To The Editor:

I wanted to take a moment to re-introduce myself as I have put myself forward for a second term on the Legislative Council, representing District 2. My wife and I moved our young family into Sandy Hook so that our daughters could have an excellent education, so that we could take part in a vibrant community that has a lot to offer for all our families and residents. Our oldest was able to graduate from Pitzer College and now works for the Gifford Foundation in DC, launching her career that started here in Newtown. Our youngest is a Senior at Skidmore College and spent the summer engaged in mathematics research, an opportunity built here in Newtown.

In my first term on the Council, I chaired the Education Subcommittee and worked hard to understand the complex budget process in order to make recommendations that pushed our schools forward yet ensured our tax dollars were spent wisely.

I am committed to ensuring that our families have the support and programs they need. Parks and Rec provides a myriad of opportunities for people of all ages to enjoy.

I am concerned with the overdevelopment that is being proposed across town, specifically with the rise in age restricted housing (for which I qualify). Developers build and build and provide no long term support for the infrastructure that their developments require, pushing those costs on taxpayers. I believe we should be requiring them to pay into a community fund to mitigate those costs.

I decided to run for reelection after the free assembly debates that were held this past summer. The request to require people to pay the Police Department in order to peacefully assemble was a gross overreach of government authority. Thankfully that was defeated in a bipartisan fashion.

I am happy to run again, with excellent partners in Jordana Bloom and Keith Alexander in District 2. The three of us will continue to work together in the best interests of the whole town. I hope we have earned your votes.

Eric Paradis

Sandy Hook