Letter: Ansonia Letter Writer 'Has It All Wrong'

To the editor:

A season of thanks …

There is a lot to a be thankful for in Ansonia these days.

This includes the absolute explosion of development projects led by Mayor Cassetti and his team. Next year is expected to feature: the opening of the new Senior Center; construction of the Olson Drive Sports Complex; the Nolan Field Splash Pad; movement on the demolition and remediation of Copper and Brass; more apartments on Main Street; a potential new Middle School; and plans for a Community Center at the Ansonia Armory. Yet despite all this progress, Mr. Tylinski – a Constant Critic of Mayor Cassetti — has made it his utmost priority to use this season of thanks” to be decidedly unthankful.

In his latest lamenting letter, he bluntly dismisses the 65 Main Street police station/senior center rehabilitation project as a money pit” and concludes that the project should have been undertaken at Olson Drive.

Thankfully, Mr. Tylinski has it all wrong.

The 65 Main Street renovation project has – since its inception – expanded its scope and cost to include not only a state-of-the-art Police Station, but also Senior Center and expanded space for emergency service operations.

The result of the expanded project is not a pit,” but a towering symbol of Ansonia’s revitalization.

Our police were worth the investment.

Our seniors were worth the investment.

And the ability to spur economic revitalization through the rehab of a long-problematic property was priceless to Ansonia’s taxpayers and downtown businesses.

Let’s be clear: under Mr. Tylinski’s s influence Ansonia would have shrunk from the challenge and left the vacant building rot, stunting economic growth and risking years of tax increases.Moreover, our City’s police and senior citizens would still be waiting for new facilities, given the years-long HUD approval process needed to utilize Olson Drive (as evidence by the process for the Olson Drive Sports Complex).

If Mayor Cassetti’s actions paint a rosy picture of a revitalized Ansonia, Mr. Tylinski’s letters draw a resemblance to Main St returning to desolate times, similar to scenes from Tom Hanks’ Castaway. It’s almost as if he pines for the days of vacant storefronts and an exploding tax.

Which brings us to yet another reason for Ansonia residents to be thankful this year: that Cassetti — not Tylinski- is the Mayor of our great City of Ansonia. And Miller — not Tylinski — is the CFO of our great city. For these things, I am grateful. 

Tony Mammone
Chairman
Ansonia Republican Town Committee

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