Candidate Lisa Romano Serves Up Ice Cream, Talks Jobs

By John Voket

Connecticut and Newtown certainly has its share of unemployed or underemployed who are eager to get back to work. The town has its share of ice cream lovers, too.

Lisa Romano, the Democratic candidate for the 106th District, hoped to provide something for both demographics last week as she launched her first public event, an old-fashioned ice cream social in the Edmond Town Hall gym June 22. She also spent time promoting a regional job training and placement agency she recently visited, touting its history of success in placing primarily un- and underemployed women back into the workforce.

Ms Romano toured the Danbury-based TBICO (The Bridge to Independence and Career Opportunities) facility along with Fifth District Congressional candidate Dan Roberti and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, D-NY.

“I am thrilled that a resource such as TBICO is here in the Newtown area to assist women in achieving their career goals with training and assistance with job placement,” Ms Romano said in a release. “Dan and I share the same commitment to empowering women to take care of their families in these tough economic times, at both the federal and state level.”

Calling TBICO one of the region’s best kept secrets, Ms Romano even brought her mother along, and as luck would have it, the candidate’s mother did some research and discovered a possible job opportunity.

“You don’t have to sit at home and pour through Monster.com on your own when there are agencies like this that may be more effective at helping connect someone to a job, or job training,” she said.

Ms Romano told The Bee that she has been digging into the state Job Creation Act, which was passed during a special session June 12. The candidate said she was on hand for part of the special session that day, which later yielded the new legislation.

“I’m still busy reading [the legislation], but there are a lot of incentives for companies to hire — particularly to hire veterans and the long-term unemployed,” she said. “I also see there are provisions to try and lure jobs back to, or to, Connecticut from overseas, as well as provisions for job training.”

Ms Romano also noted that the eligibility for companies seeking state assistance in hiring had been increased from those employing 50 or less to those employing 100 or less.

“Business owners can certainly go online and read the details, or reach out to [Representative] Chris Lyddy, if they have specific questions,” she added.

Although it is quite early in the campaign season by local standards, Ms Romano said she has been diligent about spending time knocking on doors and introducing herself throughout the district, which includes all but one southerly voting district in Newtown.

“I actually had one resident asking me very specific and detailed questions about the jobs bill,” she said. “I know people aren’t necessarily going to volunteer that they are out of work when I come knocking on their door, but I want to be a resource to the community even as a candidate. And when I get to Hartford, I will be prepared to be a better advocate for the jobless.”

Ms Romano said she recently accompanied Congressman and US Senate candidate Chris Murphy on a door knocking junket in town. She said it is important to develop contacts in Washington, as well as throughout the state, so she can tap those resources if needed.