A series of electronic links relating to the Nov. 3 Oxford election.
Polls open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Polling place: Quaker Farms School, 30 Great Oak Road
SAMPLE BALLOT ON OXFORD WEB SITE.
List of candidates, including three candidates petitioning for the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Oxford Democrats
Mary Ann Drayton-Rogers, incumbent First Selectwoman
All Valley Indy stories on the Oxford election.
Drayton-Rogers/McKane on Facebook.
Planning and Zoning candidates.
Oxford Republicans
David Haversat, nominee for First Selectman
All Valley Indy stories on the Oxford election.
Planning and Zoning (scroll down, click candidate photos)
As a political analyst, I’ve followed a number of the Valley races. Shelton will have a change in leadership after nearly 20 years. Seymour will rremain the same, but closer than the last election. Derby will also stay for another term with a Republican. Ansonia will remain the same and Oxford will see a change. I’d assume the biggest changes are Shelton and Oxford. The two gentlemen have youth and determination on their side. In the case of Oxford the more the opposing party pushes against Haversat with negativity the more he will gain at the polls. They should speak about what they have done. Their negative approach will cost them the election. In Shelton a lot of controversy has been circulating and Mr. Jones will have a victory as people are prepared to take the chance with a change, but it will be very close.
Richard…oh well, if Mary Ann loses, at least she’ll have lost going out fighting against the liars that Haversat, Palmer, and the rest of the Republicans have turned out to be. The ONLY issue they are running on is Affordable Housing and they have gone around town and have been telling lies to get elected, that is the TRUTH and if they say it enough and they say it to enough people, even if not true, people will beging to believe it.
At that point, no matter how “nice” you are, if you believe the lies, you will not not win. So, if that is the case, why not go out fighting and point out that they are LYING!!!
To richardr.I believe you must be a SELF appointed political analyst.No real political analyst would make the comments you have made.
Faulting Drayton-Rogers for negativity. What would you have her do when faced with the constant republican lies both in print and in mailings about Affordable Housing coming to Oxford thanks to her. Any self respecting individual would fight hard to show people that this is completely false. Maybe what you meant to say was that the Republicans are the one’s throwing around a one issue campaign based on falsehoods and appealing to some peoples fears.
Any self respecting “political analyst” would respect her opposition and respect her fighting hard to get the truth out.
You state that the two gentlemen (Haversat & Yish) have youth and determination of their side. I have not read or heard one positive suggestion made by either of the “gentlemen”. They have no platform, no idea and no real leadership qualities.
I’m sure you call yourself as a political analyst but you certainly don’t think like one.
Oxforddemocrat: How nice of you to beat up richardr. From his comments it seems like richardr lives in the Valley, but not necessarily in Oxford. He’s voicing an opinion as to what he thinks will happen in all the local elections and you criticize him. As far as your comment about Haversat and Yish not having a platform, what about Drayton-Rogers’ platform? In June she’s for affordable housing; now she’s against affordable housing and blames the Republican P&Z board members for initiating it. Where is the bipartisanship she brags about or her leadership on the issue? Just what is her position? How could she let the P&Z take the lead on this critical town matter while she sat back waiting to see which way the political wind would blow?
Concerned Citizen I respectfully disagree-The Drayton Rogers Camp does have a platform. It is “Liar, Liar Pants on Fire.” That is all they have.
Haversat’s camp aims to ensure a return to economic development, ensuring our tax dollars are spent in the class room instead of the Superintendent’s Office, making sure our taxes remain low yet our needs are attended to.
Whether you like it or not, Affordable Housing IS COMING TO OXFORD. It won’t matter who is in office or who is for it or who is against it, it is simply a fact!
It started with Garden Homes during the Palmer reign. The town is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight them, but will ultimately lose and Garden Homes will be built. This will happen over and over again and each time Oxford fights it, more money will be needlessly spent when the ultimate outcome will be that they are allowed to build. And this will happen because by state law, 10% of your housing stock should be affordable, but Oxford only has 1%, so a court of law will side with the developers.
So instead of allowing developers to tell us what they are building, P & Z wanted to study the issue and develop REAL regulations, not the 1/3 of a page of application guidelines that Oxford currently has. It is better to TELL the developers what they can do then let THEM TELL US and that was the purpose of the study, nothing else.
The Republicans, such as Palmer’s and Rasberry’s Keep Oxford Green movement, through scare tactics, would have you think that low income people will flock to Oxford. That is simply NOT the case. Affordable Housing is meant for active, young, professionals who cannot afford current housing. In CT, housing prices are rising faster then income, therefore most houses are too expensive for younger people. To be considered affordable, the cost of said units is supposed to be 85% of the median income, well in Oxford the median income is mush higher then is most other communities, therefore the people who are eligible for the Affordable Housing will have to be individuals or families who earn more then in most other communities, so those “low income” people that Palmer and Rasberry want you to be afraid of, simply will not be able to afford the Affordable Housing in Oxford.
What it comes down to is that the Republicans use scare tactics to make you afraid of “low income” people and this is very prejudicial, but Mary Ann and the P & Z simply wanted to have “real” regulations in place so that when Affordable Housing comes, it would be at our direction and not the developers.
Given a choice, nobody would INVITE Affordable Housing into their town, which is what Drayton-Rogers and Haversat have both said, but at least Mary Ann wanted regulations, whereas Haversat and his followers would prefer to fight this in court and spend millions of dollars in a losing battle!.
The choice should be clear, vote for regulations and that is Mary Ann Drayton-Rogers.
Crazy in Oxford, I mean Peter Bunzl, You are wrong. High Density housing does NOT need to come to Oxford! High density housing does not fit all communities and it does not fit Oxford! We all know Mary Ann thought and still thinks it’s a great idea along with her big developer friends. She wants the housing in the quarry and has told many people that, even knocking on doors today, she thinks that’s the perfect place for it. What a can off worms you democrats opened with this one. Such poor planning out your part Peter.
not again…First off, I am not Peter Bunzl, so as I stated below, you can stop making up lies and I am an Independant, not a Democrat.
I know both Mary Ann and David and both would be fine as First Selectman, I simply look at the facts with an unbiased perspective.
The FACT is that the Republicans are the ones wrong here. Not only do they not want Affordable Housing, but they choose to lie to people and create such a mess that the P & Z had to stop studying the issue of creating REAL REGULATIONS because of wackos like Palmer and Rasberry. You have to admit it yourself, those two are problems for ALL residents!
Whether Affordable Housing FITS in Oxford means nothing in a court of law. If Oxford doesn’t have REAL REGULATIONS and a developer proposes a plan, if there is no legitimate reason to turn down the application but the town does it anyways, a court will side with the developer, which is what will happen with Garden Homes. At that point, with no regulations, the developer will be able to build what HE wants, not what Oxford TELLS him he can build. Oxford will have lost complete control and that is a BIG issue.
The only can of worms opened was by the Republicans because they opposed the one thing that could have controlled what developers could propose. Now, Oxford is left WITHOUT real regulations and that is the Republicans fault, nobody elses.
Republicans will fight it in court, cost Oxford millions of dollars doing so, and the courts will then side with the developers. So Oxford will be out all of this money and will still get Affordable Housing! The best course of action is to protect the town and develop REAL REGULATIONS!!!
Instead of using scare tactics and making up lies, start to address facts, such as:
– Oxford only having 1% AH when 10% is required
– Income of people needed to qualify for AH is 85% of the median in Oxford, which is quite high, therefore you’ll need to be a hard-working family or individual, not the “low income” people you try to scare people with
– The FACT that Gov. Rell has STATED that Affordable Housing is one of her administrations TOP PRIORITIES
Stick to the facts, NOT LIES, and people wil have a better opinion of you.
Mr. Happy, the truth does hurt, “lie” and then “lie” some more is exactly what the Republicans have done throughout their whole campaign but is not the platform for MADR and McKane. As far as the Superintendent goes, from what I understand, she was the first one to volunteer for a pay freeze. Sorry to hear that you’re really not “Mr. Happy.”
The superintendent did NOT take a pay freeze. When you come back the next year and ask for everything you did’t get the year before and then some …that’s not a pay freeze. That’s greed. How did this debate start on here with high density homes when a political analyst jumped on by Oxford democrats because he made predictions in the Valley? Goes to show you how desperate Oxford democrats are, sad really. They are doing exactly what the analyst would cost them the election. Shows the light does not shine too bright at the dems. “Head” quarters!
The BOE minutes on April 7, 2009 clearly state that the Superintendent did not get a raise in the 2009/2010 school year. Matter of fact, the Administrators (Principals and Asst. Principals) gave furlough days as well. These concessions were enough to fund the TAG program for the current year.
CrazyinOxford,
If you ask me P&Z didn’t have to drop the study to begin with! They could’ve still moved forward with it and created the regulations! If I was on the commission I would’ve chose to still proceed and who cared about how it was becoming politicized. Why wouldn’t they? Honestly? It would’ve been the right thing to do instead of dropping it and create the regulations to enforce. Also, it was a grant I believe from the state. So, now the town would have to pay for this? Probably! Just my opinion.
CrazyinOxford…regardless of who it was there a lot of people who don’t want it in Oxford. Me, my neighbors, friends, etc. but unfortunately you, me, Dave or Maryann can’t prevent it from coming to Oxford under the CT statutes. Oxford is defenseless if an application is presented. The P&Z should’ve proceeded with the regulations regardless. Oxford is a very political town! Everything is politicized! I lived here for over 30 years and it’s always been like this!
In regards to newspapers, I don’t believe anything in there as reporters tend to choose what they want to report. Rumor has it that Maryann asked P&Z to drop the study. I mean it’s ridiculous either way!
CrazyinOxford…I hope you don’t think I am being rude but sI am just voicing my opinion. I am OK either way Dave or Maryann.
Politicians know it’s not necessary to fool all the people all of the time – just during election campaigns.
Wrong. Low income, high density housing Does not need to come to Oxford. The difference between the candidates is simple. Drayton listens to developers and looks at this housing as economic development, it is not. Ask anyone that has moved from a community with high density homes, it hurts the towns financially for ever. When you have a town wide study mentioning it is impossible for Oxford to meet the State of Connecticut’s low income housing standards, then you don’t go after it..yes you fight it. We can’t afford our quality of life and schools to be over crowded and class sizes to triple. Those in charge who are weak will fall in line to the developers, and that is what Drayton Rogers has done – that we don’t need.
I’m a democrat that has only voted once for a Republican since 1982. Tomorrow I am going Republican beacuse of my local parties actions. You guys need to grow up! Darleen.
Darleen, yes they need to grow up and they are just making it bad for the democratic party.
Drayton-Rogers has lost her support by the townspeople and will lose the election. Even at the OHS debate only a handful of her closest showed up. She has given and taken poor advice to go negative for her campaign.
For example there is one unusual writer on this forum who uses negative derogatory “magic phrases” against Drayton-Roger’s opponent. That same wording of negative derogatory “magic phrases” appears identical in the Voice’s Letters to the Editors. Check back issues of the Voices in your investigations to see how they match.