Letters

Laura Miller Running For Legislative Council

Published: Oct 16, 2025 2:19 pm

To The Editor:

I am Laura Miller. I am seeking re-election for a seat on the Legislative Council in District 1. I have lived here for 25 years, raised three children in town, volunteered for Newtown Youth and Family Services, served on the Board of Finance from 2021-2023 and on Legislative Council 2023-2025, fostered three teenagers, and became a stepparent to two more children and a grandmother. My work as an educator includes currently serving as principal at a special education-alternative high school in another town. I am married; my husband Peter Schwarz is running for Planning and Zoning. We have an old, but very beloved, dog named Chubbies.

I want your vote, but you deserve to know who you are getting for that vote. I am a Democrat who asks a lot of difficult questions about our town finances, education spending, ordinance requests, and economic affordability. I push back on the issues, not the parties. I have missed a handful of meetings in the four years that I have served on the Board of Finance and Legislative Council, including the three sub-committees I serve on for LC. Attendance matters. I am informed and involved.

I am alarmed by the national political landscape. I know many Republicans are as well. I am distraught over the Trump administration’s immigration practices, misuse of the justice department, and stomping on our free speech. But I don’t hate Republicans. In fact, I work pretty well with everyone in our town government. I won’t vote no just because a Republican suggests something. Nor will I blindly approve spending just because I am a Democrat. I read every page of both the town and BOE budget books, listen to residents and my LC colleagues from both parties, and do what I think is in the best interest of the entire town.

I care a lot about Newtown and its future. We need some development and some open space. We can have both. Traffic is terrible sometimes. That is probably not going to change. Taxes are high. Even if spending was slashed as some may promise, you won’t get a lower tax bill — no matter who wins the election. But if you vote for me, you can have a Council member who stays informed and tries to balance the diverse needs of our town. You deserve my honesty and my commitment which will not change if I am re-elected.

I am well aware many of you have already chosen not to vote for any Democrat, or maybe just not this Democrat. If this letter helped you solidify your choice, I thank you for taking the time to become an informed voter.

Laura Miller

Newtown

Endorses Lundquist

Endorses Capeci And Gardner

Roy Meadows For Planning & Zoning Commissioner

Walczak, A Leader Who Listens And Follows Through

Mr. Walczak’s reply is unfortunately emblematic of the political double-speak that frustrates so many residents. Rather than engaging on the substantive issues raised — namely, the balance between quality education and fiscal responsibility — he chose to deflect and assign partisan blame. It’s easy to grandstand about “supporting education.” It’s harder to make responsible decisions that keep Newtown affordable for everyone — families, seniors, and small businesses alike. That’s the work real public servants are doing, even when it’s not politically convenient.

Responds To Walczak

*Regardless, you should know that the Board of Education has the greatest influence on the education budgets that ultimately come before Board of Finance and LC.

Mr. Walczak, I read it multiple times before submitting my letter and again afterward. Nowhere in your letter do you mention Legislative Council. Regardless, you should know that the Board of Education has the greatest influence on budgets that ultimately come before Board of Finance and LC. In addition, I noted that you didn't respond to the more substantive issue highlighted in my letter -- school funding and impact on our residents. Your initial letter seemed to indicate that "Republicans" were misguided in challenging budget requests. Regardless of whether you were talking about LC or BOE, is it your position that 64.8% of every tax dollar is not enough to adequately fund our schools? Are you advocating to spend more money? It feels like your Letter to the Editor is at odds with your campaign pitch of affordability.

It sounds like I hit a nerve! So let’s set the record straight, shall we… True - I did vote in favor of the municipal budget, which was a very reasonable 2.75%. Regarding not opening the BOE budget book in 2024, again, true. But what Chris & Eric failed to point out is that while I listened to all the predictable line items followed by predictable questions followed by predictable answers, and the Democrats predictably voting to give the BOE everything they asked for, I was the only LC member that concentrated on the side of the equation where 700 people in Newtown can’t pay their taxes, 400 rely upon the food pantry to put food on their table, and there are 115 homes that are in foreclosure. And while I am not on the BOE subcommittee, unlike my democratic friends, I made it a point to meet with the superintendent(s) both budget seasons face to face. So, to accuse me of “blindly” cutting the BOE budget is a blatant and despicable lie. What else did they lie about? Twenty-eight school positions were removed; the positions were never filled and the world survived. What else did they lie about? BOE passed in a bipartisan fashion? Half-lie: in 2024 they again tried to jam a 5% BOE tax increase through only to have it rejected at referendum. I proposed a 2.75% compromise that ultimately passed. What else did they lie about? My failure to mention the reduction in state aid and the increase in insurance premiums? Newtown needs to be run like an efficient company to be successful. I am not against education; I just want the school administration to make the most out of every dollar. Right now, $.66 out of every tax collected goes towards the BOE budget. And finally, my failure to offer solutions to raise revenue? I proposed a “Tanglewood model” compromise for 6 Commerce Road that could potentially generate in millions of dollars in revenue for the town. I proposed and am still in favor of an ordinance for peaceful protesting that would save the town potentially $225k in police overtime. My Democratic friends didn’t even want to consider that. And what solutions have C&E offered? Eric wanted to ADD $300K to the BOE budget for a kindergarten class that had no impact on learning Spanish! And Chis wanted the parents to pick up the tab for extracurricular activities THAT THEY ALREADY pay for. Don’t throw rocks if you live in glass houses. One of our main responsibilities on the Legislative Council is advocating taxpayers’ dollars in the best interests of the Town and trying to make it more affordable without degrading services. Unfortunately, the Democrats can’t run on “affordability” since they already jammed the residents of Newtown with a huge tax increase last year, but I still can. I am humbly asking for your support on or before Nov 4th. Thanks to C&E to giving me the opportunity to respond and clear everything up.

Democratic Response To Political Attack Letter

Not one question about the cost of implementing this system. Yes, there is a donation with strings attached. We've been there before and now we're bonding new monies regularly to maintain or repair those 'donations' like the community center. I think Deb is right to say she doesn't have enough information to make an informed decision. I'd like to know what it costs taxpayers to maintain & upgrade this system that seems to be on balance fairly unpopular.

BOE Narrowly Passes Weapons Detection System At High School

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Laura Miller Running For Legislative Council

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