Biagio "Billy" Ciotto stepping down

Not as surprising as Rep. Lew Wallace leaving but nonetheless, he will be missed by all.

Veteran state Sen. Biagio "Billy" Ciotto announced Tuesday that he will not seek re-election in November, ending months of speculation.

"My career has soared above and beyond anything I could have dreamed or imagined 60 years ago, when I was just out of school and the perky product of working class, immigrant parents," said Ciotto, a six-term Democrat whose 9th District covers Cromwell, Middletown, Newington, Rocky Hill and Wethersfield.

Ciotto had been close-mouthed in recent weeks about his political future.

"From my parents I learned two things," said Ciotto, who made his announcement at the beginning of an afternoon Senate session at the Capitol. "To cherish the freedoms and opportunities we have here in this country, and second, that there is honor and dignity to hard work," he said. "Any success I've had is simply the result of hard work over time and honest dealings with the people I've met and worked for."