Ned Lamont

Where Lamont stands

Grouped by topic by Vote Book; headings and quoted words are the candidate’s own, with the source under each one. “As reported” items are a news outlet’s description, not an exact quote.

Energy & environment

Lowering Energy Costs and Holding Utilities Accountable

Governor Lamont is taking on one of the biggest challenges facing Connecticut families: the high cost of electricity. His plan puts ratepayers first by holding utilities accountable, encouraging competition, and driving down costs.

What specific policies would you support to address concerns about the impact of data centers on communities? (1,000 characters)

As Governor, my position is clear that we have said no to hyperscale AI data centers and we’ll keep saying no. Connecticut ratepayers should not be left paying the energy bill for them, and communities here don't want them. To protect our communities, I support strict policies putting ratepayers and affordability first. Any data center must bring its own clean power generation attached so it does not strain our electrical grid or increase utility rates for local families. Second, we must respect the right of municipalities to reject projects through local planning and zoning boards. Finally, we must enforce strict standards on water usage for cooling, mandate noise mitigation, and set high clean-energy requirements to protect local air, water, and quality of life. We will continue putting Connecticut families, ratepayer protection, and local community voices first.

What can Connecticut do to mitigate the effects of climate change? (1,000 characters)

Climate change is real, and I have repeatedly spoken out about the federal government’s efforts to roll back reasonable policies to address the issue. One of the best ways to address climate change is through more energy efficiency programs. These programs save the homeowner on their bills and reduce demand. We have also incorporated higher standards in state funded building projects. We are also moving towards affordable, clean energy sources like offshore wind, solar, and nuclear power. This past legislative session, we provided more tools to encourage residential solar. And we continue to work on building out electric vehicle charging stations and expanding public transit. Finally, we are mitigating the climate impacts already at our doorstep by fortifying local infrastructure and protecting coastal communities from severe flooding. We are encouraging the development of rain gardens, rebuilding culverts and seawalls. We are rebuilding bridges a little higher and wider.

Crime & public safety

Please explain your position on the use of “flock” cameras and the data they collect. (1,000 characters)

This year I supported and signed legislation strictly limiting data retention, prohibiting data sharing to protect individual rights, and restricting access strictly to active law enforcement investigations. Automated license plate readers can be effective tools for solving crimes and locating stolen vehicles, but public safety cannot come at the expense of privacy and civil liberties. Connecticut residents are rightfully concerned about unchecked surveillance and data collection. That is why I called for a statewide pause on installing new equipment, and called the Police Officer Standards and Training Council to recommend new rules to implement the legislation. That process is ongoing and I hope it is useful for local municipal leaders as they make these decisions.

Taxes & spending

Do you believe that Connecticut’s tax system is fair? Please explain your answer. (1,000 characters)

I increased the Earned Income Tax Credit, cut taxes for working families, and reduced our reliance on property taxes. After years of deficits, I have delivered eight years of balanced budgets, giving us the fiscal room to invest in education, child care, state employee and teacher pensions, and other priorities. If re-elected, one of my priorities will be ending corporate welfare and ensuring that large corporations pay their fair share, instead of shifting healthcare costs to taxpayers. I will continue cracking down on tax avoidance and closing loopholes that allow large companies to avoid their tax obligations. We must ensure large corporations contribute fairly to the investments that make Connecticut a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

Housing

What measures would you suggest to increase the amount of affordable housing in our state? (1,000 characters)

We cannot solve affordability in Connecticut without addressing housing, and we cannot address housing without working closely with our cities and towns. To expand our housing supply and lower costs, we are making historic state investments to build workforce and affordable housing where it makes sense—near transit hubs, downtowns, and job centers. To achieve this, we launched a new entity - the Connecticut Municipal Development Authority that works with local leaders to identify parcels where we can speed up permitting approvals and help finance new construction or infrastructure. We also work to make the current housing stock more affordable for working families. Through our Time to Own program, we provide forgivable down payment assistance to help first-time buyers build wealth. We have expanded rental assistance programs to keep families stably housed. And we have increased the property tax credit to provide some additional relief.

Jobs, wages & cost of living

Affordability as a regulatory standard

Require affordability to be considered when determining utility profits, ensuring ratepayers are not asked to shoulder unreasonable costs

Protect consumers

from unnecessary spending by requiring rigorous cost-benefit analyses before major infrastructure investments can be charged to ratepayers

Increase competition

by allowing more private investment in energy infrastructure, microgrids, and innovative technologies

Elections, ethics & government

Hold utilities accountable

through stronger oversight, transparency requirements, and regular reviews of their performance

Families & communities

Lowering Costs for Families

Connecticut families deserve a state where they can afford to live, raise children, and plan for the future.

Background & priorities

Please provide your background and qualifications and tell the voters why you are the best candidate for this office. (800 characters)

As Governor, I am proud that we have delivered real results for Connecticut families. We have gone from one of the slowest growing economies in the nation to being one of the fastest. We have cut taxes for middle class and working families, and paid down more than $12 billion in debt. At the same time, we passed one of the best paid family and medical leave programs in the country, raised the minimum wage, and moved our state towards universal pre-K. We can and will continue to deliver for Connecticut. We have more work to do to make our state more affordable. This is why I am focusing on my third term to deliver affordable child care for all children in the state, reduce healthcare costs to small businesses and families, expand access to affordable housing, and lower energy costs.