2026 Candidate Questionnaire: Tricia Ciccone for State Representative, 137th District

Why are you running for this seat, and what makes you qualified to represent the District?

I am a long-time resident of Norwalk , a mother, a neighbor and someone who has spent decades serving our community through my professional career and volunteer leadership. For more than 15 years, I have managed large-scale educational and community programs that serve over 1,300 children and families across multiple locations. I oversee a multimillion-dollar budget, lead large teams, ensure compliance with state and federal regulations and work every day to solve problems, make responsible decisions and deliver results. My experience has taught me how government programs work, where taxpayer dollars are spent, and why accountability and transparency matter. I understand how to balance budgets, identify waste, secure grants and make sure resources are directed where they have the greatest impact. As a long-time resident of Norwalk, I know the challenges families face because I have lived them. I raised my family here and I want Connecticut to remain a place where families can afford to live, work and retire. My community involvement has always been about service. I have served in leadership positions with local nonprofit organizations, parent organizations, youth sports and civic groups. Those experiences have taught me how to bring people together, listen to different perspectives and build practical solutions. I am running for State Representative because Connecticut families deserve leadership that is accessible, accountable and focused on results. I will fight to lower the cost of living, improve our schools, support public safety, protect taxpayers, strengthen our local economy, and ensure state government works for the people it serves. I believe experience is measured not by years in elected office, but by years of serving your community, managing complex organizations, making difficult decisions and earning the trust of the people you represent.

What are the top three issues you’d focus on in Hartford if elected, and why?  

My top three priorities are lowering energy costs, modernizing Connecticut’s Education Cost Sharing (ECS) funding formula and preserving local control. First, Connecticut families and small businesses are struggling with some of the highest electricity rates in the nation. I will work to increase transparency and accountability, review unnecessary costs on electric bills, expand our energy supply and support policies that make energy more affordable and reliable. Second, our state’s ECS funding formula needs to be modernized. It should reflect the current needs of students and communities, provide predictable funding for school districts and ensure resources are directed to classrooms. I will also advocate for better support for special education and multilingual learners so every student has the opportunity to succeed. Finally, I believe decisions about our communities should be made by the people who live in them, not by mandates from Hartford. I will fight to preserve local control over zoning, education and municipal decision-making while reducing unfunded state mandates that drive up costs for taxpayers. My focus is simple: make Connecticut more affordable, strengthen our schools and protect the voices of our local communities.

What’s your position on state funding for public schools, including how it affects Norwalk specifically?  

Every child deserves access to a high-quality education, regardless of where they live or the challenges they face. Connecticut’s Education Cost Sharing (ECS) formula has not kept pace with the changing needs of our students or school districts. Norwalk is a prime example of why the formula needs to be modernized. Our district serves a growing population of multilingual learners, faces rising special education costs and continues to educate an increasingly diverse student body, yet state funding does not fully reflect these realities. I support updating the ECS formula to better account for today’s educational needs by recognizing the true cost of educating multilingual learners and adding a dedicated special education weight to the formula. School districts like Norwalk deserve funding that reflects the students they serve, not outdated calculations. I will also advocate for expanding the state’s Excess Cost Grant so districts receive greater reimbursement for extraordinary special education expenses. This will help Norwalk and other communities meet their legal obligations to students with disabilities without diverting resources from classrooms or placing additional burdens on local property taxpayers. Education funding should be based on student needs, not outdated formulas, geography or a community’s tax base. By modernizing the ECS formula, Connecticut can provide fairer funding for communities like Norwalk, strengthen our public schools, reduce pressure on local property taxes and ensure taxpayer dollars are invested where they have the greatest impact. Every student deserves the opportunity to succeed and every community including Norwalk deserves an education funding system that reflects that commitment.

Housing costs and availability are a major concern across Fairfield County. What state-level changes would you support to address this?  

Norwalk has met the state’s housing benchmarks, yet many working families continue to struggle with the rising cost of living. With median home prices exceeding $700,000 and average rents approaching $2,800 per month, affordability remains a serious challenge. We need practical solutions that help residents without sacrificing the character of the neighborhoods that make our community unique. I believe local communities, not Hartford, should make decisions about land use and zoning. I oppose state mandates that take away local control or encourage widespread conversion of single-family neighborhoods into higher-density developments. Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) can be a valuable option for families caring for aging parents or adult children with disabilities, but I do not support policies that turn residential backyards into rental properties. Instead, we should focus on revitalizing underutilized commercial and mixed-use areas to create workforce housing for teachers, first responders, nurses and other essential workers. We must also create a pathway to homeownership for first-time buyers, families and essential workers. That means encouraging the construction of starter homes and condominiums, expanding access to down payment assistance programs and supporting responsible development that gives residents the opportunity to build equity instead of remaining lifelong renters. By directing appropriate development to commercial zones, preserving local control over zoning and expanding opportunities for homeownership, we can keep Norwalk an affordable place to live while protecting the residential character, property values and quality of life that Norwalk residents value.

What would you do to address the cost of living for Connecticut families, including taxes and utility costs?  

Connecticut families are struggling with the high cost of living. From electricity and housing to groceries and taxes, too many residents are paying more and getting less. We need to make Connecticut more affordable by lowering energy costs and reducing the tax burden on families and businesses. We should increase transparency and accountability in our energy system, review the costly public benefit charges, encourage greater competition, expand our energy supply and invest in reliable infrastructure. At the same time, our state government needs to control spending, streamline operations, reduce waste and prioritize tax relief. Lowering taxes means letting families keep more of the money they earn. Lowering electricity costs means giving them more room in their monthly budgets. Connecticut needs a government focused on affordability, not continually finding new ways to spend and charge taxpayers. Our goal should be simple: lower taxes, lower energy costs, grow our economy and make Connecticut a place where families can afford to live, work and build a future.

What separates you from your opponent(s), and why should voters choose you on Election Day?  

I think the biggest difference is experience, priorities and how we approach governing. Kadeem Roberts brings his own perspective and experience to this race. I bring decades of experience as a working professional, a mother, a community member and someone who has managed people, programs and budgets while being accountable to families every day. I am focused on the issues that are putting pressure on Connecticut families right now: high taxes, expensive electricity, housing costs and the overall cost of living. I want to make Connecticut more affordable for the people who already live here and for the young people who want to build their lives here. On housing, I believe we need a pathway to homeownership, not simply more housing at any cost. We need to protect the character of our neighborhoods while giving working families a real opportunity to purchase a home. And perhaps most importantly, I believe in working across the aisle. I am not going to Hartford believing that my way is the only way. I believe strongly in consensus. We are not always going to get everything we want, but if we listen, negotiate and find common ground, we can actually get things done. So, for me, this election is about more than party labels. It is about who has the practical experience to manage taxpayer dollars, who will fight to lower the cost of living, who will protect our communities and who will work with anyone necessary to deliver results. That is the kind of representative I intend to be.

What’s one state policy you’d change that isn’t getting enough attention this election cycle?  

Connecticut residents don’t need another one-time payment. They need lasting income tax relief that puts more money in their pockets every paycheck. As a State Representative, I will support policies that provide real, sustainable tax relief for working and middle-class families. That includes lowering Connecticut’s income tax rates, strengthening the state Earned Income Tax Credit and expanding deductions or exemptions so residents can keep more of what they earn. But meaningful tax relief also requires responsible spending. I will support greater transparency and accountability in our state government, eliminate unnecessary spending and require government to prioritize essential services before asking taxpayers for more. When Connecticut collects more revenue than necessary, we should look for ways to return that money through permanent tax reductions, not one-time checks. Families are facing higher costs for electricity, housing, groceries, insurance, and everyday necessities. They need relief they can count on.

How would you describe your approach to working across the aisle in Hartford?  

I am a strong believer in consensus. I understand that in government, we are not always going to get everything we want and that is okay. Good leadership means listening to different perspectives, finding common ground and being willing to compromise when it moves us toward a better solution. As your State Representative, I will work across the aisle with Democrats, Republicans, Independents and anyone willing to put Connecticut families first. I will not compromise my core values, but I also will not let partisan politics prevent us from getting things done. The people of Connecticut send representatives to Hartford to solve problems, not to argue endlessly about who is right. Whether we are working to lower taxes and electricity costs, improve education, make Connecticut more affordable or support our local communities, I will always look for practical solutions that can earn broad support. Consensus does not mean everyone gets everything they want. It means we find a path forward that makes Connecticut better for all.

What’s a local issue specific to your district that you don’t think gets enough attention at the state level?  

One issue that does not get enough attention for Norwalk voters is Education Cost Sharing (ECS Funding). ECS is the primary way Connecticut distributes state education funding to our cities and towns. For Norwalk, this is not simply a number on a state budget spreadsheet, it directly affects our schools, our local budget and ultimately our property taxpayers. Norwalk families are being asked to pay more while our schools face increasing costs for special education, multilingual learners, transportation, staffing and other services. At the same time, the state’s ECS formula is based on a formula that has not kept pace with the actual cost of educating a child. As your State Representative, I will make bringing more fair and sustainable education funding back to Norwalk a priority. We need to make sure the state keeps its commitment to our students while reducing the pressure on local taxpayers. This is about more than asking Hartford for a bigger check. It is about fixing a funding formula that reflects today’s educational costs, holding the state accountable for its commitments and making sure Norwalk receives its fair share. Norwalk taxpayers should not have to choose between strong public schools and affordable property taxes. We need to fight for both.

Editor’s note: One question on the candidate questionnaire, asking about state investment in public transit and infrastructure, had a technical error. Instead of a text box for candidates to type their answer, the form showed multiple-choice options by mistake. Because of this glitch, that question and its answers have been omitted from all candidate questionnaires.

If you’re running for State Representative and haven’t yet filled out the candidate questionnaire:

Please reach out to asmith@nancyonnorwalk.com. We want to include as many candidates as possible so voters can compare where everyone stands before Election Day.