Submitted by Nancy Ozizmir, Greenwich
More than usual, I have made a point to read about local candidates for election this year. It’s a big election, and to be honest, it’s important to know for what and whom we are voting. The two political parties have such different views of what matters most to CT voters.
Let’s look at Republicans first. Their candidates are focusing on the economy. They say that CT has not been run well for quite some time, that Democrats have not been good stewards of taxpayer funds and that the progressive income tax is forcing people to leave our state. They are also angry about the Police Bill that they say was passed with Democratic votes in a rushed way, and that the result will compromise security and create added obstacles for police departments to retain and replace officers.
Now for the Democrats. They are talking about protecting the environment, social justice and gun control. Their candidates are saying our state is in good economic shape. They also want to pepper the discussion with as many references to Donald Trump as possible.
As I evaluate what matters most to me, our community and our state, it seems that Republicans have a better pulse on what issues need more immediate attention and are of more consequence to voters.
On gun control, we already have some of the most stringent gun laws in the country in CT. Both sides are committed to protecting the environment. Social justice and equal rights for all have the support of all candidates. Two local, incumbent Democrats (Kasser/Meskers) voted for the very controversial Police Accountability Bill. Republican incumbent Harry Arora voted against it. He and his fellow Republican candidates have rightly criticized it, on grounds that it allows for officers to be sued in civil court, and limits their ability to conduct searches.
As for the President. You either like him or you don’t. There will be a place on the ballot for the Presidential election, and you should cast your vote accordingly. The President will not be campaigning in our state, and CT is not a battleground state.
When we think of the problems that concern most of us in Greenwich, it is the issues like our stagnant economy, constantly rising taxes, steady outflow of residents and the inability of our state to attract people (unless it’s a pandemic) and businesses to move here.
Connecticut used to be a state where people wanted to come and live, and businesses wanted to establish their headquarters. I think of GE and Aetna and other Fortune 500 companies that have left for elsewhere, taking thousands of jobs, opportunities and tax revenue with them. Growth, jobs, and opportunity are what CT lacks. The progressive tax policies of state Democrats have made CT a significantly less attractive place to live. This needs to change.
I watched the recent local debates. They were much better and more substantive than the Presidential one! I was very impressed with Mr Fazio, Miss Fiorello, Mr. Arora and Mr Kelly. They had a great depth to their answers and their energy was evident, even on Zoom. Democrats at the state and local level have had their chance and they just haven’t come through for us. Take the “Infrastructure Bank” about which Senator Kasser speaks. Didn’t we already have a Transportation Lock Box? What happened to all of those taxpayer dollars? What is the difference between the two if you still have the same Democrats managing the money?
The issues Democrats are raising are important, but none of them address our broken economy, aging infrastructure or our lack of jobs. We need to get Connecticut moving again, not argue the same culture wars of the past. That is why we support the Republicans running for state office. They are focused on the right issues. The ones that we need to fix if we are to make
our state appealing for families and businesses once again.
Editor’s note: Letters to the Editor in support of local candidates in the Nov 3, 2020 election may be submitted to [email protected] for consideration beginning July 15 and with a hard deadline of Oct 26, 2020 at noon.