As Valley citizens prepare to cast their votes on November 6th, we are probably all thankful that another election season is nearing the end. With the vitriolic attacks flying back and forth between Washington politicians, fair-minded people are searching for positive solutions to the everyday challenges that we face.
Here in the Valley, we face important choices. Ansonia and Derby face significant economic and educational challenges. Our individual and collective decisions for the state legislature will have far-reaching consequences.
I am casting my vote for Kara Rochelle for State Representative in the 104th District. I appreciate her decency and her decision to be a confident voice for change at the State Capitol.
She has provided serious and substantive proposals to grow our local lower Valley economy: expand rail service on the Waterbury line, support an advanced manufacturing center located here to provide training for local job seekers to fill the 13,000 available statewide openings, vote for responsible management of the state budget, reform distressed municipality incentives by creating a new Jobs Opportunity Zone for the Valley, streamlining the process for creation and expansion of business in Connecticut and establishing clean energy riders for businesses deploying green technology for their operations and offering career training for employment in this burgeoning industry.
These proposals offer a path to a more prosperous future for our Valley communities. By working collaboratively across party lines to develop job growth policies for our future, Kara has put positive progress ahead of attack politics.
Candidates for public office must offer their ideas for consideration, and Kara has certainly met that test positively and civilly. The voters would have better choices had her opponent approached the election in the same way. Instead of offering specific and thoughtful solutions facing our state and community, he has unfortunately reverted to tired and stale Republican slash and burn fiscal slogans that would shortchange our future. This approach corresponds precisely with his attitude on the Board of Aldermen where he slashed educational funding while handing out big pay raises to City Hall insiders, reduced necessary emergency services funding while voting to pave his road and cutting funding for our seniors and library services.
The choice is clear: positive solutions for the future versus disastrous financial decisions that result in overcrowded classrooms and endangered emergency services.
This is no time for inside political games. Instead, it is a time for smart, future-forward ideas and fiscal responsibility that is applied fairly to all. That is why Kara Rochelle’s substantive platform and positive approach have earned my vote on November 6th.
Gary Farrar Jr.
Vice Chairman Ansonia DTC
Ansonia Volunteer Firefighter
Ansonia Taxpayer
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