Southbury Republicans Have Much to be Proud of.

There's an interesting thing about facts. They often have a way of disputing myths. When an individual renders an opinion based on myth, it becomes easy to challenge. Such were some of the letters and comments recently published in local newspapers with regards to a recent tremendous accomplishment for Southbury. The signing by Governor Malloy of Representative Arthur O'neill's legislation to preserve the Southbury Training School’s farmland took place on July 16, 2013. The bill maintains that the land will remain open, and ensures its use for agricultural purposes. Initially proposed by Mr. O'Neill during his first term in 1988, this prolonged effort culminates a 25 year endeavor which finally ended in success.

In reading recent comments, I came across a piece thanking the Southbury First Selectman, Mr. Edelson for his work in passing this legislation. The author was wondering aloud how one could accomplish something like this in one year of service. He goes on to acknowledge the hard work of others, but saves the largest praise for Mr. Edelson. Clearly, he was unaware of what had been done in the state legislature for the last two and a half decades. His statement that many individuals put in effort to make this bill a reality is very true, but let us not lose sight of how we arrived at today.  

Another interesting notation I read was a criticism of the Southbury Republican Caucus, designed to allow the most open and democratic process possible for selecting a slate of candidates for the November election. The suggestion was raised by our Democratic colleagues that allowing open nominations from the floor, rather than proposing a slate from the town committee was a result of a lack of enthusiasm regarding the candidates. Nothing could be further from the truth. The sole purpose of an open caucus was to allow a transparent democratic process to reflect the will of the people. In this regard, it was highly successful.

Despite abounding criticisms and misinformation, the Republican Party in Southbury is thriving. Our state and local officials perform honorably and tirelessly for the betterment of the town. The Republican Party continues to work to support Southbury as an excellent place to live, work and play. With Democratic control of the Board of Selectmen, we have seen some behavior suggesting the opposite. We have seen our mill rate rise to never before seen levels. We have seen volunteerism, the backbone of community service begin to suffer. We do not see a governing board respectful of the opinions of others. Lastly, our hard earned tax dollars are often spent through a bid process not aimed at maximizing value. Republican ideals run counter to these. Principles of respect, fiscal responsibility, accountability and volunteerism are what we stand for. Have no doubt the endorsed Republican candidates for this November embody core Republican principles. They will help return Southbury to greatness which is where it belongs.