Wasserman Announces She’ll Seek Another Term

By Steve Bigham

Newtown resident Julia Wasserman this week announced she would seek a sixth term as a member of the House of Representatives. She made the announcement at the Republican Town Committee meeting Monday night.

Mrs Wasserman, just coming off a successful legislative session, admitted her decision to seek reelection to the 106th District did not come easy. This past year has been a trying one for the strong-minded state representative. Her husband, Dr Louis Wasserman, died last June.

“It has been a very bumpy year,” Mrs Wasserman admitted this week.

Nevertheless, she has thrown her hat in the ring in the hopes that she will return to Hartford for her 11th and 12th years. As the incumbent, she will be the favorite, especially if the Democratic Party continues its past practice of not fielding a challenger to Mrs Wasserman. Opposition from relatively unknown Independent candidates from Bethel has not presented much of a challenge either.

Mrs Wasserman was spending more time in town this week after both the House of Representatives and Senate ended their sessions May 3. The Walnut Tree Hill Road resident succeeded in getting three of her bills passed, which she saw as a significant accomplishment in light of her status as a member of the minority party in the House. Also, the Program Review and Investigations Committee, which Mrs Wasserman chairs, voted out several bills which eventually passed.

Topping the list of Wasserman-initiated bills is legislation designed to allow charitable organizations the right to hold onto more of the money they raise rather than pay large sums to auditors. Mrs Wasserman’s efforts were prompted by the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company, which has been forced to pay in excess of $13,000 for audits each time it raises $100,000 or more. Thanks to the help of Mrs Wasserman, audits are no longer required unless the organization raises $200,000 or more.

Mrs Wasserman also led a successful push to get the state to convey to Newtown a 3.6-acre parcel known as “Oakview Field.” The land, located at the corner of Oakview Road and Wasserman Way, is used for both youth soccer and lacrosse.

Mrs Wasserman said the land will be handed over to the town as soon as the deed is written up and approved by the attorney general’s office.

The state representative from Newtown also led a successful effort for passage of an identity theft bill, which will allow a victim of an identity theft crime to sue the violator for damages. Mrs Wasserman said she pursued the bill after some Newtown residents called to say their social security numbers were stolen.

Another bill passed, although not by Mrs Wasserman, will allow Newtown and the Borough to receive Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) funds from the state for state-owned land along Queen Street.