Letters Of Endorsement

To the Editor:

I am writing to offer my whole-hearted support to the candidates from the Independent Party of Newtown. As a registered Republican, I have been continually disappointed by the lack of any serious debate between the Republican and Democratic parties over the issues that face our town. In The Bee each week, the leadership, the candidates, and the supporters of these two parties seem to spend more time attacking IPN than they do vigorously debating each other about their respective platforms. What benefit is there to the advancement of the town’s interests when our two major political parties offer no more than continual and coordinated criticism of the only party that has tried to encourage a robust discussion of the critical issues that affect our town?

The fact is that there was no real debate over the development of Fairfield Hills, the budget, the lack of a long-range plan, and the quality of our schools until candidates from the Independent Party of Newtown were elected to office two years ago. Led by Po Murray and Gary Davis, IPN began to question the decade-long political stewardship of Herb Rosenthal and Will Rogers and their supporters on the Legislative Council and the Board of Finance. Because these elected positions are still dominated by Republicans and Democrats, their questions have frequently fallen on deaf or dismissive ears but the persistence and the ultimate common sense exhibited by these inquiries has slowly begun to change the way our town had been governed during the past decade.

But the “business as usual” approach to governance that resulted, for example, in the mismanagement of $20 million dollars at Fairfield Hills persists and this cycle can only be broken by the election of a slate of candidates that will continue to encourage the kind of robust discussion and debate that ultimately produces policies most beneficial to the health and future of our town. The voters of Newtown deserve more than two political parties that simply work together to elect interchangeable candidates that have no real interest in debating ideas that may affect the status quo. Real and lasting change in our town will not occur until a new group of leaders is given the opportunity to tackle and resolve the critical issues we face today. The Independent Party of Newtown is home to such leaders. I urge everyone to vote Independent, Row C, on Election Day.

Robert Murray

19 Farm Meadow Road, Newtown                            October 26, 2009