Senator Robert J. Kane, a long-time resident of Watertown, was elected to represent the 32nd Senatorial District in a special election on January 15, 2008. In addition to Watertown, his district includes the communities of Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Middlebury, Oxford, Roxbury, Seymour, Southbury, Thomaston, and Woodbury.

Rob Kane, served three terms as a member of the Watertown Town Council, is a proud husband and father, a successful business owner, and an active member of the community.

Senator Kane’s priority as a State Senator is to advocate for the issues that are important to Connecticut, especially to the people living in the 32nd District. His priorities include:

• Making necessary changes to Connecticut’s criminal justice system, including enacting a responsible, workable, three strikes law that would protect Connecticut’s families by imposing life imprisonment on those convicted of a third, serious, felony.

• Creating and retaining jobs by enacting pro-business and pro-worker legislation, such as expanding a new tax credit program to benefit all Connecticut businesses. The existing program – initiated by the Senate Republican Caucus – provides tax credits to C-corporations that create 10 or more jobs in a year. Senator Kane is calling for the General Assembly to expand the tax credit to all businesses and allow small businesses to earn a credit for every net new job created.

• Providing the best possible education for our children and ensuring 32nd District schools receive a fair share of state education funding. Senator Kane’s education priorities include: allowing regional vocational education centers to charge a higher tuition rate for out-of-town students; fully funding the Teachers’ Retirement Fund each year; and requiring that new accountability measures are used to ensure that taxpayers’ money is not spent on underperforming school programs.

Senator Kane is past chair of the Watertown Town Council and has served as chair of its Finance Subcommittee and founding chair of its Business Development Subcommittee.

He is the founder and president of KarTele Cellular Phones in Waterbury. Presently he chairs the Wolcott Street/Lakewood Road Business Association, serves as president of the Professional Network Organization (Profnet), and has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Greater Waterbury Chamber of Commerce since 1999.

Senator Kane is a former board member of United Way, Waterbury Association of Retarded Citizens, and Regional Workforce Investment Board. Senator Kane is a past recipient of the Waterbury Regional Chamber Malcolm Baldrige Award for Volunteerism, and a past recipient of the Waterbury Regional Chamber Harold Webster Smith Small Business Award.

Senator Kane is a graduate of Central Connecticut State University and is working toward an MBA from the University of New Haven. He and his wife, Dr. Marcy Kane, are the proud parents of Aidan and Deana.