Signs Of

Change

 To the Editor:

“The thing about democracy, beloveds, is that it is not neat, orderly, or quiet,” wrote the late Molly Ivins. In that rebellious spirit, the Independent Party of Newtown has decided to post yard signs, despite the “gentleman’s agreement” between the Democratic and Republican Town Committees to refrain from doing so.

As a new political organization, we must take every opportunity to build awareness of the fact that, for the first time in years, Newtown’s voters can truly have an impact on the way their town is run. For the sad truth is that the real “gentlemen’s agreement” between the two parties is to avoid not only the appearance of a vibrant democracy but the reality as well.

How else can one explain the fact that three Democratic and three Republican Board of Finance candidates (and, if not for Donna A. Monteleone’s write-in candidacy, one for the Board of Education as well) are running unopposed? Or that the Republican-controlled Legislative Council has relinquished its oversight of Fairfield Hills to an authority controlled by the first selectman? Or that, unlike IPN, prominent Republican office holders such as Will Rodgers have yet to publicly endorse Joe Borst?

This desire to keep things “neat, orderly, and quiet” can also explain why IPN is the only group that has actually put together a platform (if you haven’t done so already, please read our “Declaration of Independent” at www.independentpartyofnewtown.com). Competitive elections require competing ideas. If the two older parties have these, they are hiding them as effectively as those noisy campaign signs. Their candidates have endorsed IPN’s guiding philosophy: accountability, checks and balances and transparency. But support for these principals rings hollow when there is no evidence of debate or controversy — no mess or noise.

Of course, just as we too love the clean, pretty look of our town, we would be happy to have a government that ran so smoothly and efficiently that it could be kept out of view. IPN came into being, however, because so many of us were concerned that only the second part of that equation was being implemented. Plans such as those for the new town hall are presented as done deals, with no room for unsightly public debate. Yet our schools suffer from overcrowding and disrepair even as our taxes shoot higher.

So please bear with us for a few weeks, fellow citizens, while we get the word out to those among us who don’t read the Letter Hive that there are indeed “signs of change” in our lovely community. It may not be pretty, but true democracy isn’t supposed to be.

Sincerely,

Benjamin J. Roberts

Independent Party of Newtown

Candidate for Legislative Council

District 1

19 Farrell Road, Newtown                                         October 24, 2007