Newtowners Head To Polls Tuesday To Vote For Candidates, Charter Revision

By John Voket

Polls in all four of Newtown’s voting districts will be open from 6 am to 8 pm on Tuesday, November 6. Registered voters will be asked to cast ballots for a number of state and federal offices, including President.

All Newtown’s voters will also be polled on a proposed charter revision, which, if endorsed, will split the local budget ballot with any approved vote being binding; eliminate a town meeting provision after a second budget failure; and provide budget questions to help guide the Legislative Council in the event one or both sides fail.

(See local officials explaining the charter revision in a series of videos posted at Newtownbee.com)

A special absentee voting session is planned for Saturday, November 3, from 9 am to noon at the town clerk’s office in the Newtown Municipal Center at Fairfield Hills. At press time Town Clerk Debbie Aurelia said she has issued more than 1,300 ballots.

Anyone requiring an absentee ballot should contact the town clerk’s office at 203-270-4210.

The only municipal election on this year’s ballot is for the registrars of voters, but neither Karin Aurelia, a Republican who won a ballot slot in an August primary, nor endorsed Democrat LeReine Frampton are opposed. That means each registrar will be returned to office for a four-year term as long as they each receive at least one vote.

Ms Frampton also provided some recommendations for local voters to make the process of casting ballots on November 6 as easy as possible.

She is advising voters to confirm their polling place if there is any doubt. Ms Frampton said voters can go to ct.gov/sots, then click on the “Registered to vote?” link.

From there, voters can indicate they will vote in Newtown, and provide their name and date of birth. The site will then provide the confirmed location of their state polling place.

Incoming voters to the polls will be checked in according to their street name, so look for the signs indicating which lines accommodate which streets in the district.

Ms Frampton suggests all voters have ID ready to hand to the checker. Voters may use a driver’s license, employee ID, signed credit card, preprinted checkbook, or a piece of mail to confirm residence.

Anyone looking for a lull to ensure they get in and out as quickly as possible are advised to go to the polls around midday. Ms Frampton said the lines are a little shorter at this time.

Local polling places are as follows:

*District 1 will vote at Newtown Middle School Gym A

*District 2 will vote at Reed Intermediate School Cafetorium

*District 3-1 will vote at Head O’ Meadow School Cafetorium

*District 3-2 Edmond Town Hall

According to the town clerk, all District 3-2 voters will be asked to elect a state representative for the 112th District, which encompasses that section of Newtown and the Town of Monroe. Republican incumbent DebraLee Hovey and Democratic challenger Robert Dombroski will be the legislative candidates represented on those 3-2 ballots.

As a result of redistricting, several neighborhoods in Dodgingtown are now part of the state’s Second Assembly District. Voters who now reside in the Second District will be asked to consider Republican incumbent Dan Carter or his Democratic challenger, Steven DeMoura.

Most of Newtown is located in the 106th District, and voters residing in that district will cast ballots for either the Republican Mitch Bolinsky or the Democrat Lisa Romano. Two-term Democrat Chris Lyddy opted to not seek reelection, opening up the seat for one of the newcomers.

Regarding the 106th District contest, Ms Romano announced that she has received the endorsement of Governor Dannel Malloy in her bid for the legislative seat. She also received Rep Lyddy’s endorsement.

“What I hope for in a legislator is not a rubber stamp of my proposals, but an individual who will bring an informed, reasoned and thoughtful voice to shaping our state,” said Gov Malloy. “Lisa is just such a person. We share a commitment to continue rebuilding the state’s economy and providing an excellent education to all of Connecticut’s children, and I hope Newtown voters will elect her as their next state representative on November 6.”

Ms Romano said she is hearing from residents who are already struggling, that they were hit too hard with new taxes in the last state budget.

“I respect that the governor needed to plug the $3.5 million hole that was handed to him when he took office, and aid to towns was not cut,” Ms Romano said in a release. “However, in this next budget session we need to find more ways to streamline state government, require that individuals who are doing very well pay their fair share, and explore innovations for economic development, education, and others areas of need that do not come with big price tags. I plan to follow these principles in helping to rebuild the state’s vitality.”

In a pair of recent releases, Mr Bolinsky examined the results of the policies that were enacted under the Democrat-run legislature. The GOP candidate noted that:

In 2011, Connecticut taxpayers experienced the largest tax hike in state history — $1.8 billion per year.

On October 18, state revenue estimates were reported to have lagged in virtually every sector needed to balance the budget, from casino revenues, down an anticipated $24.2 million, to corporate taxes, off by $23.1 million, and sales taxes, off by $13 million, bringing the anticipated deficit to $98.5 million.

Tax receipts, as reported by the Department of Revenue Services, are also down, and a previous projection last spring based on the governor’s own figures put the deficit at more than $423 million for 2014.

The official “consensus’’ revenue estimates are usually reported to the legislature by October 15. This year the revenue estimates will not be produced by the nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis and the governor’s budget office until November 10 because Democrats voted to delay it.

Sound Local Practices

Mr Bolinsky believes the state’s goals should be no different than what he has supported as a local member of the Legislative Council, which are: advocate for lower taxes; a reduction in spending; a business-friendly environment; consolidation of resources and departments; and a healthy fund balance.

The Republican contender hopes, if elected, to help Newtown “diversify its tax base away from the shoulders of homeowners, spend only what we can afford and begin to take the difficult steps to change the direction of borrowing to pay our operational bills and reduce our long-term debt.”

He also said the people of Newtown need job opportunities in their home state of Connecticut.

“While the unemployment rate across the country decreases, Connecticut’s unemployment rate continues to rise — currently our state is 1.1percent higher than the average across the United States,” he noted in a release. “Regulations need to be more business friendly in order to have Connecticut companies succeed, expand and bring more jobs into our state and in Newtown.”

If Mr Bolinsky is successful on November 6, he will go to Hartford prepared to support:

*Requiring quantitative and qualitative assessment of costs and benefits of any new regulations with the same review for existing regulations

*Tax relief for companies that purchase property in Connecticut

*Expediting permit approval processes

*Capping the gas tax

*No tax increases

To reach the registrar of voters’ office, call 203-270-4250 or e-mail Democratic Registrar LeReine Frampton at lereine.frampton@newtown-ct.gov or Republican Registrar Karin Aurelia at Karinaurelia@newtown-ct.gov.