To the Editor:

My name is William DeRosa, and I am running for Legislative Council D1. Since 2011, I have lived on Taunton Hill with my wife and son. Professionally, I am a classical musician, and since graduating Juilliard, I have enjoyed a successful life as a touring soloist, performing in many of the major concert halls around the world, including Carnegie Hall.

Why is a cellist running for local office?

Newtown is special and I want to give back. We love its charm, authenticity, people, and its sophistication.

I want to preserve the Newtown we all love and return to the openness and inclusiveness that have become increasingly less present. I understand the relationship between our state’s economic circumstances but know we can still have the wonderful quality of life, excellent schools, and a fiscally disciplined local government that we have been known for in the past. Our children’s future is foremost on my mind.

We all need to be involved and stop allowing small, special interest groups to usurp our town’s collective good. A recent example of the few dictating to the many was the addition of local bag fees, piled on top of the state’s unworkable tax on plastic bags. Why do Newtowners pay twice? Did we need an additional burden on local consumers and businesses?

As a hardworking force in the non-partisan No Tolls CT movement, I worked diligently with other advocates to push back Governor Lamont’s toll tax.

We love and adore Newtown and hope to stay rooted in this amazing community. We all must reach across political aisles and lines and come together for the good of this wonderful gem with a flagpole in the middle.

I humbly ask for your vote on November 5.‬

William DeRosa

Taunton Hill Road, Newtown September 25, 2019