Election time is here again!
As cities and towns prepare for municipal elections and yard signs are displayed, take some time to meet the candidates running for office when they visit your neighborhood and speak to them about your concerns.
Listen to their platforms, read the literature, and do not hesitate to question things that are important to you and how your tax dollars are being spent.
This year the City of Ansonia has a pretty full slate for many positions with candidate options from both the Democratic and Republican parties along with a Petitioning Candidate.
Take time to examine some of the minutes found on the city website (www.cityofansonia.com) and see how the currently elected aldermen participate, question and attend the meetings.
If you are happy with the same old way of life of the past few years, vote them back in. If you believe a leadership change can benefit your quality of life, consider educating yourself on what solutions the candidates are advocating as their platform.
While going door to door this campaign season I heard many of the same inquiries about tax increases, quality of education, open land use, blighted and trash ridden properties along with questions of what the WPCA and Sewer Use taxes we pay on top of house taxes really are.
Considering that Ansonia has the ninth highest mill rate for a relatively small city there is general interest as to what our tax dollars are funding and is it the best use of hard earned dollars? With the recent re-evaluation residents endured a large mill rate increase to compensate for the lower property assessment.
There is a state option of a tax phase in. Did Mayor Della Volpe consider proposing this option to the residents or elected officials? Was there any foresight as to how struggling residents can burden this expense?
According to the CERC 2012 town profile (http://cityofansonia.com/filestorage/2522/ansonia2012.pdf), Ansonia residents have a 9.7 percent poverty rate, approximately 14 percent are senior citizens and 10.2 percent are unemployed. Ansonia residents deserve this option for relief!
Your vote can make a difference! Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Get out and vote.
Joanne Pertoso Czeczot
The writer is a Republican candidate for Town and City Clerk.
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