Patch Candidate Profiles 2022: Len Walker, 60th House District

WINDSOR-WINDSOR LOCKS, CT — The 2022 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 gubernatorial 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.

Len Walker, a Windsor resident, is running for State Representative in the 60th House District.

Campaign website

https://www.walkerforthe60th.o...

Party affiliation

Republican

Education

BSBA Magna Cum Laude University of Hartford

Occupation

Retired Security Specialist

Family

Married to Lynn Walker. Six grandchildren and two great grandchildren

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

None

Age

65

Previous public office, appointive or elective

Fourth Term Windsor Town Councilor

Why are you seeking this office?

I am running for State Representative so I can represent residents of the 60th District in Windsor and Windsor Locks to take steps to reduce the amount of taxes they pay. To help our students learn the basics in school and improve their education. And to improve public safety. We must do everything possible to reduce crime. Every vote I make at the State legislature will be to represent my constituents.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

the state of the economy including the cost of goods and services. I intend to temporarily remove the diesel tax and temporarily remove the "road tax". This will reduce transportation costs that are increasing our cost of goods. I intend to vote with my colleagues to eliminate the 1% tax on prepared meals. We can reduce the sales tax rate and we can reduce the income tax rates. All of this can be accomplished while still adding to the budget surplus and maintaining State services.

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

Len Walker will never vote to increase taxes on our citizens. Tolls on State roads is a tax. The incumbent rubber stamps every vote proposed by the Governor and the Democrats in the House.
Len Walker supports law enforcement. The incumbent voted to remove qualified immunity from our Police Officers. Len Walker believes we must give Police Officers the tools they need to do a very dangerous job, and we must not handcuff our Police Officers with rules that prevent them doing their job. Len Walker is opposed to any effort to defund Police. Len Walker is endorsed by the Connecticut Fraternal Order of Police, and he is endorsed by the Connecticut State Police Union.

Len Walker supports parental rights in the education of our children. Len Walker knows government is not a substitute for parents. My opponent rubber stamps every Democrat education effort to eliminate parents from the education of our children. The current Secretary of Education is from Connecticut and his directives support promoting Democrat ideology in public schools. My opponent will rubber stamp every Democrat agenda item in the house of Representatives. Len Walker supports parental rights in our school systems and Len Walker supports teaching our kids the basics in education.

Len Walker has formal education in business. Len has helped several small businesses in greater Hartford by offering free consultation. Many of those businesses are in the West Indian community. Every business Len guided has been successful. The incumbent claims business skills but those claims are based on getting appointed to political business-related positions and using our tax dollars to support her friends. Len Walker has the education and experience to lead any business to successful outcomes. Len Walker supports small business by helping with business expertise. The incumbent uses our taxes to support failing business projects. The new Windsor Center project is another example of using our tax dollars to benefit a few. The incumbent has failed business that she refuses to acknowledge.

Len Walker supports women sports in Connecticut for women only. The incumbent supports the Democrat position that biological males are allowed to compete with girls.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

For all the reasons outlined earlier. The incumbent has supported tolls in Connecticut and that is an additional tax on Connecticut residents.

The incumbent has voted to remove qualified immunity from our Police Officers and that puts our Officers at risk every day they go out to do their job.

The incumbent has used taxpayer funds to try to give tax breaks to her friends. Barts restaurant is in the new TIF zone. Barts is co-owned by Mayor Donald Trinks. The new TIF district would control 75% of the tax collections to do whatever the tax district wants to do with taxpayer money and the new TIF district would be outside the control of the Windsor Town Council. The failed Jane Garibay owned - sandwich shop has space in Barts. Our Tax funds should not be used to buy votes.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

There must be consequences for illegal behavior. This is not your neighborhood teenagers doing dumb stuff. Len Walker wants consequences for repeat offenders.

Please help me cut taxes and fight for you at the State Legislature. Vote November 8th 2022. Vote for Len Walker.

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

Len Walker has provided business advice to many businesses in Greater Hartford and every one of those businesses are successful and doing well today.

Len Walker is a past member of the Windsor Human Relations Commission where he got involved with programs to respect diversity and inclusion. Len Walker is on record defending minorities in Windsor. The incumbent has been sued for racial discrimination.

Len Walker got a traffic light installed at West Wolcott Avenue and Columbia Road in Windsor after walking the neighborhood and learning from Windsor residents that they could not get out of Columbia Road during rush hour. The traffic light is still in place and working for everyone.
Len Walker fought for Archer Memorial Church when adjacent landowners decided they didn't want the gravesite of slaves on their property. Len Walker worked with Pastor David Hill and the State of Connecticut Senator to demand the adjacent landowner to the Archer Memorial cemetery drop all claims of ownership and allow Archer Memorial to keep the sanctity of an old slave burial ground as a Black historical site. The adjacent landowner agreed and today, Archer memorial has land rights to the Archer memorial cemetery.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Be humble in everything you do. Remember the person who voted for you is not a government official.

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

I am a fighter for regular people. I will take your phone calls 24 hours per day. I care about your issues. I am 50% European descent according to my Ancestry DNA spit sample. I have my grandfather genes but my warrior mother genes too.