To the Editor:

I would like to introduce myself to you, the voters of Newtown and tell you something of my background, qualifications and point of view on the important issues facing municipal government. I am a candidate in 2015 for the Newtown Legislative Council, District One, running on the Republican ticket. I am running for the seat being vacated by Bob Merola, who served Newtown so well for so many years.

During the past year I have been a member of the Newtown Charter Revision Commission, working hard to improve the town charter by making it easier to read and understand. But prior to that I had a long record of public service, spanning some 32 years, in State and Municipal elected and appointed office. Between 1971 and 1979, and as a resident of Weston, Ct., I was elected for one term to the State House of Representatives and three terms to the State Senate (26th District). In 1973-1974 I was the Senate chairman of the prestigious Judiciary Committee.

I am the author of two very important state laws: the Connecticut Child Abuse Act, the first law in Connecticut to get serious about protecting children from child abuse, and the Adoption Reform Act, the first law to make certain that adoptions could not be overturned in the Courts. Between 1979 and 1991 I was appointed by the General Assembly to be the Legislative Commissioner of the State of Connecticut, the office responsible for drafting the bills introduced into the House and Senate.

Between 1987 and 1999 I was elected six times by the voters to be the First Selectman of Weston. During those 12 years, Weston acquired by conservation easement, outright purchase or gift some 2,000 acres of open space. Weston has the largest park in Connecticut (about 1,600 acres) protected by municipal conservation restrictions. Finally, I have been a practicing attorney in Connecticut for 48 years, but am now semi-retired. I have been married for 50 years to Linda, have 4 children and 7 grandchildren (2 in Newtown).

For me, the care and well-being of children, the delivery of quality education, the certainty and reliability of public health and safety, the conservation of open space, and the keeping of taxes under control (especially for senior citizens), are the most important goals of town government. And I strongly believe that a town, like a family, works best when all three generations, children, parents and grandparents, are invited to participate and bring their hopes, desires, wisdom and experience to the table.

I hope that I will have an opportunity to serve you on the Legislative Council and respectfully ask for your vote on Election Day.

Sincerely yours,

George C. Guidera

24 Equestrian Ridge Road, Newtown        September 22, 2015