To the Editor:Washington Post, a net of almost 5,000 of our recent college graduates move elsewhere. Those who remain have been taxed to compensate for the outflow as our state revenue projections keep falling short.

Firstly, these comments are my own and not on behalf of the Legislative Council of which I am a member.

As a millennial (what they are calling us voters under 35) I have real concerns about my future. Can I afford to live in Connecticut? What career opportunities will I have here? We are the first generation where job growth has not kept up with graduation rates; meanwhile, so many of us are starting our adult lives with five- and six-figure student loan debts. In spite of loving Connecticut, many of my friends and family have followed opportunities out of this beautiful state where they were raised and educated. Those that remain are hesitant to commit to buying a home or having children due to financial pressures and long-term concerns.

Connecticut is at a crossroads. We are losing population as fast as the majority in Hartford can increase taxes. Connecticut is constantly ranked as one of the least business friendly states and we see the impact of this locally. Businesses like GE are leaving, and those that remain, such as IBM in Southbury, are shifting jobs elsewhere. When I was in school many of my friends' parents worked at those two companies, which are just two examples of opportunities no longer there for my generation. Jobs are a big part of why, according to the

November 8 I will be voting to re-elect State Representative Mitch Bolinsky. Mitch has a plan to get Connecticut back to being a place where companies want to be, companies that will bring jobs for my generation where we can afford to start families in Newtown. Connecticut needs to be back on solid footing before people will feel comfortable investing here. Mitch and state Republicans have a five-year budget to get Connecticut back into the black without tax increases - a plan that is much more appealing than the cycle of false promises and budget deficits.

Mitch has been endorsed by the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA) and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) because he understands that restoring our economy means creating real, sustainable growth: growth that will lead to jobs my generation can rely on as we look to start families of our own and put down roots in Newtown.

Please join me in supporting Mitch Bolinsky's re-election on November 8.

Thank you,

Ryan Knapp

11 Jeremiah Road, Sandy Hook         November 2, 2016