Issues
For too many of us, our zip code decides whether or not we have good schools, well-paying jobs, and safe streets.
Democrat Ayana Taylor is running for State Senate to fix that and build a more equitable future for our families. As a Vice President of the Windsor School Board, Ayana has worked to empower our students and ensure all of them receive the support they need to succeed. As a community leader, Ayana is independent, proactive, and engaged, and she’ll bring that same commitment to Hartford.
In the State Senate, Ayana will break down barriers to strong schools, good healthcare, affordable housing, and safer communities so that all of us can thrive here.
Housing and affordability
It’s not your imagination that it is getting harder every year to make ends meet. The past decade has seen continuous increases in some of the core items in all of our bottom lines: housing, healthcare, food, transportation and energy. Too many people are doing everything right and still can’t get ahead. Or even get by. I will work to put a good life in Connecticut back within reach.
We all know that Connecticut needs to build more homes and do a better job of ensuring regular people like us can afford to live in them. I will advocate for thoughtful solutions that ensure new housing stock is available and affordable for real working families. We don’t need luxury high rises pricing people out of the neighborhoods that have been their homes for generations - we need housing options that keep Windsor, Hartford and Bloomfield liveable for the next generation.
In just the past year, Bloomfield and Hartford have experienced a nearly 10% increase in homelessness, with Hartford accounting for nearly a quarter of the state’s homeless population. I find this simply unacceptable. As your State Senator, I will make it a priority to ensure that Bloomfield, Windsor and Hartford have the resources they need to stem the lack of availability and rising costs for shelter because everyone deserves a safe place to sleep.
I’ve lived here all my life: I know the challenges our community is facing and I will fight for solutions.
Honest, transparent leadership
I have lived almost all of my life in the 2nd District. I grew up here and I chose to raise my own family here. Running for office is about service to my community, not about personal gain. I will always choose to serve others first. Leadership means being present, standing beside my neighbors to provide access to adequate nutrition and shelter, and to improve the quality of our schools.
As your State Senator, I will always keep the focus on you. I am committed to serving with honesty, humility and respect for the people who put their faith in me.
Integrity first: accountability always. Leadership that serves you.
Safe and healthy communities
As we work to build more quality affordable housing, we should be keeping in mind that our homes are more than just a place to sleep at night. I believe our neighborhoods should meet the needs of the whole person - we should be able to live in places that are safe from gun violence, have quality public transit and walkable streets, and where we can easily access nutritious and affordable foods for our families.
I recognize the quiet undercurrent of hunger in our communities. I will work to ensure our children are fed so that they can learn without the stigma and distraction of hunger. I will support development that eliminates food deserts in our communities. I will support the good work that our faith communities do every day to feed our neighbors.
Everyone deserves to feel safe at school, at home, and at work. We are moving in the right direction, but eliminating violence in our communities requires investment. I will work to bring home the resources necessary to get guns off the streets or facilitate safe storage, to support our police, and to engage youth in our communities with positive opportunities.
When it comes to safer, healthier communities, it’s all connected.
Choice and Gender Equity
I am 100% pro-choice and will always defend reproductive freedoms. While we are fortunate to live in a state that has worked to shield women from the actions of the federal government, I will always be on guard to protect the right to an abortion, access to contraception, and safeguard IVF. AI know that no politician should be making healthcare decisions.
Not only should we protect a woman’s right to choose, but we must remove barriers to healthcare access. As health insurance premiums climb, for too many women, cost limits access to lifesaving care. This should simply never happen - I will work to ensure that access to quality healthcare isn’t based on gender, zip code or income. I will advocate for programs that prevent maternal mortality and increase funding for research on women’s health.
Women should never be treated as “less than.” As your State Senator, I will work to empower women by closing the wage gap, supporting programs and resources that prevent domestic abuse and sexual assault, and help to expand opportunities for women in the trades and STEM careers.
Together, I know we can do better.
Education
Windsor, Bloomfield and Hartford deserve representation at the state legislature who will advocate for our schools, our teachers and our students. I am committed to being this voice. I will support policies that help Connecticut schools retain outstanding teachers, maintain quality facilities, feed hungry students and, most importantly, deliver high quality, science based instruction.
As President of the Windsor Board of Education, I have seen first hand the impact of state funding and policy on our local schools. I will use this understanding to advocate for policies and programs that serve the needs of our community. Our schools can teach every child to read, ensure job readiness, and provide pathways to higher education.
Many Connecticut school districts are struggling with a lack of resources for special education, particularly given cuts at the federal level. As a State Senator and a proud public school parent, I will advocate tirelessly for Special Education funding to ensure we meet the needs of every single student.
A quality education is the key to a bright future. I will continue to work every day to ensure Bloomfield, Windsor and Hartford public schools have the resources and support they need to get the job done.
Climate:
Climate change is already proving to be a dangerous threat to our planet. Our communities are facing extreme temperatures and storms, and our leaders must take steps to improve our resiliency and reduce our impact on the environment. At the same time, we must center environmental justice in our approach in our battle with climate change. Communities of color face air and water pollution at higher rates, and transitions to alternative energy sources are too often cost-prohibitive to working families. As your State Senator, I will work to protect our environment, prevent pollution, invest in green jobs and training programs, and fight for environmental justice.