment specifically.

However, voters in Simsbury know that I was highly effective in my very first term in the legislature, delivering record additional municipal funding, introducing legislation that received unanimous bipartisan support and that I fought and succeeded in decreasing adverse impacts of various pieces of legislation on small businesses.

Simsbury voters know they can count on me to think creatively and outside of the box to come up with solutions that will represent Simsbury at the Capitol.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

See above

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Many people don't realize that our state legislature is part-time.

The pay is minimal, which means our legislature is made up of people who either don't have to work or people who are holding down at least two jobs.

We need that diversity representing us in Hartford. We need people in the legislature who personally feel the economic impact of the votes they're taking.

We need people who understand not just theoretically or intellectually, but who themselves understand what the results of those votes end up feeling like.

As a self-employed, middle-class small business owner I am working as hard as my constituents are, and keeping them and the overall economic health of our entire state in mind every time I take a vote.