4th District GOP Primary Voting Guide

Voting Guide for August 10 4th District Republican Primary.

The candidates are listed in alphabetical order. The information that follows comes from interviews with Patch and their individual stated platforms.

Taxes

• Dan Debicella: Extend 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts for everyone, regardless of tax bracket. Cap federal spending at 20 percent of the budget. "This would force both sides to debate what they finance and could eliminate the deficit by 2016."
• Rob Merkle: Eliminate corporate tax to attract businesses to Connecticut. Eliminate inheritance tax. Proposes a flat tax rate, or single bracket, of 20 percent and a one-page tax form. Would extend Bush tax credits. Cut capital gains tax.
• Rick Torres: Favors cutting federal corporate tax from what he says is 39.25 percent to around 12.5 percent. Wants to abolish taxes on capital gains and dividends. Wants a flat tax, or single-bracket tax. Supports the elimination of the inheritance tax.

Stimulus

• Dan Debicella: Repeal 80 percent of the stimulus. Instead, reduce the payroll tax by 50 percent for one year. Give each family a tax credit of $1,500.
• Rob Merkle: Repeal it.
• Rick Torres: Opposes it, favors private sector regulation. Wants to end the "too big to fail" philosophy.

Job Growth

• Dan Debicella: "Job creation was my number one focus as a state Senator....Government doesn't create jobs for people. But it can help with small businesses. We Republicans tend to believe that if you help businesses out it creates economic growth."
• Rob Merkle: Eliminate corporate tax. Favors barring federal interference in private contracts, except through the existing U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Federal government should cut taxes and regulations to increase business. "The Federal government can't deliver anything better than the private sector except for the military."
• Rick Torres: "Jobs is the number one issue in the state of Connecticut." Federal government shouldn't be involved in the free market. The state needs to pay less in taxes and needs "conversations with individuals who are non-politicians to step-up and develop new concepts and new directions."

Housing

• Dan Debicella: Keep Fannie and Freddie, but reform the system. Would require that people must be able to put 20 percent down payment on a house and then only get Fannie/Freddie backing if they have good credit. "If you can't afford to buy a house, rent. The government is trying to promote home ownership but that's not a good thing."
• Rob Merkle: Eliminate Fannie and Freddie. Repeal CRA.
• Rick Torres: Eliminate Housing and Urban Development. Let tenants take control of housing and run it. Favors use of homesteader laws – those tenants who live in it seven years or more can own it.

Health Care

• Dan Debicella: Repeal current health care bill. Proposes a healthy living tax credit that focuses on preventive medicine. People could deduct medical costs for things such as physicals, mammograms, and prostate screening. Wants interstate competition between health insurance companies. Favors malpractice reform and an end to state insurance mandates. Wants insurance companies to provide a-la-carte plans and pricing. Calls for improvements in electronic patient records.
• Rob Merkle: Repeal current bill. Favors tort reform. Favors interstate competition for insurance plans. Wants to eliminate state insurance mandates and let insurance companies provide a-la-carte plans. Favors tax parity for individuals and employers.  Wants expanded use of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) by increasing limits and allowing unspent
 HSA dollars to be gifted/willed tax-free. 
• Rick Torres: Signed "Club for Growth Repeal It' – wants health care bill repealed. Favors private sector control of health care.

Transportation

• Dan Debicella: Expand capacity and quality of road system. Wants improved mass transit through increased accessibility and comfort. Wants funding to increase parking capacity at stations along the Metro-North line. Proposes shuttle service from Metro North stations in Norwalk, Greenwich and Stamford. Proposes relying on reinvesting increased revenues from economic growth to improving our transportation system over the next decade.
• Rob Merkle: No official position thus far. Said state can spend more money on programs if less money goes to federal government.
• Rick Torres: No official position thus far.

Debate

• All three candidates have agreed to a debate on News 12 on August 6.