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Dear Editor:
The West Hartford Republican Town Committee asks our state legislators to override Governor Malloy’s veto, and approve the state’s only bipartisan budget that protects West Hartford residents from millions in state cuts. Failure to do so means that Governor Malloy’s unfair and obscene cuts to West Hartford’s schools will go into effect on October 1. Our town demands that our legislators do their job and protect our schools.
This summer, State Representative Derek Slap, called for a bipartisan budget solution. Now it’s time for him to follow his own advice. This past week, Governor Malloy vetoed a budget that was supported by Republicans and Democrats in the Legislature. Slap was not among that group, but he now has the opportunity to act in a bipartisan manner and stand up to Governor Malloy and stand up for his town by voting to override the Governor’s veto.
We also want to hear from the Democrats on our town council. Rightly, they have derided Governor Malloy’s planned cuts, but now that a bipartisan budget that protects West Hartford is hanging in the balance, they have been silent. Their voices matter to our state legislators. Now is the time to choose loyalty to our town over their loyalty to Governor Malloy.
The bipartisan budget solves the deficit, protects the people of Connecticut from new taxes like a tax on your cellphone, and it makes structural changes to solve our chronic budget issues. Most importantly it saves our town from devastating cuts and the higher property taxes that we would all have to pay to cover the losses. The residents of West Hartford are overtaxed as it is, we cannot sustain more taxes. The bipartisan budget sets this state on a path to sustainability and growth, and it preserves our West Hartford schools.
This summer, Slap was forceful in demanding a bipartisan budget: “Connecticut is waiting. Every day that passes without a state budget, people with disabilities suffer. The uncertainty is bad for businesses, teachers and towns. We must come together — both parties — to end our budget stalemate and restore our constituents’ faith in state government. That’s something every legislator should care about.” We are all hoping that he truly believes what he wrote, and we demand that he votes for the bipartisan budget that protects West Hartford.
Dennis J. Swanton
Chairman West Hartford Republican Town Committee
