To the Editor,

My name is Peter Schwarz, and I am running for the Legislative Council representing District 1. I’ve been a Newtown resident since 2018 after living in Denver with my partner, Laura Miller, for several years. Laura and I have five wonderful grown children and one beautiful grandchild in our blended family, and we are very proud of our three graduates of Newtown Public Schools.

I’m running for Legislative Council to ensure that the great town that we all call home continues to grow and prosper, while ensuring that everyone in our community shares in that future.

Town government can make sure everyone has the chance to participate to the fullest, and to have their unfiltered voices heard and respected. We have to focus on continuing to meet the high standards we have set. We need to be smart, and we need to listen. We need to work for today and tomorrow, together.

I’ve been a corporate lawyer for over thirty years. My career has centered on negotiating agreements between companies to get projects done. I’ve worked for large and small companies, and I’ve worked with people from many walks of life. I’ve learned that whether you’re negotiating with the US government to repair a nuclear submarine or to manage a satellite phone network for our military in Iraq, working with software developers and engineers to write software or manage a company’s IT infrastructure, or to fix a polluted field so it can be developed, you need to moderate conflict and focus on shared goals.

You need to focus on practical, real-world outcomes and bring everyone along with you. I think I’ve been successful at that in my career and I think I can bring that attitude and those skills to our local government.

Peter Schwarz

Newtown