Standing in front of the familiar dome of the Connecticut State Capitol, holding a sheaf of paperwork, Newtown's 106th District incumbent State Representative Mitch Bolinsky announced via a Facebook post March 22 that he had completed and filed all the necessary paperwork to mount a reelection campaign in hopes of winning a third term representing Newtown.The Newtown Bee the next morning, Rep Bolinsky said he is excited to have the opportunity to run for another term.

In a call to

"There will be a formal announcement forthcoming, but I'm really excited to be running for a third term," he said. "I've talked with my family and my team about the issues, and the importance of the next couple of years. At this point we are really at a historic crossroads in Connecticut. If we don't get things turned around in the right direction and right the economic ship of state, there's not going to be much left."

Rep Bolinsky said there are a ton of issues to focus on - and as such he has reiterated his pledge and called upon others involved in the 106th District race to make the contest about those many issues, instead of following the trend of personal attacks he is seeing at the national level.

"There will be none of that coming out of this side," he said.

While Newtown's lawmaker said he has helped "move the needles" positively on a number of social issues during his current term in office, including support for seniors, caregivers, and those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. But he continues to be frustrated by an administration that seems to target budget and service cuts at those least equipped to fight back or oppose the actions.

"I grew up always fending for the weak and taking care of family, friends, and anybody who needs help taking care of themselves," Rep Bolinsky said.

But as a self-proclaimed fiscal conservative, Bolinsky is equally miffed about programs and agencies that can be or are self-sustaining, yet still receive additional dollars that could be shifted to departments proving human services.

"As a state, we're out of control - and we never seem to cut or control funding sources for programs that should stand on their own," he said.

In discussing how he views the current budget landscape with looming state workforce layoffs and millions in reductions aimed at agencies serving the most vulnerable residents, Rep Bolinsky summed his feelings up saying, "Our state government is not a caring organization."

"As we make these state cuts that are going to happen next week, with layoffs of 12 to 15 hundred people, that means the services and attitude of those remaining in those state agencies are going to be angrier, meaner, less efficient, and less caring."

Rep Bolinsky said one of the other issues is how many valuable and experienced state workers are actively seeking to retire.

"You're looking at a tremendous outflow of these state workers as they either qualify for retirement or age out. So when layoffs hit, it will be the least senior state workers who get bounced," he said. "And the sad part is, the ones who won't get bounced are the commissioners, administrators, and management where a lot of the overhead is.

"And shame on those running the collective bargaining units, thumbing their noses at the governor who is asking them to come to the table to try and do something that makes sense to avoid these hundreds of layoffs," Rep Bolinsky added.

The lawmaker said one of his biggest fears is the continuing inability or unwillingness on the part of state leadership to acknowledge and to craft policies to stem the exodus of residents and businesses from the state, primarily because of inordinately high taxation and regulation.

That's why Rep Bolinsky believes Newtown and the state may fare better by sending him back to Hartford for a third term, versus a candidate with little or less experience.

"Lack of experience is not even the biggest issue," he said. "Look, the legislature has been in Democratic hands for the last 30 years. During more recent times, the mood among political leadership on the majority [side] is uncertainty - they've never before seen this kind of structural shift in the government. They keep applying the same solutions, but revenues are down. So how can they raise revenue? By raising taxes again."

Addressing what he calls Connecticut's outward migration of residents and businesses will remain Rep Bolinsky's top priority along with direct constituent services.

"If we don't create jobs and growth in this economy, we won't have a ship to steer anymore," he said. "We're at a tipping point and any new taxes will just send more people and businesses running for the borders."