Representative J.P. Sredzinski, 112th District, which encompasses a portion of Newtown, announced his resignation Wednesday, February 17, in a letter to Secretary of State Denise Merrill, as follows. Look for follow-up in The Newtown Bee print edition of February 19, 2021.

Dear Secretary of State Merrill:

This letter serves as my formal resignation as State Representative for the 112th General Assembly District; effective immediately. I do not arrive at this decision lightly or in haste; this has been a decision I have thought about for a long time. I have come to the conclusion that this is the right decision for me and my family for many reasons.

If there is anything positive that the COVID-19 pandemic has showed me is that family and personal relationships are the most important aspect of our lives. There is no replacement, none at all, for quality time with family and our loved ones. As you know, the position of a state legislator is a “part time” job — requiring most people to have a full-time career outside the legislature in order to pay bills and support a family. For me, it became a balance of family, career and elected office. It is clear to me now that this balance needs a readjustment.

From time to time in life, we find ourselves at a crossroads, a time to make a decision about who we want to be. I am at such a crossroads right now. Professionally in my career as the Superintendent of a 9-1-1 Dispatch Center; personally in my life as a husband, father, son, brother and friend; the decision to step down from elected office at this time is the right decision. Simply put, I need to prioritize the hours I have every day. And for me, family and career are the best investments of my time.

As I considered this decision, I reflected on my 17 years of political involvement in Monroe. Much has changed in the political landscape of our state and our nation. When I first got involved in Monroe in 2004, politics was a different world from where it is today. Politics was about improving our community — despite a difference of opinion on how to do that. Whether that community was your neighborhood, your town, your state or your country — it was about making our community a better place to live. That is not where we find ourselves today.

I still have hope that we can come together, despite our differences, and work toward making our communities a better place. I have had the honor of having so many friendships with people throughout the years that gives me that hope.

In the 17 years of serving the Town of Monroe (and later the Town of Newtown), I am proud to have accomplished many things. Maintaining a reasonable level of educational funding for the district, being a part of changing meaningful legislation, bringing in well over $1 million in state grants to the district, introducing and passing important legislation and being a part of passing a Republican state budget in 2017.

I have seen good bills pass. I have seen compromise. I have seen people step out of their comfort zones in the name of bipartisanship. This was the best part of public service. But I have also seen the ugliness of politics. I have seen divisiveness. I have seen selfishness. I have seen lying and deception. I have seen a purposeful lack of transparency for convenience sake, watching the people’s voice being hushed. We as a state are capable of so much more than the ugliness of politics. With a little more effort, a little more humbleness, and a little more willingness, we all can be better public servants.

Recently, I heard a Congressman tell the media that we as a nation are in the “post 9/11 phase” — meaning that the greatest threat to our country does not come from outside our borders but from within. That our biggest challenge is division among ourselves, not division with others. If we want to grow and prosper as a nation, this division needs to heal.

I want to thank the voters of Monroe and Newtown for giving me their confidence in allowing me to serve them for the past 6 plus years. Their voices have been my inspiration for every moment of my service and I will always be eternally grateful. As I exit this honorable role, I do so with my head held high, knowing I did my best every day for the community I had the privilege to serve. My hope is that the next person to hold this seat will do the same.

Sincerely,

J.P. Sredzinski