Joe Markley is a Southington native, descended through his mother, Priscilla Cowles, from a family which has resided in town continuously since before the Revolutionary War. Joe was educated in the local school system and graduated from Southington High School in 1974. He earned a bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from Amherst College, and a master’s degree in English from Columbia University.

After serving on the Southington Library Board of Trustees, Joe was elected to the State Senate in 1984, the first town resident to sit in that chamber in over forty years. In the legislature, Joe chaired the Human Services committee, and the Welfare subcommittee of Appropriations. In that role, he cut over $100 million from the state budget, pressed for the consolidation of agencies, and cosponsored the largest tax cut in Connecticut’s history.

In 1991, Joe cofounded the Connecticut Taxpayers Committee and helped lead the fight against the state income tax, acting as Master of Ceremonies at the Axe the Tax rally that drew 65,000 people to the capitol in Hartford.

Click here for Joe Markley's Web Site <http://www.joemarkley.com/>