Hello! My name is Colin Bennett and I’m running for a seat in the Connecticut State Senate in the 33rd District. Over the next month and a half I’ll be posting periodic updates about my campaign and answering questions from potential voters. This first post is intended to provide a little background information about me and why I’m running.
Born and mostly raised in Connecticut (I spent a few years in upstate New York as a child) I moved to Westbrook with my family in 1995 and graduated from Westbrook High School. Although I have spent some time away for school and work, I have considered the 33rd district my home for the majority of my life. I love Connecticut and I’m committed to doing all that I can to make this state the best state in country.
My adult life has been dedicated to public service. Among other things I served for twelve years as a Marine Science Technician in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve; I was the Sustainability Outreach Coordinator at George Mason University; I was a member of the Westbrook Forest Commission; I am the founder and executive director of the Great Land Conservation Trust; I was outreach coordinator for the Environmental Futurists at Southern Connecticut State University, a volunteer with the Westbrook Fire Department, a teacher at Saint Mary’s School in New London and a teacher at Saint Sebastian’s School in Middletown, an advisor for the Saint Bernard High School Environmental Club in Uncasville, and a clean energy organizer with Clean Water Action in Hartford. I also serve as a Justice of the Peace in Westbrook. Additionally, I volunteer for numerous non-profit groups, mostly environmental organizations. Notably, I have been an active volunteer with the Sierra Club for more than ten years. With hope, even this partial list will demonstrate my commitment to public service.
Connecticut has largely lost its way in terms of how our state government functions, yet I believe that by working together, using our legislature as the catalyst, we can balance our budget, bring jobs to Connecticut, ensure that our children our well educated, and have safe and healthy communities. I do not believe that big-government is the answer; I believe that smart government is the answer. I believe that our government should be of the people, for the people, not by and for corporations (or those that seek only to serve special interests or the wealthy). That’s why I run as a Green Party candidate; the Green Party takes absolutely no money from corporations or special interest groups. That means when I am elected I will not be beholden to anyone but the residents of the 33rd district and the people of Connecticut.
My priorities are improving job growth through ramping up the state’s clean energy economy, improving education for all of our children and young people, and stabilizing taxes for low and middle income families. In the coming weeks I’ll post specific information on each of these priorities as well on other issues relevant to this race. In the meantime, if you have questions or want to know my thoughts on an issue, feel free to email me at colinbennettforsenate@gmail.com, or just comment on this post.
Check out my Facebook page here: www.facebook.com/Bennett.for.Senate
Follow me on Twitter here: @Senate4Bennett
#BennettForSenate
A picture of me while on duty in Louisiana as part of the Coast Guard’s response to the BP oil spill disaster in 2010.