On Jan. 4, surrounded by my family, I took the oath of office as state senator at the State Capitol for the people of Griswold, Groton, Plainfield, Preston, North Stonington, Sterling, Stonington and Voluntown while marking a new approach to governing our state. 

After meeting fellow legislators – both Democrat and Republican, I was encouraged by the following: 

• There is an appreciation of what the voters decided in November.

• There is an acknowledgement that state government has not been friendly to business owners and risk takers.

• There is an understanding of how deep and damaging our state debt has become. 

I saw and heard a willingness from Democrats and Republicans to work together to begin pulling our state out of this budgetary mess. Ideas on how to go about that huge task will be exchanged and debated in a thoughtful way. No one will be excluded from the decision-making. 

As one of the new faces in Hartford, I found that refreshing. If we do not work together and pass policies that get the state’s financial house in order, we will have failed everyone and doomed the next generation to mountain of debt and lost opportunities. 

We must create a business environment in Connecticut that is conducive to growing jobs. We must set real and enforceable spending priorities, and we must live by them, while protecting vital services for the most vulnerable people in our communities: the elderly, the sick, and our children.

With the state Senate evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, with Democrats holding a small advantage in the House, the timing couldn’t be better to make Connecticut a place where companies can flourish and where predictable, sustainable budgets emerge from the State Capitol. All that we do in Hartford must focus on improving Connecticut’s economy and our quality of life. Our shared goal of reforming government has to be based on basic math, common sense, and a concerted effort to listen to each other.

I am ready to work with others to make our state strong again. I urge you to help me in this effort and welcome your thoughts and ideas.

Heather Somers, a Republican, represents the 18th Senatorial District. You can contact her at Heather.Somers@cga.ct.gov or at 800-842-1421. You can sign up for her State Capitol updates and learn about her upcoming Town Hall Meetings at www.SenatorSomers.com.