Frank, CEO of ComputerFox Stores, a Milford computer repair chain, said, "Milford doesn’t really have a choice in candidates," referring to Amann’s unopposed runs in recent elections.
"I’m a largely different type of candidate and I’m running on issues my opponent doesn’t want to touch," Frank said.
Amann could not be reached for comment Monday, but in the past has trumpeted his popularity in Milford.
During the 2006 campaign, for instance, Amann said, "You have any idiot run against me in this town, I will crush them. Let them run in the town that I grew up in. You think you’re going to put someone up to me? Good luck."
Frank criticized Amann’s approach to state spending. He said one recent example is the speaker’s approach to renovating state bridges.
Frank said he plans to institute a toll for big rigs at state lines and make weigh station penalties stricter to "hold the biggest culprits accountable," rather than using tax dollars for road construction.
Frank said he also plans to challenge the federal government’s disbursement of income tax dollars, to ensure Connecticut’s funds are "legally apportioned" for repairs to the state’s infrastructure.
Another key issue, Frank said, will be education. He said he plans to reorganize distribution of state funding, in order to "attach every dollar to the child rather than the municipality." He said the current education system has "failed," pointing to higher test scores in wealthier suburbs.
But Democratic Town Committee Chairman Richard Smith said he felt confident voters would respond to Amann’s experience as speaker of the House.
"Hopefully, (Amann) will run next year, and he will run on his record, and the people of the 118th will decide," Smith said. "I’m pretty confident that the people of Milford are happy to have our representative serve as speaker of the House."
Frank was critical of Amann’s support of U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, I-Conn., in the 2006 U.S. Senate election, because Amann’s criticism of the Iraq war conflicted with Lieberman’s support of the war.
Amann supported Lieberman over Democratic challenger Ned Lamont in that race, saying he thought Lieberman would "better represent the state."
Frank has ties to the Republican Party. He worked for former President Bush’s campaign in 1988, and was a member of the Connecticut and the National Federation of Young Republicans. But Frank said he has since grown "skeptical and cynical" of party politics.
Smith said he thought Frank would have a tough time challenging Amann. Amann "has proven to be a champion for his district, and is highly popular," Smith said. "And I think that Mr. Frank will find it difficult to take on such a popular incumbent."
Frank will make his official declaration Sept. 7 at a Good Morning Milford meeting of the Chamber of Commerce.
Direct File: http://www.nhregister.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18729646&BRD=1281&PAG=461&dept_id=517514&rfi=6
Greg Canuel is a Register intern.
