March 5, 2015

Rep. Rutigliano interviewed by local students for documentary project

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Hartford Classical Magnet students, Shamar Mahon (L) and Ben McGowan joined Rep. Dave Rutigliano in the LOB, Feb. 26.

HARTFORD – Hartford students met with Rep. Dave Rutigliano to film part of a documentary for a school project, Feb. 26.

The leader of the project, Shamar Mahon, enrolled in Citizenship in Action this school term to learn the art of documentary film-making and to procure his interest in state politics. The course, mentored by the Connecticut based, Civic Life Project, teaches students how to create their own 6-to-8 minute film on local community issues they have discovered and explored.

Click here to visit The Civic Life Project website.

The students chose minimum wage as their subject, and requested to interview Rep. Rutigliano, as he is Ranking member on the General Assembly’s Labor & Public Employees Committee.

Mahon asked Rep. Rutigliano a number of questions about Connecticut’s current minimum wage laws, and about the health of the state’s economy, and growth of small businesses.

Rep. Rutigliano said that Connecticut’s new minimum wage laws could help low income earners, but could unfairly hurt certain industries.

He said restaurant servers, who also earn tips, can now earn more money than cooks and other non-tip earners, and that other industries that employ tip-earners could be adversely effected.

Mahon said as a young person interested in politics, meeting with Rep. Rutigliano in the LOB was extremely enlightening and informative about how laws are created, and about how issues important to local businesses pass through the legislative process.

Following the interview, the students toured more of the LOB and joined Rep. Rutigliano for a Labor & Public Employees Committee meeting.

Mahon said they have lots of film editing to complete before their final product is posted on the Civic Life Project website.

The goal of the Civic Life Project, as stated on their webpage, is to encourage students to become active in their communities and work to improve their communities and democracy. Their staff includes film directors, producers, writers, editors and local volunteers.

Shamar Mahon is currency serving his fifth term as a Hartford Student Senate Representative.