UNDORSEMENT

WOW I just watched the video from the City Candidate Forum at the High School Tuesday night, that was the best format yet. Kudos to the League of Women Voters.

I began to watch with a pretty good idea of who I was going to vote for next Tuesday. When the forum was over my ideas of who to vote for had changed and here is why.

As a long time committed democrat I was leaning toward voting for most of the democratic ticket.

Wade Hyslop had my vote until I viewed the forum video from last night. When Wade Hyslop danced around the question about naming an accomplishment and a failure of the mayor I knew he was no longer effective as a man to represent the people of New London. How is it that Wade Hyslop could not identify even one failure by the mayor, there have been so very many. The tap dance around it by Wade Hyslop was the strongest indicator yet that he is only a yes man for the mayor. Wade Hyslop had the opportunity on more than one occasion to set Charter Review in motion and he voted against it each time. As a seasoned legislator Wade Hyslop has failed the people of New London with respect to Charter Review and taking the needed steps to fix problems with our form of government.

Michael Tranchida as a long time City Clerk and friend I saw he had so much potential and so much to bring to the table. This belief went out the door when Michael Tranchida spoke about the Charter and that we have to give it time and that things will work out. The Charter is flawed and needs to be reviewed and fixed. Anyone who believes otherwise should not sit on the new City Council. It appears as if Michael Tranchida has moved into the mayor’s camp as a solid potential yes man for the administration, the signs were quite clear from the forum.

Erica Richardson and Laura Natusch are both nothing more that yes women for the mayor. Laura is clearly opposed to Charter Review. Erica, Laura and so many others speak of working with the mayor to move things along, which is not their primary function as City Council members. They are the legislative and policy arm of our form of government as such they are a critical check and balance to the strong mayor.

Michael Passero was my top pick before watching the recording. I urged friends and family to look past the fact that he is a city employee. When Michael Passero presented his closing arguments he identified the real problems that plague New London, he spoke of leadership and working together. Michael Passero is the Council President and has been for the entire term of the City Council. What has he actually done in that leadership role to fix things and move New London forward? Nothing is the simple answer. Yes leadership is needed and Michael Passero has not been able in that leadership role to get anything accomplished. Michael has not been able to effect the consolidation of the Board of Education and the City Finance departments in two years as Council President. Michael Passero had the opportunity on more than one occasion to set Charter Review in motion and he voted against it each time. That is not leadership Michael. Please understand that as the pick to lead the council you did not.

These are the Democratic slate candidates that I was going to support and now I just cannot. New London has to move forward and with any of these candidates seated on the council New London cannot move forward. 

Charter Review is critical to fix the problems that have been identified in the Charter. Why wait to fix a known problem, it makes no sense to put it off even a day.