October 31, 2005 I would like to thank the editors of this paper for meeting with me and my running mates. Although I knew that I would not be endorsed, I could never have foreseen their reasoning. To use prior service on the Council and publically supporting Blue Back as the only litmus test for endorsement is narrow minded. It is offensive to think only the current council members are capable of seeing this project through to fruition. I am getting involved in politics, not due to Blue Back, but because of the many other issues currently being ignored. It is very convenient for the incumbents that the Blue Back situation is taking center stage and preventing discussion of the real issues facing our town.
One of my concerns is reducing taxes while maintaining quality town services. If “reasonable” or “expected” tax increases are the standard to which council members hold themselves, then we are in real trouble. I must point out that with our tax increases, the council created a fee for bulk pick-up and cut leaf collection in half. Why are we paying more and getting less?
One other concern is the safety of our residents and, more specifically, our children. As a father of three, two of which are in the public school system, it concerns me greatly that the parents at Sedgwick Middle School were not immediately notified of a gun in their school. This “nuance” approach of not informing parents quickly of situations that impact their children’s safety is abhorrent. Recently we have had a local bank robbery and a woman was attacked in one of our parks. It would seem prudent to any reasonable citizen that the police force should not be at a 12% deficit in manpower. The money for these missing officers is already provided for in the budget.
Blue Back must not be the place on which we rest our laurels. We need to throw that same energy, and hopefully not the same divisiveness, into other areas of town. Parts of Elmwood have been left fallow for years. Where is the Council’s concern for that area? Erecting condos and changing the old Caldors into a self-storage facility is not the answer. I want to aggressively pursue opportunities to develop Elmwood with community input at every level. I will address the slipping school rankings by insisting the liaison committee between the Board of Education and Town Council actually meets. This would encourage a frank discussion of the budget and force the two bodies to work toward a singular goal.
We can no longer afford to have only one point of view represented on Town Council. Right now many residents have taxation without representation. I disagree with Mayor Slifka and Councilwoman Carpenter that consensus is the key ingredient in good government. Consensus is not leadership; its overabundance fosters stagnation and complacency. While it is acceptable to applaud the few accomplishments of the current council, we must not forget that this town has issues other than Blue Back. Thomas I. Knox, M.D. Republican Candidate for West Hartford Town Council
No comments:
Post a Comment