STEVE WEIR
CT State House 55th District
Let’s work together to help CT reach its potential.
Steve's Vision
As Connecticut emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, we must recognize that every person and business in the state was affected. As Connecticut looks to recover, it’s crucial that we look back at the government’s response during the crisis (both good and bad) and learn from our responses. Government needs to be accountable to the citizens of Connecticut. We need strong, trustworthy leadership in government now more than ever. As the owner of a small business that specializes in responding to unexpected disasters and a former police officer, confronting and resolving crises is what Steve does best. By bringing these skills to the State House, we can restore opportunity to Connecticut. Steve wants Connecticut to be a great place to live, work, raise a family, and even retire.
CT STATE HOUSE, 55TH DISTRICT
ANDOVER
BOLTON
GLASTONBURY
HEBRON
MARLBOROUGH
People above Politics
For years, politicians in Hartford have not listened to the citizens of Connecticut. Steve will listen and respond to the needs of the 55th district, always putting people above politics.
Connecticut has been on a path of irresponsible taxation and spending for decades. Compared with other flourishing parts of the country, Connecticut’s cost of living is high and income and property taxes continue to rise, while working wages have not kept up and property values in Eastern Connecticut have declined. All of these factors have left Connecticut lagging far behind the rest of the country in many important economic categories, hurting our families, business and communities.
Steve is a self-made businessman who has created jobs for hundreds of Connecticut families. Through his passion, integrity and hard work, he continues to expand and grow. As State Representative, Steve will focus on legislation that reduces regulation, lowers taxes and creates opportunities for job growth.
The Issues
Accountability & transparency
Year after year, the hardworking people of Connecticut have been shortchanged by the bad budgets coming out of Hartford. With state spending increasingly left unchecked, the residents of the 55th District continue to be crippled by rising taxes with meager returns to justify them. This irresponsible budgeting has damaged Connecticut’s economy immensely. It is enabled by the unresponsive politicians who surreptitiously pass them without considering the impact on their constituents, causing declining trust in leadership.
A State Representative’s job is to exercise the will of the people they represent, and Steve will do this by restoring integrity and honesty to the office. As a fiscal conservative, Steve will reject budgetary measures that hamper economic growth and unfairly burden the people he’s representing. Moreover, as a fresh voice, Steve fully understands the frustration felt by private citizens who feel like they’re not being listened to, and Steve is committed to making himself accessible and his decisions transparent when in office.
Steve will support the municipalities and their local rule. As State Representative, Steve will provide clear and open communication during the municipal budget season, so that the towns can adequately prepare for state municipal funding.
With federal relief money flooding into Connecticut’s coffers, this has merely masked Connecticut’s budget woes. When the hangover of federal funding wears off, it is imperative that we look at how every dollar of federal money was spent. Even during the pandemic, there were stories of waste, fraud and abuse of this money. Our elected and unelected officials must be held to the highest standards as stewards of taxpayer money.
Education
Steve believes that all children should receive a quality education regardless of where they live. As the son of a school teacher, Steve believes teachers deserve support in delivering this education. Our school systems in the 55th district vary in scope, size and structure. Steve will advocate for policies that enable these schools and towns to deliver the services required, at a cost taxpayers can afford. This will require more adaptive cooperation between the local and state government. Steve believes that the money should follow the child, and our education system’s standards should rise to meet the performance expectations for our children.
This education should be free of consideration of race, color of skin, and should focus on improving the deliverables from parents, teachers, administrators and students. Steve will fight against the forced regionalization of schools and/or town services. The towns/cities have and will continue to pursue regional cost savings measures on their own accord. In addition, Steve will fight against the proposal to divert the teachers pension payments down to the municipalities.
Public Safety
Steve believes our society should be a place of law and order. We should be able to expect to be safe and secure in our homes, our places of work, and anywhere else we travel. As a former police officer, Steve believes that all men and women should have equal protection under the law.
As a former police officer, Steve recognizes that the Police Accountability Bill, passed in 2020, has had a significant impact on crime in Connecticut. Law enforcement officers are not nearly as proactive as they were prior to the passage of this flawed bill. Criminals, knowing that the penalties are light, are emboldened to commit crime, making Connecticut communities less safe than they were before the passage of this Democrat sponsored bill. Our courts are a revolving door for offenders at the expense of law abiding citizens.
Steve believes that Connecticut citizens should be free to exercise their 2nd amendment rights, under protection of the Constitution. Steve is in support of legal and responsible gun ownership, and opposes any legislation that further infringes upon those rights.
Make Connecticut Competitive Again
Following a long period of declining job opportunities, the COVID-19 health crisis has caused a rapid spike in unemployment that will devastate Connecticut’s economy if left unchecked. The politicians in Hartford will be faced with the difficult task of getting Connecticut back on its feet, however, the legislators in power should not be the same ones who have already failed us. As a small business owner, Steve can personally relate to the struggles confronting employers and employees alike. His professional experiences endow him with the understanding to make fiscally responsible policy decisions to get Connecticut back to work, and even better than before.
The 55th District has unlimited potential in need of unleashing. Steve is committed to doing this by:
- Working with the administration to ensure small business’ needs are met in current and future stimulus packages.
- Making Eastern Connecticut a more attractive place to do business by working to create a more business friendly climate.
- Work to remove burdensome regulations that favor bureaucrats and stifle private investment and job growth
- Protecting the district’s agricultural industry, by making sure our farms and farmers have all the tools they need to succeed, grow, and thrive.
- Strengthening the pipeline of education to jobs, through coordination between the district’s community/technical schools and the manufacturing sector.
About Steve
Steve has chosen to live, work and raise his family in Connecticut. He believes in Connecticut’s opportunity and promise. He is grounded by family, has hard working values and will protect and defend the rights of your families as well.
Steve was born and raised in Connecticut, and currently resides in Hebron with his wife, Allegra and their three daughters. As an Eagle Scout – he lives by Scout motto: “Be prepared”.
Steve’s deep ties to the community include:
- CEO and Founder of American Integrity Restoration
- Former police officer
- Hebron Zoning Board of Appeals, Elected member
- CT River Valley Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of The Board
- CT River Valley Chamber of Commerce, Business Person of the Year (2011)
- Connecticut Apartment Association, Board Member & Government Relations Chair
- The UCONN Club Board, President
- Gilead Congregational Church, Former Chair- Board of Trustees, Guest Preacher
- Volunteer and advocate for local charities including recent mission to Virginia with the Appalachian Service Project
About The Connecticut Republican Party
CT State House, 55th District
