Robin Comey

I hope this message finds you and your family well. I'm grateful to have received an A from the Connecticut Education Association (CEA) in recognition of my work during the 2026 legislative session. Investing in public education means investing in Connecticut's future, and I remain committed to working alongside educators, students, and families to build stronger schools. Thank you to our teachers for your passion, professionalism, and tireless efforts to inspire the next generation.

There is plenty to get to in the email below, so make sure to keep scrolling for more on:

• Around Town
• August Primary
• The State of Our Vote Symposium
• Paraeducator Preparation Academy
• Budget Surplus
• Renewable Energy
• Elder Justice Hotline
• Community Events

I recently attended the BioCT and Bipartisan Bioscience Caucus discussion and facility tour in New Haven. Bioscience continues to be one of Connecticut’s most important economic drivers, fueling innovation, research, workforce development, and life-saving discoveries across our state. From cutting-edge medical technologies to groundbreaking scientific advancements, Connecticut’s life sciences sector is helping position our state as a national leader in innovation and economic growth.

I also joined The University of Connecticut and the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC) to announce results from the 2025 Connecticut Parent/Caregiver Survey. Thanks to the Branford Early Start Partnership For Children these results also included findings from Branford families.

Based on responses from 3,719 Connecticut parents and caregivers, the survey found widespread child care challenges in finding, affording, and using child care. 

Key findings include:

• Affordability - More than half (53%) of parents and caregivers said child care is too expensive
• Access - Nearly one-third (30%) of respondents were actively searching for child care, on a waitlist, or both
• Care that does not fully meet families’ needs - More than one-third (35%) reported that their current child care arrangement did not fully meet their needs
• Here in Branford - parents surveyed reported long waitlists as one of their top barriers, at 63%

As the study’s lead researcher put it: “Access isn’t just about having child care, it’s whether that care works for the reality of daily life.”

This survey gives the state a real baseline for understanding the specific challenges families face, town by town, so policymakers can target support where it’s needed most.

Click here to access the full report.

Primary elections will take place on Tuesday, August 11, in municipalities where more than one candidate from the same political party has qualified for a particular office.

The primary will be preceded by seven days of early voting, August 3 through August 9. Early voting hours are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on August 3, 5, 7, 8, and 9, and 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on August 4 and 6.

**Please note that Branford only has a Democratic Gubernatorial Primary as there are no Republican primaries in this area.

In Connecticut, only registered members of a political party may vote in that party's primary. 

Connecticut has a semi-closed primary system. Unaffiliated voters who wish to vote in a primary must enroll in a political party by 12:00 p.m. on the day before the primary (August 10), provided they have been unaffiliated for at least three months.

Updating your party affiliation is one of the many changes voters can conveniently do online at https://ow.ly/Vmcn50Z38Qr.
 

For additional election information and resources, click here to visit the Secretary of the State's election webpage.

If you plan to vote by absentee ballot, you no longer need to provide a specific reason to request one for any primary or election.

Click here to access the absentee ballot request portal.

Here’s a great rundown from CT Mirror on who is running and where! 

https://ctmirror.org/2026/07/27/ct-primary-election-2026-voter-guide/

On Wednesday, August 5 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., join the panel discussion, The State of Our Vote: Policy, Progress, and Protections in America, to explore the many challenges facing voting rights in the modern era.

This hybrid event will be held online via WebEx and in person at the Legislative Office Building (Room 2C, 300 Capitol Ave, Hartford). In-person visitors are welcome to park in the Legislative Office Building visitors garage.

Click here for more information and to register.

Branford Early Learning Center is currently seeking an Executive Director who will play a vital role in shaping the future of early childhood education in our community.

The organization is looking for a dynamic leader with strong experience in nonprofit management, organizational development, and educational leadership, as well as a deep passion for early childhood education.

The Branford Early Learning Center has been an important part of our town for many years. This is an exciting opportunity to build on that legacy and help the organization continue to grow, thrive, and make a lasting impact on children and families in Branford.

To learn more about the position, click here to view the job description. If you are interested in applying, please submit your application to boardofbelc@gmail.com.

Registration is now open for the Connecticut State Department of Education's newly launched Paraeducator Preparation Academy.

This free, six-week program is designed to help aspiring paraeducators prepare for the ParaPathways assessment, a requirement for employment as a paraeducator in Connecticut. Participants will receive instruction from certified bilingual educators, free study materials, coverage of the exam fee, and Spanish-language support.

The inaugural pilot session will run from August 17 through September 23 and will be held at the Leaders for Educational Advocacy and Diversity (LEAD) Center in East Hartford.

Registration is open now through the first day of class, August 17. Once the session reaches capacity, additional applicants will be placed on a waitlist and notified about future academy offerings. Additional sessions are planned to launch in communities across Connecticut later this fall.

Participants who successfully complete the academy and pass the ParaPathways assessment will be connected with school districts seeking to hire paraeducators. Once employed, graduates will also be paired with experienced mentor paraeducators to support them as they begin their careers.

Click here to learn more and register.

Connecticut closed the 2025-26 fiscal year with a budget surplus for the eighth straight year. Thanks to fiscal guardrails created by the General Assembly in 2017, those surpluses are contributing to paying down the state’s unfunded pension obligations, so future debt payments are hundreds of millions of dollars smaller than they would have been.

The state’s 2026 surpluses include $411.7 million in the General Fund and $22.7 million in the Special Transportation Fund. The $411.7 million sum was transmitted to support the state’s Early Childhood Education Endowment in late June, with more than $1 billion contributed to pension debt following contributions to the state’s “rainy day fund”.

By making responsible financial decisions today, we're ensuring Connecticut remains well-positioned to invest in priorities like education, transportation, public safety, and other essential services while planning for the future.

Governor Lamont has signed Public Act 26-127 into law, advancing several initiatives to make renewable energy, including solar power and battery storage, more accessible and affordable for homeowners, renters, and businesses across Connecticut.

The new law extends Connecticut's existing residential, commercial, and community solar programs through 2035, ensuring these incentives remain available as energy demand grows and affordability continues to be a top concern for families and employers. These programs were previously set to expire in 2027, and their extension is especially important following the expiration of federal incentives for rooftop solar installations last year.

Public Act 26-127 also requires the development of successor renewable energy programs with clear cost controls, allowing Connecticut to continue expanding clean energy while protecting ratepayers from open-ended costs. The law prioritizes benefits for residents and communities facing higher energy burdens, expands support for battery storage to strengthen grid reliability, and streamlines residential solar and battery storage permitting while maintaining important safety standards.

In addition, the legislation encourages responsible solar development by prioritizing projects on rooftops, brownfields, municipal and state-owned buildings, and other commercial properties, helping preserve open space and agricultural land. It also directs the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) to ensure the public benefits charge remains limited and that the overall impact of the law reduces costs for ratepayers.

Click here to learn more about Connecticut's renewable energy programs.

The Elder Justice Hotline is a resource to help older adults in Connecticut seek information, assistance, and justice.

Click here for more information on the assistance provided or call 1-860-808-5555 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday.