To The Editor:

Mitch Bolinsky has been a tremendous state representative with a record to be proud of. Therefore, it is disappointing that his opponent is running a misleading campaign where claims on her social media and in supporter letters can easily be debunked by searching the Newtown Bee’s website.

Seniors — the Bee has extensively covered the awards and recognitions Rep. Bolinsky has received for his bipartisan work on senior issues.

Traffic — Mitch was central in advancing the Exit 11 improvements, bridge fixes and safety legislation, while opposing bills that ignored Newtown’s concerns.

Taxes — Rep. Bolinsky has never supported a tax increase, opposed mandates that would shift burdens onto property taxpayers, protected Newtown’s education funding, and helped pass the 2017 bipartisan budget that created the Fiscal Guardrails responsible for our improved finances over the Dan Malloy era chaos.

Mitch, to his credit, would rather run on his own record rather than attack his opponent’s. One could note the decline in educational outcomes during her time as BOE Chair with about a third of students not meeting grade level in many metrics, the mess bussing has been, or the Special Education challenges that left some parents hiring lawyers. While he doesn’t want to go there, many informed voters already know.

His opponent talks about coalition building, yet she could not even secure the support of fellow local Democrats in the spring. Two Council Democrats formed a “women’s caucus” to endorse her male opponent, despite years of serving with her; another cited her opponent’s “energy” and “creative ideas” in his endorsement.

Every election Representative Bolinsky has outperformed other races, earning bipartisan support from Newtown voters because he has served our community with distinction. Please join me in voting for him to continue representing Newtown in Hartford.

Ryan Knapp

Newtown