As the state legislature gathers this month to debate the state budget, reinstalling tolls on highways and state routes should be among the long-term options considered. Connecticut has held out for too long against highway tolls. The state roads are among the most heavily traveled in the nation. Yet Connecticut for years has resisted following […]

This concludes a two-part essay; see the first installment in the January 18 edition of the Ridgefield Press or click here. Two features of the new federal tax law (“TCJA”) — passed without a single Democratic vote — are designed to hurt states like Connecticut, and especially towns like Ridgefield. (We outlined the reasons in

This is the first installment of a two-part essay; read the conclusion in the February 1 edition of the Ridgefield Press, or click here. 2018 is a critical opportunity for voters to deliver an important message: “Enough!” to Republican control of Congress … and eventually, the White House. Last month, President Trump signed into law

Ridgefield, like other towns in Connecticut, has a Democratic Town Committee.  Our DTC has 24 members.  They’re elected at a caucus that’s called for that purpose in January of each even-numbered year.  The caucus will be held on January 9th at 8:00 PM in the Lower Level of Town Hall.  The people who are elected

My friend Pete was angry and upset after the presidential election last year.  He said that, by the end of this year, we’d be living in the dark in burned-out buildings and eating rats to survive.  I tried to cheer him up a little.  We’ve been friends for a long time.  I said they’d be

We did well in the municipal elections, better than just about anyone expected.    A front-page article in the Press talked about a “blue wave” in Ridgefield. The headline was “Democrats Dominate Election.”  And the news was good in other towns across Connecticut.  We had a lot to celebrate, a lot to feel good about.  But

The election of 2017 is over. The votes have been counted, and the results have been certified. The work of governing will go on. Some of us will stop thinking about elections for a while, but other people are already thinking about the next election and the one after that. They’re planning for all the

10 DEMOCRATIC OFFICE HOLDERS SWORN IN  TUESDAY NIGHT In an historic ceremony at Town Hall on Tuesday evening, 10 Democrats were sworn in to new terms on 6 town boards. Pictured (flanked by Democratic Registrar Of Voters Cindy Bruno on left and by First Selectman Rudy Marconi on the right), the newly sworn officials from

Democrats Romp at the Polls! On Tuesday, November 7, 2017, Ridgefield Democrats swept our local elections, increasing our majority on the Board of Finance, flipping the Board of Education and the Board of Assessment Appeals to Democratic majorities, and gaining seats on the Planning & Zoning Commission (just 1 seat shy of a majority), the Zoning

When you read this in the Press on Thursday the election will be over, the votes will have been counted, and we’ll know the results.  I’m writing this on Monday, the day before the election in order to meet a deadline.  I don’t know how things will turn out tomorrow.  No one does. There was

READ THE CANDIDATES’ CAMPAIGN STATEMENTS We recommend the entire Democratic slate in Ridgefield’s municipal election on November 8th, not just because the candidates are Democrats, but because they have the skills, experience, judgment, and temperament to serve in the offices they’re running for. For the Board of Finance … Sean Connelly is an incumbent member of

Ridgefield is in good shape financially.  We have enviable AAA bond ratings, a well-resourced fund balance (not too high, not too low, liked by the ratings agencies), stable revenue, grants for improvements, a well-managed town, moderate/stable tax rates, a plan for economic development, and a new equity theatre.  We have abatements and programs for senior

The November 7th election is important to the future of the Ridgefield Public Schools. The Democratic Board of Education slate of Silver, Stamatis, Holz, Borgia-Drake is comprised of four passionate and experienced professionals who are qualified to serve our community. We bring a balanced approach to the differing needs and opinions in our community as

There are things Americans can take for granted, things that people in other places can’t do.  We have freedom of speech, the right to peaceful assembly, the right to petition our government to redress wrongs, and the right to protest.  But no one has the right to terrorize other people. Groups of gunmen in paramilitary

We hear a lot about single-issue voters.  Pollsters tell us there are a lot of them.  Pundits tell us the way to win an election is to find ways to appeal to several groups of them and to cobble together a winning coalition.  It’s an easier strategy than trying to explain complex issues and trying

Democrats’ 2017 local candidates pictured with Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi (left to right): Arny DiLaura, Steve Saloom, Mary Dougherty, Joe Dowdell, Sean Connelly, Amanda Cordano, Amy Macartney Freidenrich, Carina Borgia-Drake, Joe Fossi, Rudy Marconi, Charles Robbins, Margaret Stamatis, Kathleen Holz, Mark Seavy, Doug Silver, and Anne Cutter. Not pictured: Terry Bearden-Rettger and Jeff Lundberg.