Campaign Issues

Meet Me in the Middle

Alma Sarelli is running for Connecticut State Senate in the 26th District to bring practical, common-sense leadership to Hartford. At a time when politics feels too divided, Alma believes the best solutions come from listening, working together, and meeting people where they are.

Her campaign is focused on what matters most to families across our district: making Connecticut more affordable, protecting local control, preserving educational excellence, and strengthening support for special education.

For Alma Sarelli, “Meet Me in the Middle” is more than a campaign slogan. It is how she believes government should work. Listen Locally. Plan Responsibly. Solve Practically.

Alma knows that families across Westport, Wilton, Darien, Redding, Stamford, Weston, New Canaan, and Ridgefield may not agree on every issue, but they share many of the same concerns: rising costs, strong schools, safe communities, responsible planning, and a government that respects local voices.

Alma is running to bring people together around practical solutions. She believes leadership means listening, finding common ground, standing up for taxpayers, and putting people ahead of politics. 

In Hartford, Alma will be a voice for balance, accountability, and common sense.

Practical leadership. Local values. Common-sense solutions.

Alma Sarelli is running to represent Connecticut’s 26th District with a simple promise: listen first, work hard, and bring people together around solutions that make life better for families, taxpayers, students, seniors, and small businesses.

What Alma Is Hearing Across the 26th District

Darien

Darien families are watching their town change quickly, and many are asking whether growth is happening faster than local infrastructure can support. Residents are concerned about large multifamily projects, traffic congestion, school capacity, pedestrian safety, sidewalks, stormwater, emergency access, and the rising property-tax burden. They want housing and economic growth to be thoughtful, transparent, and consistent with Darien’s character.

Alma Sarelli believes Darien deserves responsible growth, not state-driven mandates that ignore local realities. As State Senator, Alma will fight to protect local zoning authority, oppose unfunded mandates, and require infrastructure planning before major development moves forward. She will support investments in roads, sidewalks, public safety, and school capacity while demanding accountability for how taxpayer dollars are spent.

Alma’s solution is balance: respect local planning, listen to residents and businesses, and make sure growth strengthens Darien rather than overwhelms it. That means planning first, building responsibly, and protecting taxpayers every step.

Westport

Westport residents care deeply about the future of their schools, neighborhoods, and downtown. The Long Lots School project has highlighted the challenge of making major education investments while protecting taxpayers and preserving community trust. Families want safe, modern schools, but they also want transparency, careful budgeting, traffic planning, and respect for neighborhood quality of life. Downtown businesses and residents are also concerned about parking, land use, congestion, and whether Westport remains affordable for families, seniors, and small businesses.

Alma Sarelli believes strong schools and taxpayer accountability must go together. As an RTM member, she has voted on school budgets and understands the responsibility that comes with every public dollar. Alma’s solution is balanced leadership: support excellent schools, require clear cost controls, improve traffic and parking planning, protect neighborhoods, and keep residents involved before major decisions are made. She will bring that same practical, community-first approach to Hartford.

New Canaan

New Canaan residents want to preserve the character, safety, and quality of life that make their town special while addressing real concerns about affordability. Many families are worried about state zoning pressure, large housing proposals, traffic, parking, school-budget demands, downtown changes, and whether local voices are being heard. Residents are not opposed to thoughtful solutions, but they want growth to fit the town’s infrastructure, neighborhoods, schools, and long-term planning.

Alma Sarelli believes New Canaan should be able to pursue affordability without losing local control. As State Senator, Alma will fight to protect local zoning authority, oppose one-size-fits-all mandates from Hartford, and ensure that housing policy respects infrastructure, traffic, school capacity, and neighborhood character.

Alma’s solution is balanced leadership: encourage responsible affordability, support strong schools, protect taxpayers, strengthen downtown planning, and give residents a meaningful voice before major decisions are made.

Ridgefield

Ridgefield residents are proud of their town’s schools, downtown, neighborhoods, and historic character, but many are feeling pressure from rising costs and state-driven mandates. Families are concerned about school-budget challenges, property taxes, development, downtown parking, affordable housing requirements, and whether local voices are being pushed aside by decisions made in Hartford. Residents want excellent schools and a vibrant downtown, but they also want responsible budgeting, thoughtful growth, and protection for the character that makes Ridgefield unique. Alma Sarelli believes Ridgefield families should not have to choose between strong schools, reasonable taxes, and preserving their town. As State Senator, Alma will fight to protect local control, oppose unfunded mandates, and push for more responsible state support for education and special education. Alma’s solution is common-sense balance: fund schools responsibly, protect taxpayers, improve downtown planning and parking, support local businesses, and make sure development fits Ridgefield’s infrastructure, values, and long-term vision.

Weston

Weston residents value the quiet, residential, and rural character that makes their town unique. At the same time, families are facing real concerns about housing affordability, school-budget pressure, town spending, zoning, property taxes, and whether future development will respect Weston’s character. Residents want to preserve open space, protect strong schools, and maintain the quality of life that drew them to Weston, while also making sure seniors, young families, and taxpayers can afford to stay.

Alma Sarelli believes Weston can protect affordability and education without sacrificing the town’s identity. As State Senator, Alma will fight for local control, oppose unfunded mandates, and push for more responsible state support for education and special education.

Alma’s solution is balanced, thoughtful leadership: protect taxpayers, preserve Weston’s residential character, support excellent schools, respect zoning decisions, and ensure any growth is shaped by local voices, not imposed by Hartford.

Stamford

Residents in the Stamford portion of the 26th District are concerned about growth that is outpacing infrastructure. Density, traffic, I-95 congestion, parking shortages, school capacity, housing affordability, and neighborhood input are all major quality-of-life issues. Families and small businesses want opportunity and investment, but they also want planning that respects the people who already live, work, commute, and operate businesses in Stamford.

Alma Sarelli believes Stamford needs growth that works — not growth that overwhelms neighborhoods, roads, schools, and public services. As State Senator, Alma will fight for responsible planning, stronger infrastructure investment, and a real voice for residents before major decisions are made.

Alma’s solution is balanced leadership: improve traffic and transportation planning, support school infrastructure, protect neighborhood input, encourage affordable housing that fits local needs, and help small businesses thrive. Stamford can grow, but it must grow responsibly, transparently, and with residents at the table.
 

Redding

Redding residents value their town’s rural character, open space, scenic roads, and strong sense of community. At the same time, families are facing pressures from rising school costs, town spending, road maintenance, housing affordability, and a limited commercial tax base that places more of the burden on residential taxpayers. Residents want to protect what makes Redding special while ensuring the town remains financially sustainable for seniors, families, and future generations.

Alma Sarelli believes Redding deserves flexibility from Hartford and policies that respect the needs of rural communities. As State Senator, Alma will fight to protect local control, preserve open space, oppose unfunded mandates, and support responsible economic development that strengthens the tax base without changing the character of the town.

Alma’s solution is balanced leadership: protect taxpayers, support schools responsibly, improve infrastructure, encourage thoughtful commercial growth, and make sure Redding’s voice is heard in Hartford.

Wilton

Wilton residents are concerned about rapid apartment growth, sewer capacity, traffic, historic preservation, village character, affordability, and school funding. As new housing proposals move forward, many families worry that local roads, schools, sewers, and public services may be asked to absorb more than they can handle. Residents want thoughtful growth, but they also want decisions that respect Wilton’s infrastructure limits, historic resources, neighborhoods, and small-town identity.

Alma Sarelli believes Wilton deserves planning that is responsible, transparent, and locally driven. As State Senator, Alma will fight to protect local control, oppose unfunded state mandates, and require infrastructure to be part of every serious development conversation.

Alma’s solution is balance: support affordability without overwhelming Wilton, protect taxpayers, preserve village character, strengthen school funding, and make sure residents, local boards, and businesses have a real voice before major decisions are made in Hartford or at home.

Alma Sarelli is a 17-year Connecticut resident, immigrant from Albania, mother of four, small business owner, elected Westport RTM member, Justice of the Peace, community volunteer, and candidate for Connecticut State Senate in the 26th District. Alma is running to make Connecticut more affordable, protect local control, and preserve educational excellence while strengthening support for special education.