Ledyard, Preston and Montville voters have a choice in the 42nd state House District between Republican incumbent Mike France, an engineer and former Ledyard Town Council member, and Liz Schwebel, a Ledyard Democratic Town Committee member and stay-at-home military spouse making her first run for public office.

France, 56, seeks his third term in the General Assembly. He serves on three committees in Hartford: Appropriations; Government, Administration and Elections; and Planning and Development. France previously served three years on the Ledyard Town Council and chaired the town's Finance Committee.

An engineering manager at Groton-based Progeny Systems Corporation, France spent 20 years in the Navy on active duty, eventually receiving a Master's of Science degree in electrical engineering. He said when not working or legislating, he enjoys playing tennis and studying his family's genealogy, where he can see "history evolve as technology changes."

[naviga:iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jLUkvBWuqV8" height="240" frameborder="0"] [/naviga:iframe]

Schwebel, 34, moved to Connecticut in 2011 with her husband, who serves in the Navy. She studied nursing and public health and received an Associate's of Science degree from Camden County Community College. She received her phlebotomy technician certification from American Professional Education Services in Norwich.

Schwebel has volunteered for her husband's boat's Family Readiness Group and with Fuller Center Disaster Rebuilders in Texas after Hurricane Harvey. She leads Ledyard Tabata Mamas, a free exercise group that builds self-esteem and empowers women. Schwebel sings in her church choir and enjoys hiking with her husband and 4-year-old daughter, and visiting state museums and historical sites.

[naviga:iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wnDXjdoTwnQ" height="240" frameborder="0"] [/naviga:iframe]

France said he is focused on sharper analysis of the state budget; trimming government waste; making realistic revenue projections and stabilizing them; streamlining state budget processes to minimize painful cuts to school districts; and better utilizing the region's technical schools for both high school age students and adults.

France said instead of eliminating the income tax as suggested by GOP gubernatorial candidate Bob Stefanowski, a more prudent approach is to analyze how state government has grown since the income tax was implemented in the early 1990s.

"We've grown the number of agencies and grown the costs of government in general," he said. "Do analysis and determine are there things created 20 years ago to serve a particular purpose, and if that purpose doesn't exist anymore, doing away with those agencies or functions or consolidating those agencies."

Schwebel said she wants to bring more bipartisanship to Hartford, arguing she'd fight to prevent cuts in town and education funding and would back a host of progressive policies she says would help families, women and struggling workers.

Schwebel said she was partly inspired to run by France's "no" vote on last year's budget, and by his vote against a ban on discredited gay conversion therapy, which she called a "barbaric thing that's been proven to be ineffective."

Schwebel adamantly supports earned family medical leave; a gradual bump in the minimum wage to $15; and study into the legalization of recreational marijuana, but in a responsible manner to avoid intoxicated driving.

Schwebel and France agree that the state must complete its budget processes earlier so as not to hamper school districts and towns.

France argued that the state makes commitments on road funding, Mohegan-Pequot grant funding, and Educational Cost Sharing funds, yet many towns — which by statute must set their budgets by June 30 — passed continuing resolutions while the state budget season languished.

"That's not good governance and the state shouldn't put towns in that position," France said.

"Stability and knowing ahead of time what's going to happen will be a huge help in crafting budgets," Schwebel said. "Also, we need to make sure the governor cannot cut budgets midyear."

France said he voted against last year's compromise budget for two principle reasons: a $300 million increase in spending "they couldn't explain how they were paying for," and more than $30 million in cuts to education funding, especially "given we had already started the school year and made commitments. I didn't think it was fair to turn around and take $31 million from the towns."

On his vote against the conversion therapy ban, which passed with strong bipartisan support in 2017, France called it "a law in search of a problem" because many health associations' codes of ethics will not approve anyone who performs such a practice. He also argued the law was poorly written, with an overly broad definition of conversion therapy that could put therapists and professionals in a position where the advice they'd be required to give "is not in the best interest of their patient."

France does not support toll proposals currently in the mix, which he says are not similar to existing tolls in other states.

"Nowhere in the country are you tolling every road," he said. "The rate is also four times the rate per mile in other states."

Schwebel said drawing new business to the state would require improved infrastructure, and she argued tolls are inevitable for the state. But she said she wants to ensure the impact on state residents is minimized through reduced toll rates. She also pushed for an exception allowing military members to get the same reduced rate, even if they don't officially change their residency.

France does not support an increase in the minimum wage, saying "the market determines what is affordable" and arguing it would lead to fewer businesses coming to the state, and greater automation for companies looking to avoid salaries and health care costs.

On paid family medical leave, he said "the challenge is how you pay for it," arguing a government mandate could eventually force businesses to hire two part-timers instead of one full-timer.

b.kail@theday.com