Zalaski, Bruce "Zeke"
District town: Southington
Election history: Zalaski won an open seat by 285 votes in 2002, succeeding Democrat Chris Murphy, who was moving up to the state Senate on his way to eventually winning a seat in Congress.
2008 general election
Zeke Zalaski (D) 7,155 66 percent Dan Banici (R) 3,290 31 percent Timothy A. Knibbs (*CC) 323 3 percent
*Concerned Citizens
Public financing: Zalaski received $24,975 in public financing for his campaign under the Citizens' Election Program, but he turned back $20,900.95 in surplus funds to the state.
Background: Since 1978, Zalaski has worked at Associated Spring in nearby Bristol, one of the precision manufacturing companies that used to supply the region with an abundance of well-paying, skilled blue-collar jobs. His father worked at New Departure, the GM-division in Bristol that made ultra-precise ball bearings until the early 1990s. Zalaski, who commutes to Hartford on a Harley, offers himself at the General Assembly as the voice of an endangered segment of the labor force.
Zalaski is an active member of the United Auto Workers with a 100-percent labor voting record, as calculated by the AFL-CIO.
Committees: Aging, Commerce, Finance
Education: A.A., Northwest Connecticut Community College
Occupation: Manufacturing technician
2008 Financial Disclosure: Zalaski reported outside income from Associated Spring, which is a division of the Barnes Group. His wife, Catherine Zalaski, is employed by the Southington Chamber of Commerce. They own a home in Southington, a second property in Southington and a house in Florida.
Zalaski owns no securities worth more than $5,000.
He reported debts of more than $10,000 to Countrywide Home Loans and Chase Home Finance.
A note on financial disclosure: Every spring, officials are required to disclose the ownership of real estate, the source of any income exceeding $1,000 in the previous calendar year and securities worth more than $5,000.
Southington
A.A., Northwest Connecticut Community College
Manufacturing technician
Labor & Public Employees (chair)! Commerce! Finance, Revenue & Bonding
Since 1978, Zalaski has worked at Associated Spring in nearby Bristol, one of the precision manufacturing companies that used to supply the region with an abundance of well-paying, skilled blue-collar jobs. His father worked at New Departure, the GM-division in Bristol that made ultra-precise ball bearings until the early 1990s. Zalaski, who commutes to Hartford on a Harley, offers himself at the General Assembly as the voice of an endangered segment of the labor force.Beginning in 2011, he brings that perspective as the co-chairman of the Labor & Public Employees Committee. He succeeded the longtime co-chair, Kevin Ryan, who became a deputy House speaker. Zalaski is an active member of the United Auto Workers with a 100-percent labor voting record, as calculated by the AFL-CIO.In 2010, when it was reported that some judges had not taken furlough days despite a request from Chief Justice Chase Rogers, Zalaski proposed a policy of "no furlough days, no reappointment."
Zalaski won an open seat by 285 votes in 2002, succeeding Democrat Chris Murphy, who was moving up to the state Senate on his way to eventually winning a seat in Congress. In 2010, he was cross-endorsed by the Working Families party.
Rusty Haigh! Bruce Zeke Zalaski! Bruce Zeke Zalaski
