Cristina Costantini Photo
As the sun set over Silver Sands Beach and Tennis Club, Congressional candidate Jerry Labriola celebrated U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s “retirement” and promised voters a $300 “holiday.”
DeLauro isn’t really retiring, if she has anything to do with it. The New Haven Democrat is seeking her 11th two-year term in Congress this fall reprsenting Connecticut’s Third District.
At a a fundraiser at the East Haven beach club Wednesday night, Labriola, a Republican, promised to give DeLauro her first competitive election in decades. The club is owned by State Sen. Len Fasano (at right in photo, with Labriola), who was on hand to introduce the candidate.
A hundred supporters ponied up around $60 apiece at the event — and heard Labriola promise to give them five times as much back if elected.
“Is everyone enjoying the summer of recovery?” he asked, the irony as apparent to the crowd as the striking sunset.
To prime the economy, Labriola proposed a payroll tax holiday. He estimated that allowing employers to withhold those payments to the federal government for a year or two would “boost demand for goods and services, jump-starting the economy” and return an average of $300 per month to the pockets of Third District voters. The federal government would no longer collect 7.5 percent of paychecks from employees and 7.5 percent from their bosses.
“The boost in the economy would be worth the cost in the long run,” Labriola said.
Asked about Labriola’s proposal, Green Party candidate Charlie Pillsbury said he would favor a payroll tax holiday that would “eliminate the payroll tax on the first $20,000 that all taxpayers make.” To make up the money he would hike payroll taxes on incomes that exceed $250,000 per year. “This way” says Pillsbury, “you’re putting money into the pockets of everyone.”
A DeLauro spokesman dismissed Labriola’s proposal as a “cavalier proposal that puts Social Security at risk.”
“Congresswoman DeLauro has always battled for middle class tax cuts,” said campaign spokesman Chuck Swirsky. “She supported one of the biggest middle class tax cut in history last year — and is determined to make permanent tax cuts for the middle class, including the child tax credit. She supports tax credits for small business to create jobs and eliminating tax breaks for American companies that outsource jobs.”
Despite facing a 20-year incumbent with widespread name recognition, Labriola said he can wage a truly competitive race, which the district hasn’t seen since 1992.
He has linked up with the tea party movement; his campaign manager was a regional coordinator. And, he announced at Wednesday’s event, he has three new TV commercials ready to air.
“No candidate has been on TV against Rosa DeLauro,” said Labriola. “It’s going to be a real race. We’re going to start rolling out a real campaign.”
