Audrey P. Beck

Audrey Phillips Beck (August 6, 1931 – March 11, 1983) was an American politician and educator.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Beck moved with her family to Norwalk, Connecticut, where she grew up. Beck received her bachelor's and master's degree from University of Connecticut. From 1961 to 1967, Beck taught economics at the University of Connecticut. She was also visiting professor at Rutgers University. In 1967, Beck worked as an economist for the Windham Regional Planning Commission. From 1967 to 1975, Beck served in the Connecticut House of Representatives. When in the CT House, she was one of sixteen women legislators (of a body of 177) and together with her friend and colleague Nancy Griswold, originated legislation providing improved equality for women in the legislature and in the work place. She began a 16 year quest to introduce a state income tax in Connecticut, which was quite controversial, and did not pass the legislature during her years. She believed strongly in what she called "fiscal responsibility," towards which she argued that the existing and quite high state sales tax was a regressive tax, putting a significantly higher proportional burden on lower income citizens.

She then served in the Connecticut State Senate from 1975 until her death in 1983. While in the CT Senate, Beck became the Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Senate, which made her the most important figure, together with Governors Ella Grasso and Governor William O'Neill, in setting the annual budget for the State of Connecticut. When in the CT Senate, she was one of four women senators (of a body of 36). Her district, representing Northeastern Connecticut, is the largest in area of the senate districts.

Probably her most significant contribution as a state legislator was the quite significant increase in funding she was instrumental in obtaining for the University of Connecticut during her 16 years. This increase in funding levels for UConn were pivotal in increasing the resources, quality, and prominence of that University.

Beck lived in Storrs, Connecticut, and became a consultant for the insurance business Cigna Corporation after she divorced and needed an income aside from the trivial amount that state senators were paid annually (less than $5000). At Cigna, Beck was responsible for community grants, as Cigna had a significant community give-back program. Beck, as a prominent woman legislator in the 70s and 80s was under the kind of public microscope now seen by prominent women via social media. She killed herself by slashing her wrists in a wooded area in Willington, Connecticut.[1][2][3]

Notes

  1. ^ Audrey Beck papers, Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Libraries Archived September 21, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ 'Senator Audrey P. Becker Of Connecticut Is Dead,' New York Times, March 12, 1983
  3. ^ 'Audrey Beck dead at 51 "A casualty of politics,"' The Day (New London, Connecticut), Thomas Farragher, March 12, 1983, pg. 1, 12


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