freedominnumbers
09-30-2009, 01:16 PM
It always amazes me to see our elected officials when September rolls around in the odd years. We see a flurry of letters and new activity. There are yard signs and leaflets galore. What we don't get is what we need most. Results.
In the past year and a half I can't count the number of times I've thrown up my hands exclaiming "Why don't they ask a question!" while watching the Town Council conduct its business. I've seen them take financials on their face and willingly accept lies as truth for the convenience of their agenda. Thoughtful and critical debate is the exception, not the rule.
I've seen them belittle public commenters who questioned them and I've read their emails back and forth complaining about the "peanut gallery", also known as the public, they have to deal with. I've watched them knowingly ignore the law of the State and East Hartford in giving away our property and I've seen their political machine rolling along behind them to cover their tracks.
They fail to protect us from spiraling property taxes. They put on a charade every election year to demonstrate their fiscal responsibility only to enact their delayed tax increases once the election threat has passed. Yet some how the names on the political donor list seem to make out well. All three top donors to Mayor Currey's 2007 campaign had a good 2 years. Democratic insiders have found their way into millions of dollars of benefits.
At least we know they can be effective at something, right?
Meanwhile East Hartford is struggling to assert its economic presence. The Town Council and Mayor have failed to keep East Hartford competitive. East Hartford's 12 year average tax rate is 9 mills higher than Windsor, which stole away ING, and 5 mills higher than neighboring South Windsor and Manchester.
The "average residential taxpayer" in East Hartford pays $725 more per year in taxes than our neighbors in South Windsor and Manchester and $1,305 more per year than our Windsor neighbors. ING will save tens of millions in taxes by locating in Windsor even after considering the 7 year exemption East Hartford offered.
I was there at budget time offering real suggestions. I made the first ever electronic version of the detailed budget publicly available in 2008. While the Town was debating what neighborhoods to turn into adult zones I presented a plan which would be constitutionally compliant and protect our neighborhoods from the effects of adult businesses. In the end the Town decided on a plan which makes strip clubs and other adult businesses a permitted use in large areas of the town, putting countless residential areas at risk of future secondary effects.
The Town Council incumbents have been sleeping on the job for far too long. It's time for a change of guard in East Hartford. Vote for Jonathan Searles(3A) & Susan Kniep(3C) for Town Council and Eileen Powers(8A) for Treasurer.
Jonathan Searles
East Hartford Town Council Candidate
http://www.easthartfordteaparty.com
In the past year and a half I can't count the number of times I've thrown up my hands exclaiming "Why don't they ask a question!" while watching the Town Council conduct its business. I've seen them take financials on their face and willingly accept lies as truth for the convenience of their agenda. Thoughtful and critical debate is the exception, not the rule.
I've seen them belittle public commenters who questioned them and I've read their emails back and forth complaining about the "peanut gallery", also known as the public, they have to deal with. I've watched them knowingly ignore the law of the State and East Hartford in giving away our property and I've seen their political machine rolling along behind them to cover their tracks.
They fail to protect us from spiraling property taxes. They put on a charade every election year to demonstrate their fiscal responsibility only to enact their delayed tax increases once the election threat has passed. Yet some how the names on the political donor list seem to make out well. All three top donors to Mayor Currey's 2007 campaign had a good 2 years. Democratic insiders have found their way into millions of dollars of benefits.
At least we know they can be effective at something, right?
Meanwhile East Hartford is struggling to assert its economic presence. The Town Council and Mayor have failed to keep East Hartford competitive. East Hartford's 12 year average tax rate is 9 mills higher than Windsor, which stole away ING, and 5 mills higher than neighboring South Windsor and Manchester.
The "average residential taxpayer" in East Hartford pays $725 more per year in taxes than our neighbors in South Windsor and Manchester and $1,305 more per year than our Windsor neighbors. ING will save tens of millions in taxes by locating in Windsor even after considering the 7 year exemption East Hartford offered.
I was there at budget time offering real suggestions. I made the first ever electronic version of the detailed budget publicly available in 2008. While the Town was debating what neighborhoods to turn into adult zones I presented a plan which would be constitutionally compliant and protect our neighborhoods from the effects of adult businesses. In the end the Town decided on a plan which makes strip clubs and other adult businesses a permitted use in large areas of the town, putting countless residential areas at risk of future secondary effects.
The Town Council incumbents have been sleeping on the job for far too long. It's time for a change of guard in East Hartford. Vote for Jonathan Searles(3A) & Susan Kniep(3C) for Town Council and Eileen Powers(8A) for Treasurer.
Jonathan Searles
East Hartford Town Council Candidate
http://www.easthartfordteaparty.com