A Vote For The

Status Quo

To the Editor:     

Democracy took a step backward at the Legislative Council meeting on June 12.

Both the Democratic and Republican parties constantly cry that Newtown citizens are unwilling to serve as candidates in local elections. We can’t find people to run for public office is the excuse given every November election. In most cases candidates run unopposed for town offices. Remember, last November the Republicans had no candidate for first selectman, and the Democrats haven’t nominated a candidate for state representative in years.

Monday night a special Legislative Council meeting was called to appoint a Charter Revision Commission to deal with some serious problems in the present charter. The special Monday night meeting allowed the council chair to attend before leaving for service in the Marine Reserves, but made it impossible for [council member] Ms Llodra to attend on this new date.

The motion to seat all nine of the candidates presented by the subcommittee was defeated. Instead, the motion that eventually passed eliminated Po Murray and Gary Davis, the two people who have stepped forward to rally citizens to support long-range planning for municipal projects like finding a solution to overcrowding at the high school. The vote was 7 to 4 with four courageous members supporting inclusiveness; the courageous were Joseph Borst, Keith Jacobs, Stacey Doyle, and Michael Iassogna. They deserve recognition and admiration.

The seven No votes insured that anyone who dares to question the status quo will be banished to the hinterlands.

Po Murray and Gary Davis are talented and creative thinkers and should have been allowed to serve. Nine members would have contributed more ideas for improving town government. The six chosen members will need at least four members to recommend any change in the charter. Put another way, three members can block any effort to improve town government.

Going to the polls three times to pass a town budget should have been a wake up call that our system of government needs change; instead, the council chose a “safe” way to keep doing business as usual.

Both parties have made it clear: they really don’t want new faces.

Ruby Johnson

16 Chestnut Hill Road, Sandy Hook                              June 14, 2006