DeStefano Launches Second TV Ad on Universal Healthcare

June 26, 2006

Ad focuses on corporate responsibility of Wal-Mart and big companies to provide health care to their employees.

New Haven - With a theme of helping working and middle class families, who are either uninsured or squeezed by higher health care costs, John DeStefano - Democratic candidate for governor - today unveiled his second ad of the year, entitled "Fairness." The ad focuses on the need for universal health care and corporate responsibility of Wal-Mart and big companies to provide health care to their employees. The ad began running statewide on Monday morning and will run on all CT major networks - including News 12 in Fairfield County.

"Connecticut taxpayers pay over $5 million a year to provide health care to Wal-Mart workers because the company won't pay for it themselves," says DeStefano in the opening line of the ad. "As governor, my universal health care plan closes corporate loopholes and uses the money to provide affordable healthcare for everyone." The ad continues, "And if Wal-Mart won't cover their workers - we will - and we'll send Wal-Mart the bill. It's time to make your government work for you."

Under the DeStefano plan, companies like Wal-Mart would have one of three choices: Provide health care coverage under the Connecticut Health Care Consortium and have their corporate income tax cut in half, dedicate 5% of their payroll for employee health care coverage and have their corporate income tax cut in half, or fail to provide quality health care for their employees and lose their state tax benefits.

DeStefano was the first gubernatorial candidate to propose a universal health care plan and the only candidate to dedicate a real revenue stream to pay for it. His universal health care plan has been endorsed by many state lawmakers, including State Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney, State Sen. Jonathan Harris, State Rep. Denise Merrill, State Rep. Henry Genga, State Rep. Roberta Willis, and State Rep. John Geragosian.

"John DeStefano is the candidate of ideas and he's proud that his ads are engaging voters about important issues like corporate responsibility and health care," said Derek Slap - Communication Director for the DeStefano campaign. "No other gubernatorial candidate has the track record of working with business and working families to create win-wins. He's done it time after time in New Haven and he's ready to do it with universal health care."