To the Editor:

We can make it "Nicer in Newtown" if we elect leaders who will put aside preconceived ideas and ideological agendas, whether openly stated or quietly pursued, in favor of open-minded consideration of the difficult trade-offs public policy always demands. We need leaders in Newtown with sound judgment, moderate temperaments, and above all the ability to listen to others.

Judit DeStefano has all of these qualities, as she has demonstrated time and again in her service on the Legislative Council, in her participation in the life of our community, and in her professional life. Judit brings to public service the kind of level-headed, common sense we need to negotiate the fiscal challenges and increasingly fierce ideological divisions that face our town.

Vote for Judit DeStefano for the Legislative Council, and she will bring a voice of moderation and intelligent judgment to our political debates. And just maybe we can make it a little bit "Nicer in Newtown" in the coming legislative year.

Charles Baraw

9 Georges Hill Road, Newtown         October 25, 2017