Patch Candidate Profile: Tami Zawistowski For 61st House

WINDSOR LOCKS, CT — Republican state Rep. Tami Zawistowski is seeking reelection in the 61st House District, with taxes, energy costs and state mandates among her priorities.

Zawistowski faces Democrat James Mol, a Suffield Board of Education member and small business owner. The district serves Suffield, East Granby and Windsor Locks. Election Day is Nov. 3.

Here are the candidate’s responses to Patch’s questionnaire.

Candidate's Name:

Tami Zawistowski

What office are you seeking?

Re-election as State Representative

Age:

69

District:

61st - East Granby, Suffield, Windsor Locks

Party:

Republican, cross endorsed by the Independent Party

Campaign website:

https://tamizforthe61st.com

Occupation:

Owner of Resource Books LLC Used and Rare Books

Family:

Married to Ed Zawistowski, 29 years

Does anyone in your family work in government?

No

Previous public office:

Incumbent State Representative; East Granby Board of Finance; East Granby Economic Development Commission

Why are you seeking this office?

I am seeking reelection because I am proud of my record serving the 61st district, maintaining an independent perspective in Hartford that considers all sides of an argument. I believe that every bill we pass has unintended consequences that may impact people unaware of proposed legislation potentially affecting them. In my role as House Republican Bill Screening Chair, I make a serious effort to identify and consider those unintended consequences and bring them to the attention of my legislative colleagues. I work across the aisle to promote good legislation and vigorously oppose those proposals detrimental to my district and the state.

What do you believe is the No. 1 issue facing Connecticut, and how do you plan to address it?

I’m a lifelong Connecticut resident, and I am proud of our state’s history of being a great place to live. Unfortunately, our state has become unaffordable for both residents and businesses. It’s expensive here, and it’s gotten worse in recent years, particularly due to increased energy costs that have a ripple effect throughout our economy, making everything more costly. From a tax perspective, we need to lower or eliminate existing taxes and stop piling on more new taxes such as the Highway Use Tax, the tax on prepared meals purchased at grocery stores and the Passports to Parks fee on vehicle registrations, all of which I opposed.

Energy costs have been soaring in Connecticut. What are your plans to help address this issue?

We need to end subsidies for big for-profit solar companies run by out of state companies, eliminate new long-term “green energy” contracts at above-market rates and demand accountability not only from the utilities but from the state regulatory agency PURA, where decisions consider ratepayers’ true costs and reliability rather than political ideology. Connecticut needs a reliable energy supply that should consider all types of energy generation that makes sense for ratepayers. This includes nuclear, natural gas and emerging technologies, as well as any green alternatives that can be proven cost-effective, not just politically popular.

READ MORE:

• Two Students Return As Suffield Reports School Savings
• Two-Day Closure Will Reroute Traffic In Suffield
• Recent Death Notices From Suffield: Sept. 11–Oct. 7, 2026

Affordability has been a major topic across the country and here in Connecticut. How do you plan to address this issue?

Affordability is not going to happen through a single government program or tax change. It will require a culture change in the legislature – one that holds the line on taxes through better budgeting, controlling spending, eliminating government waste, rooting out fraud and abuse, and reducing taxes and fees. I was involved in crafting the 2017 budget that created the fiscal guardrails by installing spending and borrowing caps, required paying down of debt and setting the stage for the personal income tax cuts that occurred in later years. We need to go further by tackling sky-high property taxes through reform of the broken Education Cost Sharing formula that favors cities over our small towns, by fully funding state reimbursement for special education, and providing real relief from state mandates on education.

Affordability has also been a damper on business development. It is difficult to attract companies with well-paying jobs to Connecticut with our excessively high taxes and energy costs.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

My involvement in the budget that installed the fiscal guardrails to the state budgeting process is something of which I am particularly proud. I have also been recognized by the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities and Connecticut Council of Small Towns for opposing unfunded mandates and defending local zoning control. I contributed to and co-sponsored passage of the 2025 farm bill that provided both tax incentives and crop loss protection to farmers along with a permit exclusion for hoop houses so that farmers can stretch their growing season.

I have secured initial or increased funding for projects including the Suffield High School roof and solar project in 2026, several historic property grants to Hilltop Farm, some very significant projects in Windsor Locks, and look forward to working with Suffield and East Granby to secure school construction or renovation funding in 2027.

Some projects I’ve been involved with take considerably longer than one legislative session, often a few years. Beginning with initial meetings as early as 2014, I was able to get Old New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine in East Granby - which had been completely closed down for nearly a decade - re-opened and rebuilt into what is now thriving state museum. Another project I have been working on is the repair and repaving of the walking and bike trail at the Windsor Locks Canal State Park (construction expected 2027) as well as the reconstruction of the park’s northern parking lot in Suffield that was completed last year.

Most recently, I have been involved with an effort to reduce and eventually eliminate combined sewage overflows (CSOs) from Massachusetts cities into the Connecticut River. This all started from complaints I received from fishermen and others, followed by my letter to the EPA in August 2025, meetings with Massachusetts officials throughout the past year, and has now expanded into development of a multi-state bipartisan Cross Border CT River Communities Initiative which will be working together on federal and state funding for CSO reduction from the river’s headwaters to Long Island Sound.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am dedicated to making Connecticut a better place to live, work, raise a family, retire and start or run a business. When a constituent has a problem to be solved, a new idea for legislation, or just wants to talk, I listen and help. We may not agree on everything, but I respect everyone’s viewpoint and take my responsibility as State Representative very seriously. I read through bill proposals and vote based on my own balanced and independent views. One party rule in Hartford has not served Connecticut well, and we need voices like mine to push back when the ideas of the majority do not meet the needs of our district.

I have been endorsed by the Independent Party, Connecticut Building Trades Council, National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), CT Realtors, Police Officers Association of CT, Fraternal Order of Police and the Association of Retired Teachers CT. I am a small business owner, a 12-year Suffield Rotarian and an honorary Suffield Regional FFA Chapter member. I also serve on the Connecticut Leadership Council for the National Federation of Independent Business.

For those residing in the 61st district, I respectfully ask for your vote.

For more Northern Connecticut news, follow Patch editor Jay Kenney.

Editor’s note: Connecticut Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and the issues facing the state. The responses below were submitted by the candidate and reflect the candidate’s views.