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To the Editor,

I am writing to express my strong support of Derek Slap for election as State Representative for the 19^th District.

During my time as your Mayor, I often said that if West Hartford had an official religion, it would be education. Of all of our town’s unique attributes, it is the excellence of our educational system that has most set us apart from other communities.

The members of the General Assembly privileged to be elected next week will enter office facing the herculean task of balancing our state budget while preserving essential and already strained public services. For years, West Hartford has struggled to obtain our fair share of State educational aid. That struggle has only become more difficult in light of the immense financial struggles of the City of Hartford and the State, compounded by the recent judicial mandate to address the fairness of education funding throughout Connecticut.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that the next legislative session may influence West Hartford’s direction for decades to come. To preserve, protect and grow West Hartford’s proper share of educational funding, the residents of the 19^th district will need a representative with the intelligence, demeanor and gravitas to navigate this challenging environment. We need someone who can build trust, devise unique solutions and work in a bipartisan manner to get results. Derek Slap is that man, and he will be that representative.

On November 8, I will proudly cast my vote in support of Derek Slap for State Representative, and I urge my fellow residents to join me.

Sincerely,

R. Scott Slifka
Former Mayor of West Hartford