Government Transparency

To the Editor:

After a letter I wrote to the editor of The Bee captioned “Election Reform and Representation,” was published, Representative Julia Wasserman phoned to inform me that I was mistaken as to how Senator John McKinney had voted on the campaign finance law bill. I thank Mrs Wasserman for taking the time to do so and I apologize for having mistakenly represented the way Senator McKinney voted on the bill. My error regarding his vote in no way changes my mind about Senator McKinney being a man who truly votes his conscience and who I am proud to have as my state senator.

In her informative call, Mrs Wasserman also mentioned the many ways, with little or no publicity, in which she has worked for the benefit of Newtown. She deserves much credit for what she has succeeded in doing for our town.

As an ordinary citizen, I realize that there is much I do not know about the complete content of the laws that are written and passed by our legislators. Much of what I read in the area newspapers lacks complete coverage. Our representatives in both houses of the legislature need to fill this void by continuously informing all of us, regardless of our political affiliation, as to not only how they vote, but also as to why they vote the way they do. They need to inform us about the ways that they believe others may be trying to mislead us. The newly enacted campaign finance reform legislation would be an excellent place for them to start.

When it is employed, the two (or more) party system is helpful in promoting transparency in government. When there are two or more people contending for an office or position, candidates are encouraged, without false modesty, to tell and retell what they have accomplished, or want to accomplish, to improve the quality of life in our community, in our town and in our state. This approach keeps the electorate informed and motivates all of us to be more involved.

James A. Bergeron

Brushy Hill Road, Newtown                                   December 19, 2005