RYAN FAZIO Returns

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Ryan Fozzio, Yes, sir, glad to have you on. It's
an interesting time to have you on, especially with all
the noise this housing bill is making is getting some
national attention to at the very least. You know, I
had Betsy McCoy on earlier this week. She dedicated a
New York Post and an entire column to it, entire
episode of her Newsmax show to it. What are your

(00:24):
thoughts on the housing bill?

Speaker 2 (00:25):
I think it is a historic attack on local control
of decision making for our towns cities. You know, local
control and home rule have a great tradition here in Connecticut,
and I think it's part of what makes our state
such a great place and our community so strong that
we have had decades, actually centuries really of towns and

(00:47):
cities permitted to make decisions mostly for themselves with that
encroachment by the state government. And this is a major
historic upending of that arrangement of that tradition, where we're
passing a fifty three section bill that will significantly remove
the ability of townsend cities to make their own decisions

(01:10):
over housing and zoning, but other decisions as well. And
you know, the backlash the opposition has come from every
corner of the state. I hear it on the campaign
trail for governor from every part of the state that
people do not want this, They did not ask for this,

(01:31):
and yet this majority and the governor passed it with
very little notice to the public, with no public hearings
on the major provisions of this bill that passed. I
submit to you that the people who voted in favor
of this bill mostly did not know what was in it.
They received the bill in full an hour before the

(01:56):
debate started. So this was bad process. It was a
bad outcome, and it will not make our stay more
affordable either.

Speaker 1 (02:02):
No signed at one am on a Friday, zero Republican votes.
And you know, I seem to be the only one
saying too, as far as the radio hosts, as far
as I know anyway, political pundits this and that. When
you're looking at one hundred and sixty nine towns across

(02:22):
Connecticut and I'm born and raised here, I've traveled all
over the state. Yeah, I do love Connecticut. These guys
are ruining it for me. There are beautiful little towns
in Connecticut. Forget the people and the angle. Much as
it's an angle, I do stand by who work really
hard to get to this quaint, little New England town

(02:43):
that's a little bit pricey, but they've worked hard, saved money.
That's their dream town. I did that, you know, and
I got there, and forget that. There are people who
are going to be plunked down in towns in affordable housing,
and like, where the hell are we? We're in the boondocks?
Is there even a bus line around here? I can't
get to where I need to get to. I don't

(03:04):
want to be here, and nobody seems to the left
can't seem to look at it through that lens of
there are a lot of homeless and a lot of
low income folks who are going to be like why
am I in East Adam, Connecticut.

Speaker 2 (03:21):
That's exactly right. And the existing state law that's been
on the books for thirty years had an element of
that too. The state statute is called eight thirty G
and it allows developers to ignore local zoning if they
create any sort of development with just thirty percent of
the units as quote unquote deed restricted affordable units. So

(03:42):
it's been that way for a long time in Connecticut.
And this is adding insult to injury where developers are
able to ignore local zoning in cases where they're building
very dense developments and that isn't necessarily reflecting market needs.
There are better ways to do this too. I mean,

(04:03):
it is true that we need to create housing and circumstances,
and we need to make the state more affordable, and
I think that there are ways to do that, especially
if you focus on the smaller scale development that is
not going to significantly upset how towns and cities and
neighborhoods are currently situated, that are not going to turn

(04:24):
communities completely on their head. And so it's entirely possible
to come up with a sensible housing policy that does
not significantly disrupt towns and cities and allows towns and
cities to maintain local control. But instead we are getting
more policy that's top down, one size fits all, and

(04:47):
that is going to give developers' ability to kind of
run over towns and cities and mostly build more dense,
large scale developments rather than smaller developments all over a
town a city that fit into the kind of character
of this counter city.

Speaker 1 (05:03):
And also Ryan, you know, there are a lot of
middle class folks, if you will, who they can't find
affordable housing either, because rents are through the roof in Connecticut.
I know so many people, you know, my age, being
fifty eight years old, they're retiring, they're downsizing, they sold
the house they've been in for years, and they're like,
you know, I just want to rent and the rents

(05:26):
are the size of the mortgage I was just paying there.
I can't find enough. They too, are like housing is it.
They're not using those words, but they're basically saying I
can't find affordable housing. But so it's tone deaf in
that sense too, I think. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (05:45):
And one of the things that hasn't been kind of
considered or discussed efficiently in all this is the property
tax burden here in Connecticut. Oh sure, the property tax burden.
According to it, I read a New York Times, you know,
study of all from all of all places a couple
of years ago, and except that Connecticut's property tax burden
is more than double the average state for the average.

Speaker 1 (06:07):
Yeah, not at all.

Speaker 2 (06:09):
And that is a significant portion of people's incomes if
you add it up. And so if Connecticut had an
average tax property tax burden, it would have pretty much
an average housing costs burden. As a percentage of people's incomes.
But because of all the unfunded mandates that the state
imposes on our municipalities, property taxes only go in one

(06:32):
direction in this state up up up to the point
that they are among the top five. We have among
the top five highest property tax burdens of any state
in the country. So that's a regressive tax that her
Senior is in particular, and it makes our housing much
more expensive, whether you own or rent, because even if
you rent, the landlord has to transfer that cost to

(06:55):
the renter. So but of course, the people in charge
of our state government, the governor and the legislature, all
one party, would never do anything that would reduce the
unfunded mandates and costs on towns and alleviate the high
property tax burden in the state. It's only about taking
away more local control, which I don't think can make

(07:17):
our state more affordable in the long run, but can
be significantly disruptive to our tannsas City.

Speaker 1 (07:23):
Well said, and I'm not surprised at all. And again
we're on with Ryan Fozzio. You know, the elephant in
the room being it's not necessarily an elephant. But since
the last time you were on he has made it official.
Lamont has announced he will seek a third term. I
don't think you express I think I asked you last
time around. You think he's going to and you were

(07:44):
fairly certain he would go after one. I did read
something interesting I wanted to bounce off you. There's a
local article. I don't know why. The headline read ned
Lamont announces that he'll be seeking rare third term. Why
why would that be rare? What's rare about a third

(08:06):
term for a governor in Connecticut?

Speaker 2 (08:09):
Well, I think other than John Rowland, there have not
been many third terms in Connecticut history, you know, Connecticut, Connecticut.
You know, I don't know who was the last one
before before Roland off the top of my head. But
of course, you know, for listeners, we don't have term

(08:29):
limits in Connecticut, which you know might might be a mistake.
You know, a lot of states have them, but some
states don't have them. You know. My view is that
after two terms, you've had enough time to get the
job done. And after two terms in this state, the
governor is presiding over a state with the third highest

(08:50):
taxes and the third highest electric costs in the country
and the fourth lowest rate of economic growth. So you
know that's your record after two terms. I think it's
time for a change. Oh wow, And that is what
that's the premise we're running our campaign on, that it's
time for a change and that can Connecticut can do better.

Speaker 1 (09:08):
I did just quickly look up because how I would
have been sure. I would have bet money, I would
have answered on Jeopardy or in the form of a question,
what have you? Who is Ella Grasso? Because I would
have been sure that Ela Grasso did but she too
two terms. So it's interesting to see that. How are
things going on the campaign trail for Ryan Fozzy are

(09:29):
they Are they picking up yet or slow and steady?

Speaker 2 (09:33):
Oh, they're picking up. It's a steady sense of momentum
that we're gaining on the trail all across the state.
You know, people are ready for change in Connecticut, and
our message is that with a positive change or a
state can succeed like every before. It could be more affordable.
We could cut electric rates by twenty percent. We could

(09:53):
cut income taxes by one five hundred dollars for the
average middle class family. We could create opportunity unity, we
could support our law enforcement. And that simple message is
resonating in places that you know, you know, people might
not expect either. So, you know, I'm very gratified by

(10:13):
the level of support we're getting so early on. But
there's a long way to go still, twelve months to
the general election and nine months to a primary. So
we're going to work hard, go everywhere, listen to everyone,
and continue to bring people together because Connecticut can do better.

Speaker 1 (10:30):
Yeah, absolutely, absolutely we can. And not to pit you
too against each other, because I you know, I'm friends
with both of you on support. You know, I'm fans
of both you and Aaron Stewart. But what would you
say to those listening since she too has recently made
it official. Okay, here's one really important distinction, one very

(10:53):
important difference between she and I. Is there one that
comes to mind that you would want people to know.

Speaker 2 (11:00):
No, listen, you know, I respect a mayor, and you
know we're going to have a long opportunity on the
campaign trail to distinguish ourselves. So you know, I hope
people keep an open mind and you know, examine our records.
I'm proud of my record. I've been the leading voice
for cutting electric bills and eliminating the public benefits charge

(11:20):
in the state of Connecticut. I've taken the fights of
the Democrats in Hartford to reduce taxes, to support our
law enforcement and create opportunity in our state. I've been
able to win in a blue district despite Democrats throwing
more money against me than any state senator a state
representative in state history. And I also have a record

(11:43):
in the private sector in business, which I think is
important as well. So I think my record will resonate
all across the state, not just within our party, but
in the general election. And I'm excited to earn people's
votes on the campaign trail. I don't think anyone should
expect being given a nomination or a general election. I

(12:06):
think it needs to be earned, and I'm ready to
earn it.

Speaker 1 (12:08):
That's well said, and I wish you the best of luck.
I'm sure we'll stay in touch. I want to stay
in touch, and it's basically a we're gonna both let
our records speak for themselves until the nomination time comes,
and that's going to be interesting to watch play out.
I look forward to it. Ryan Fozio, thanks again for
joining us, and we'll talk again soon. Have a good

(12:29):
Thanksgiving in the meantime