OK, the Patty Duke Show election in Cheshire is a few days away. Now I see the ads about the Senior Tax Freeze and the infrastructure falling apart. God, WHO has been saying THAT for years??? I have had photos and videos of Ugly West Main Street, our falling apart Town Hall (especially in the front).
Well at least they stopped saying “Open and Honest Government” that was MY campaign theme in 2007. Cheshire, for the most part, may be honest BUT IT IS NOT OPEN!!
Now again, FOR THE LAST TIME, let ME set the RECORD STRAIGHT about WHO is responsible for the SENIOR TAX FREEZE IN CHESHIRE CONNECTICUT!!!
Mrs. Ellen Carson went to the Town Council for many years during the budget season and requested that the seniors receive a tax FREEZE. The state already had a tax credit program that was enhanced by the town-this was a tax CREDIT not FREEZE.
When Dave Orsini was Chairman of the Cheshire Town Council, a group of Democrats had met privately and a plan to enhance the tax CREDITS was presented during public comments. It was not a party agenda. It was stated that such a plan would be best vetted outby the Ordinance Subcommittee and not by the Council. Matt Hall became Chairman of the Town Council during the next election cycle and during the first of a two-year term, this issue was NOT brought forth by the Ordinance Committee.
A grassroots committee of which Mrs. Carson was a member, put forth a petition to the public to support her idea of a tax FREEZE. The Committee was able to secure MORE than 3,000. In fact, Mr. Phil Coppetto got over one third of the signatures himself!!
On a parallel track during the same time frame the petition signatures were being gathered, then State Rep. Al Adinolfi co-sponsored enabling legislation for towns to legally offer a tax FREEZE. When the petition was submitted to the Town Clerk’s office for signature certification, the certified petition was then presented to the Town Council. Legal questions had arisen over the wording of the petition i.e., whether it could be put on as a referendum question. The obvious will of a large number of people prompted to town to look into this tax FREEZE issue. At that point, the enabling legislation had been passed by the State Legislature.
Mr. Tom Ruocco, town councilor had urged the establishment of a Senior Tax Relief Committee. This was agreed upon by the Democrats and Republicans as a whole to establish such a commitee to look into all aspects: TAX CREDITS, TAX FREEZES, etc.
The Senior Tax Relief Committee had made recommendations to the Ordinance Committee of the Town Council that included the Tax Freeze for Seniors. The Ordinance Committee had recommended to the full Town Council to enhance the Senior Tax Relief Ordinance which included a tax FREEZE.
The Town Council voted in favor of such a FREEZE. I believe one Democrat and one Republican WERE NOT IN FAVOR OF THE TAX FREEZE.
So there you have it-it was like pulling teeth for YEARS, now that it is reality both sides can’t wait to claim credit for it. They can’t stop talking about it. My spouse says he feels both parties were really not going to do anything about it-the sheer number of signatures made them take a second look, let’s face it.
Bottom line: MRS ELLEN CARSON WAS THE SPARK THAT IGNITED THIS FIRE!!
This is what is going to happen when Cheshire FINALLY gets a Police Commission. Both parties will clamor to claim responsibility. It really makes me laugh to see some of these political ads in the Cheshire Herald. Also, some of the banter over the past few years: “Oh the pool consultant is a waste of money.”
But both parties WILL HANDS DOWN VOTE FOR A CONSULTANT TO MEDIATE THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT NO CONFIDENCE ISSUE-WHEN WE HAVE A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION ALREADY IN PLACE THAT COULD SIT IN AND MEDIATE THIS DISPUTE!!!!
Why doesn’t this town want a Police Commission?? Very simple-they are afraid issues will be brought out into the open-GOD FORBID!! That is why I laugh my ass off when I hear a candidate or candidates talk about TRANSPARENCY in CHESHIRE CONNECTICUT GOVERNMENT!!
Yeah, transparency IN CERTAIN ISSUES AND WITH CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS!!
That is why I call this election ( and every election in this town) the Patty Duke Show. Remember that? I am running the opening theme song under “Featured Video.”
I especially like the line: “They walk alike, they talk alike, at times they even look alike, when cousins, (candidates) are TWO OF A KIND!!
They are. NOT ONE of these candidates goes outside the box really. They all say: they are for public safety they are for promoting the welfare of Cheshire, well DUH!! WHAT ARE GOING TO SAY-THEY AREN’T FOR CHESHIRE!!
I know one Republican candidate doesn’t like the current town management. That is all and well and good-BUT IF THAT IS GOING TO BE SAID TIME AND TIME AGAIN-WHOM DO YOU WANT AS THE TOWN MANAGER-GIVE A SOLUTION!!
Maybe a lot of you don’t like me, but at least I try to research and come up with a solution to the problems in this town!! I think what will happen is that the Republicans MAY gain an edge. You have to remember, several years ago when the Democrats took power, we had a very strong group of people pushing for this pool-and that I believe was a major reason the Dems were able to take power. Now it seems this pool-THAT BOTH PARTIES CLAMORED TO ON OPENING DAY SEVERAL YEARS AGO, might sink the Dems (no pun intended).
So we will have to see. Both parties have a strong slate-but let’s face it-it was really hyped up when I was running-I think it was more exciting. And considering the nasty backlash I got when I was thinking about running this year, many of the haters were surprised how many write-in votes I received when I only campaigned for three weeks–OVER 100-NOT BAD!!
The problem with this town is severe apathy. Nothing will really change, just the name of the party in power. In this town it really is a party struggle for power. The people who feel they will benefit from the Democrats being in power will vote Democratic. The people who feel they will benefit from the Republicans being in power will vote Republican. It is just a bragging rights issue-nothing more.
BORING!!
