To the Editor:

Newtown needs Tony Hwang as our representative in the State Senate.  I spent five years as the executive director of a small agency with a very focused mission: improving the legal representation of parents and children involved  in the child protection system, and I have also been on the Executive Board of the Children's Trust Fund Council, the state's lead agency for the prevention of child abuse.  In these positions I have been able to witness the challenges of the legislative process and the difficulty of prioritizing where government should be spending tax payer dollars.

As a state representative for the last six years, Tony Hwang has consistently taken a common sense approach to the role of government and the need for it to operate within a balanced budget. I researched Tony's legislative record, and while there is not enough space here to report in detail, I noted a consistent thread in his work: fiscal responsibility, limited government, effective support for the vulnerable and a balanced approach to economic incentives and a healthy environment. Tony champions initiatives where government belongs: protecting our children and college students from violence; improving educational opportunities for all children, while maintaining local control over curriculum; defending consumers from deceptive energy rate practices; and creating rational incentives for business growth, while promoting responsible stewardship of our environment.

Tony performs his work in a bipartisan manner and has developed positive relationships in  the Legislature. The respect he has already earned will be critical to ensuring that priorities for our community get acted upon at the state level.  He has been wholeheartedly endorsed by John McKinney who has seen first-hand Tony's work  on behalf of his constituents, the citizens of this state, and more recently the people of Newtown. Tony has a proven track record of securing benefits for his community and Newtown needs a representative that can hit the ground running and get things done.

As a person, Tony Hwang is a man of integrity, focused on his family and service to community.  He is also extremely hardworking and will be there for us as a town and as individuals if we need his help.  I hope that Newtown gets out to the polls and demonstrates that we value leadership that respects the limited role of government to protect citizens, promote opportunity and maintain the balance between responsibility and freedom necessary to a thriving society by supporting Tony Hwang as our next State Senator.

Carolyn Signorelli

18 Chimney Swift Road, Sandy Hook        September 17, 2014