Date: Fri 03-Nov-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

edink-endorsement-Cascella

Full Text:

Our Choice For First Selectman

This may be the last "quiet" election campaign of the century in Newtown.

Starting in 1997 and continuing into the next century, Newtown's tax rate will

be swollen by two to nearly four mills by capital projects, including sewers,

roads, the Booth Library, and school projects. As the mill rate ratchets up,

so too will the political stakes.

The main beneficiary of this lull before the storm is First Selectman Bob

Cascella. Modest tax increases over the past two years, and a sense that the

town is on the threshold of renewal, of both its infrastructure and economy,

have given Mr Cascella an unbeatable hand to play against his challenger this

year, Earl Smith, Jr.

This summer, Mr Smith came to the rescue of Democrats, who were struggling to

find a candidate after Selectman Gary Fetzer announced he would not head this

year's Democratic ticket. Mr Smith, for whom the tag "a gentleman and a

scholar" is genuinely apt, has waged a positive, upbeat campaign, emphasizing

the three "E"s - education, environment, and economy. As an educator, teaching

English and Latin and serving 26 years as assistant principal at Newtown High

School, he has influenced and inspired generations of Newtowners. In his

campaign, however, he has failed to give convincing reasons why the town

should change administrations. In fact, he and Mr Cascella are in accord on

most substantive points having to do with the three "E"s.

Without taking away from the proven abilities and dedication of Mr Smith, we

endorse the reelection of Mr Cascella. The stable tax rate may convice most

people to give him another two years in office, though he must share credit

for that with the Board of Education and the Legislative Council. A less

visible accomplishment, though just as significant in the long run, has been

his effort to improve management practices within town government through

training and the consolidation of departments. His initiatives are already

saving the town money, and will continue to do so year after year. Mr Cascella

also keeps his eye on the future so that current realities don't stray too far

from the town's stated goals of developing its economic base without

destroying its environment and character. He has a clear idea of where Newtown

should be heading and has given every indication in the past two years that he

can get us there.

Our endorsement, however, comes with a caveat. While Mr Cascella has shown a

flair and talent for dealing with other town officials and agencies, he has

not done as well in his relations with the people and neighborhoods of Newtown

- just ask the people of Butterfield Road and Apple Blossom Lane. In one case

the issue was road safety, and in the other, contaminated water. In both

cases, the residents found that town officials in general, and Mr Cascella's

office in particular, were remote and unresponding to problems that threatened

the quality, and possibly even the length, of their lives.

The first selectman must do more than say the door to his office is always

open. He must go to where the problems are and talk to the people there. There

is no excuse for the people in the Apple Blossom Road area, for example, to be

waiting still for their first face-to-face session with town officials nearly

two years after their wells were found to be polluted by chemicals. Even now

that he knows that these residents need and want information about this crisis

in their neighborhood, the first selectman is making them wait yet another

month to get it.

If Mr Cascella is going to give Newtown the first rate administration we know

he is capable of, he will have to listen more closely and respond more

directly to concerns of individual residents and neighborhoods. On the local

level, this kind of responsiveness is the keystone of public service.