To the Editor:

I’ve served on the Legislative Council for the past six years and have worked with many talented, passionate, and invested individuals during my time here.

The work done by the council — the town’s fiscal authority — is important in many ways. The council scrutinizes and has final approval of the municipal and education budgets before they are sent to referendum. It also has authority over borrowing and CIP approval and appropriation. The LC approves spending, and thus, sets the mil rate. Of equal importance is the LC’s work on the charter and town ordinances. To say the least, the makeup of the LC is paramount to the success of the town.

This year we are fortunate to have many gifted and passionate candidates seeking a role on the council. Notable among them is current Board of Education Chair Michele Ku. Having spent eight years on the BOE (four as chair), Michelle comes to the table with a unique perspective and ample leadership experience.

In a year when many tenured council members are vacating seats, her vast knowledge of how town boards operate and town governance in general will be immeasurably valuable to the council. These attributes might seem generic to anyone moving between boards, but Michelle’s level of investment in this work cannot be overstated. Michelle goes above and beyond. A scientist by training, she becomes intimately knowledgeable on the issues being decided.

Michelle advocates for Newtown in ways few others have — she has participated in state legislative hearings, spent countless hours on subcommittees, and has been to every school ceremony of importance during her time on the BOE. Her commitment is unequivocal, her knowledge is vast, and we would be lucky to have her representing us on the Legislative Council this coming term.

Judit DeStefano

Newtown