Hive letter by Brandon Moore.To The Editor:
Earth Day in Newtown was a powerful reminder of both our progress and our responsibility.
Across the country, climate change is no longer a top issue for many young voters. It’s hard to focus on the climate when you can’t afford to live. According to a recent Harvard Youth Poll, affordability issues now dominate while climate change ranks low. This reality should challenge us to better connect environmental action with the affordability crisis.
But what gives me hope is what I saw here in Newtown.
The Newtown Conservation Commission deserves huge congratulations for the rodenticide ban and combating invasive knotweed. The Newtown Forest Association protects the open spaces that define our community. The Friends of the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial lead meaningful work maintaining a space of reflection and remembrance. The Newtown Lions Club makes enormous efforts to support our environment. And the Sustainable Energy Commission is working hard to advance clean energy solutions for our town.
This work demands our support, our unwavering attention, and our continued investment.
On the policy front, I recently spoke with Governor Ned Lamont about Revolution Wind, the offshore wind project now delivering clean energy to Connecticut. This project will power more than 350,000 homes, create thousands of jobs, and help lower energy costs. This is a true win-win-win.
But most of the work is still ahead of us. We desperately need an environmental champion representing Newtown in Hartford.
As a candidate for State Representative, I will fight like heck for our environment, for Newtown’s open spaces, and to ensure we tackle climate change while driving down energy costs by investing in clean energy right here in Connecticut.
Above all else, Earth Day is about action. I am ready to get to work.
Brandon Moore
Newtown
Thanks for the reply. I meant the numbers you presented in your letter. I found one place where other numbers were listed: https://www.newtownbee.com/04232026/get-out-and-vote-on-the-2026-27-proposed-municipal-and-school-budgets/?q=\\\%22advisory%20questions\\\%22.
In that article, the numbers were cited as:
Treadwell field: $1,125,000
Library: $720,000
Salt Storage: $600,000
As one who started out in the early 80's when inflation was double digits, my 1985 mortgage rate was 14%, and child care costs were comparable (in present value), I shared your grief but never considered the voters ironic or shameful.
PS. I agree college tuition is ridiculous. Thankfully, universities are offering (or considering) waiving all or most tuition for middle class families (upwards of $200,000 incomes). Hopefully, they'll also reconsider their need for those funds in the first place.
Sure! Child care costs: https://www.ffyf.org/2022/10/13/data-child-care-prices-continue-to-rise-ahead-of-midterm-elections-outpacing-inflation/ (also from 2021-2025 we had 2 children in a local daycare in Newtown and it cost us $3200 a month, so that's a number I am very familiar with)
Home price / median price vs income source: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/home-price-income-ratios
Tuition increase vs inflation: https://feed.georgetown.edu/access-affordability/noting-a-decline-in-middle-class-students-colleges-provide-more-aid/
Hope this helps :)
Shame on NAFC. Unless you have not read about the controversy surrounding why I left Michelle Ku’s campaign, I cannot understand why you would endorse a candidate that uses homophobic and stereotypical tactics to run a campaign. Ask her to share the texts sent to her committee involving “diva” and Spanish tshirts because “Brazilians” are moving into Newtown. As if Latinos are all Brazilian and don’t understand English. Shame on you.
Nothing says “community spirit” quite like declaring moral bankruptcy because voters didn’t fund your preferred project.
Apparently, approving basic infrastructure that everyone uses—like functional sidewalks and parking for a facility that all community members use and salt that keeps those touchpoints functional in winter—is now evidence of generational selfishness. The real irony isn’t in what passed or failed; it’s in accusing others of self-interest while insisting they should have voted for something you happen to value. That’s not “us”—that’s just a different version of “me.”
Voters weighed priorities and made a choice. Calling that “shameful” doesn’t elevate the argument—it just reveals how little tolerance there is for democratic outcomes that don’t go your way. If the takeaway is that more people should show up and vote, fair enough. But let’s not pretend disagreement is a character flaw. Sometimes the electorate simply decides that not every nice-to-have is a must-have.
