To the Editor:The Bee [August 4, "Jacob And Chaudhary Qualify For Primary, Clarify Positions"]:https://www.cga.ct.gov/2017/juddata/chr/2017JUD00315-R001000-CHR.htm)

My response to Mary Ann Jacob's recent appearance in

No need to clarify, we remember your position.

It's election time in Newtown, time for candidates to make new promises and forget the past. Mary Ann Jacob now wants to "clarify her position on the issues of firearms safety and her role in a firearms ordinance," and is asking Newtown gun owners to forget the past.

Firearms Ordinance: Ms Jacob claims she merely "helped craft" Newtown's gun ordinance. But in public testimony in Hartford (3/15/17) she proudly stated "I am also the Republican Chairman of the Newtown Legislative Council and the primary author of the Newtown's Firearm Ordinance." So was she the primary author or just helping to craft the ordinance? (

Safe storage: Ms Jacob goes on to say her husband, a "former" NRA member, owns firearms and they "strongly support safe storage and criminal background checks for people wanting to buy guns." Newtown's own NSSF has a safe storage education program, "Project Child Safe," including free gun locks. Has Ms Jacob ever availed Newtown of this free resource she strongly supports?

Criminal background checks: As a female political figure I'm sure Ms Jacob supports "equal rights" for women, and enjoys exercising her First Amendment to speak and 19th Amendment to vote. Does she undergo a criminal background check before exercising those rights, or are her rights more equal than others?

Anti-gun organizations: Ms Jacob also says "while she might have liked or commented on social posts related to all those causes, the only one she supports is Everytown for Gun Safety." Really? Many gun owners saw her with the Newtown Action Alliance protesting outside the NSSF in January 2016. That's much more than a social media like or comment.

Show your papers: Ms Jacob's testimony in Hartford also supported "show your papers" legislation allowing Connecticut police to stop gun owners, with or without cause, and demand to see their pistol permit. Wow, show your papers in America?!

Aside from firearms issues, team Jacob/Chaudhary tout a combined 13 years of leadership and experience in town government. So with all that leadership and experience:

Have our property taxes declined?

Have our roads improved?

With lower student enrollment, are school budgets (and our taxes) lower?

Did Jacob/Chaudhary's leadership keep the owner-operators driving our kids to school?

Are Jacob/Chaudhary leading to keep the community center plans reasonable and affordable?

Did Ms Jacob show leadership to speak up early on in the BOE e-mail scandal, preventing a $100,000 legal tab for Newtown taxpayers?

There's no need to clarify your position, voters remember. Newtown needs a change in November.

Bill Stevens

139 Huntingtown Road, Newtown         August 9, 2017