State Rep. Emil "Buddy" Altobello is the Deputy Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives. He was first elected to represent the 82nd Assembly District in 1995, after eight years on Meriden's City Council. The lifelong area resident is a Democrat, and has sponsored and co-sponsored bills covering everything from insurance for the elderly to student athletes and concussions. He was also heavily involved in bringing the Edison Middle School, a magnet school, to the city. As for future initiatives, Altobello is focused on improving programs the state already has in place. "Anything that costs money is out for the next few years," Altobello said, referring to the current state of the economy. "We have to emphasize efficiency in what we have." His office at the capitol in Hartford is: Legislative Office Building, Room 4015. The phone number is 860-240-8585.