Town of Wilton is in need of some new ideas

I came across a video on the Wilton Republicans Facebook page. It started with a letter from me back in 2013 saying “I’m tired of hearing about the ‘No Town Tax’.” Then it proceeded to say the Wilton Democrats “will seize land by eminent domain” (What?), no development (How can we be for no development? What would we seize the land for?), a highway tax, and bigger government. First, I probably did say that in 2013 because that’s all they have said for 30 years. In the meantime, the town of Wilton has grown from 5,000 to nearly 18,000 in population. If we want to keep that “no town tax,” and we all want to keep our taxes low, we’d better think about new ways to save money, and, ask ourselves if we are responsibly addressing issues facing our town. Also, “no town tax,” for the record ,is erroneous. We have an “ambulance tax,” a “fire tax,” but no town tax? Lastly, again, we are a different town than we were. It may be time for new ideas and some new people. Do we need three firemen from the same fire house on our town board?

Next, they have mentioned we are against development. Well no that’s not true. We believe in bringing everybody to the table early in the process. We believe in holding our developers accountable and having them work with us more for the benefit of all in the town. Why don’t we take the fee they pay per new house and use it to develop those “multi-use” paths they claim we are building and have included in all of their “plans” for the last 10 years?

Highway tax? Never mentioned it. Bigger government? Although that’s a typical talking point for Republicans with nothing to say, if bigger government means possibly hiring a full time town planner, let’s go for it.

Please get out and vote Nov. 7, and vote Nancy Dwyer, Town Supervisor, Paula Tancredi Penman, Ken Garcia, Town Board, Eric D. Rosenberg, Town Justice, and John Helenek, Highway Superintendent, for new ideas. Pat Kuz Wilton The author is chairperson of the Wilton Democratic Committee