To the Editor:

My name is William DeRosa. I am running for Legislative Council District 1 along with Angela Curri and Lisa Kessler on the Republican ticket. Together with my wife and son we have lived on Taunton Hill Road, Boxwood Farm, since 2011. Our son Jack attends Head O’ Meadow School.

The reason I am running for LC is simple: I love this quaint and charming town; however, I feel we can do a better job.

First and foremost, we must work to make Newtown affordable for all, keeping in mind that seniors play a pivotal role in this community and should be able to age in place. Our current mill rate has risen over the years to 34.65. How do we stop this trend? Careful planning and financial oversight are needed, attributes that I will bring to the Legislative Council along with my District 1 running mates.

Further, we need a better plan for our roads; a plan that will focus on sustainability rather than patchwork and ineffective upkeep. Newtown is fortunate to have excellent police, fire, and ambulance services. I will back these essential services and support levels of funding necessary to do their job. And, we need a responsible plan for Fairfield Hills. Campus improvements over the past four years have been very few and insubstantial. It is past time to address this issue and plan accordingly.

I am proud of our Newtown schools but call for better fiscal oversight as well as enhanced student achievement. The system needs to be more transparent and should strive to work in collaboration with the local government, not as a lone entity. Student achievement and other measures of performance have failed to meet the standard of the Blue Ribbon distinction awarded the high school in 2000. Test scores have declined, as has enrollment. We must have the courage to examine these issues carefully, fairly, and with an eye on our community values.

One of my abilities is to reach across the aisle and work with everybody. Recently I teamed up with the chair of the Newtown Planning and Zoning Committee and together we wrote a bipartisan resolution condemning the over-reaching legislation that was being proposed regarding zoning in Connecticut. This legislation would have removed Newtown from making its own decisions on zoning and placed the power with Hartford. Last December I joined with other concerned parents to work directly with our school superintend to get our kids back in the classroom in January.

I am excited to be running with Angela Curri and Lisa Kessler to form the Republican ticket for Legislative Council District 1. We share similar conservative values with a passion to make a difference and usher in policies that will be good for Newtown. It’s time to stop the discord and come together for an even better Newtown for all. I hope the reader will agree and vote for Angela Curri, Lisa Kessler and me, William DeRosa, on November 2.

Respectfully submitted,

William DeRosa

Newtown