Cafero Returning To Hartford For 9th Term [Update]

Updated Wed. 4 p.m.

State Representative Larry Cafero will be returning to the General Assembly for a ninth term after defeating Kate Tepper in Tuesday's election.

Cafero, the Republican Leader in the House, received 12,211 votes from voters in Norwalk and New Canaan.

Democrat Tepper received 7,732 votes.

Original Story

Republican Larry Cafero and his challenger, Democrat Kate Tepper recently tackled questions on topics ranging from how to deal with the state's fiscal mess to how to attract and retain businesses to how to keep the senior population from leaving for other states during a candidate's debate last month. The newly redrawn 142nd district includes Norwalk and a sliver of New Canaan, whereas prior to redistricting it included only Norwalk.

When asked whether he would lean more toward reducing spending or increasing taxes in order to balance the state budget, Cafero, an eight-term incumbent and lifelong Norwalk resident, said with the current Democratic majority in the House "we certainly did the latter over the past four years — we've increased taxes over $3 billion and unfortunately we still find ourselves with a deficit."

Tepper, also a resident of Norwalk, said although she has heard Republicans complain "a great deal about the enormous tax increase we've had here in Connecticut — it's actually not the greatest tax increase that we've ever had — if you look at it as a percentage of the gross state product, it's actually about ten percent less than the tax increases we saw from 1989 to 1992."

Quick Facts

• Tepper has a degree in English from London University and an associate degree, with honors, in Science and Humanities from Westchester Community College.  
• Cafero received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Connecticut and earned his J.D. from Western New England College School of Law.