To The Editor:

Newtown needs to play on the winning team in Hartford. For years we have been represented by two Republican, members of the legislature’s minority party.

The Democrats are the majority party in Connecticut and have held the majority of seats in Hartford for the last 40 years. As a result, the Democrats control the committees, how bills get approved, and the annual budget. Most importantly, the majority party decides how the available budget dollars are allocated to each district.

Newtown’s long-time representatives in the State Senate and State House emphasize the importance of having a more equal “balance” between Democrats and Republicans in Hartford. But how much this costs Newtown in the competition for budget dollars goes unmentioned.

Newtown’s Republican legislative members have little influence compared to other towns with Democratic legislative members. We don’t have a seat at the table. We get the scraps while other towns, with Democrats representing them, get the rewards.

This November we need to get back into the game in Hartford and elect Michelle Ku and Rob Blanchard to be part of the winning team in Hartford. We need to be represented from the inside out, not looking into the legislative process from the outside.

Bruce Walczak

Newtown