To the Editor:

Are Newtown politics partisan or not? Three Charter Revision Commission members wrote a letter to The Bee on May 13, “Clarifying the Charter,” indicating that they thought “not.” They argued that the voting “history [of the Board of Education] suggests that the Newtowners who run for public office do so because they believe they can make positive changes in our town not for partisan ideology.” Two pieces recently published in The Bee, however, reveal quite a different perspective.

In a letter dated September 18, “GOP Asks: Where Do We Go From Here?,” seven goals that the Republican Town Committee set in 2013 are outlined, four of which directly affect the Board of Education. One specifically addresses “school budget development” rather than “Newtown budget development.” (Surely, both town and schools are important to Newtown residents?) The Republican newsletter that is referenced goes on to summarize the goals achieved by various boards and commissions “under Republican leadership.”

In the article “Local GOP Launches 2015 ‘White Paper’ Series,” dated September 18, 2015, more Republican plans for the future of the town and district are referenced.  It is clear from these two publications that members of the Republican Town Committee believe that they set goals for the town, and more specifically, the Board of Education. Additionally, from the newsletter, they believe the outcomes are theirs to claim – ignoring the contribution and influence of many individual volunteers and employees and overlooking bipartisan cooperation (that, as you recall, several Charter Revision Commissioners argued is the norm).

Interestingly, one goal set by the Republicans in 2013 was the revision of the town charter. In that endeavor, a partisan outcome blossomed.  The Charter Revision Commission voted 5-4 in favor of allowing a 5-2 political imbalance on the BOE. The five prevailing votes were Republicans, the four dissenting were Democratic or Unaffiliated.  In this regard, it is one “accomplishment” that the Republicans can truly claim as their own.

I do not dispute the value of setting goals. At issue is that those who claim that partisan politics are irrelevant are also involved in the Republican Town Committee which has set goals for governance. Ideally, don’t we want to believe that Newtowners who run for public office do so because they believe they can make positive changes in our town – not for partisan ideology? That those on boards and commissions set goals and make decisions based on information and discussions that occur during their term (and not before)?

Regardless of how you feel about the role of political doctrine versus individual contribution in town government, we must face what is in front of us. Unfortunately, because the vote on proposed  changes to the Town Charter have been delayed until after election season, the differences in party approach to governance may be long forgotten when we are asked to approve changes.  When voting, we cannot pretend that boards are not impacted by partisanship - the desire for one party’s influence has been clearly laid out for us.

Michelle Embree Ku

28 Platts Hill Road, Newtown                              September 23, 2015