NewCanaanite.com will publish endorsement letters for this local election through Oct. 27. Send letters to editor@newcanaanite.com.
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Working side-by-side with Penny Young for eight years I have long admired her dignity, deep expertise, and the vast institutional experience she has brought to the Town Council.
Penny co-chaired the Building Evaluation and Use Committee, which in 2017 produced a comprehensive study of the uses, physical condition and future capital needs of over 50 Town buildings. She also spearheaded the development of the Lapham Community Center. These were just two of her many major accomplishments for New Canaan.
Penny is part of a slate of four remarkably capable (and compatible!) candidates endorsed by the New Canaan Republican Town Committee. The other three also offer compelling skill sets.
Scott Gress is a business executive with extensive experience on Town bodies including the Board of Education, the Waveny Park Conservancy, and most recently as Chairman of the Parks and Recreation Commission.
Pavla Levin has deep financial and tech expertise and has served the Town in key roles including on the Utilities Commission, the Board of Assessment Appeals, the affordable housing advocacy group CT 169 Strong, and the Republican Town Committee.
Arvind Bajaj has had a 30-plus year career in real estate finance. He coached many local youth sports teams, has served on the New Canaan Ethics Board, as Town Constable, and on the RTC.
I’m proud to endorse Penny, Scott, Pavla and Arvind. May their service on the Town Council be as rewarding as I have found it to be.
Tom Butterworth
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Dear Editor:
In New Canaan, we Republicans directly choose our candidates during a meeting open to all Republicans in town – that is what the July caucus is. Yes, the timing of the caucus is inconvenient, but that’s mandated by state law. Furthermore, in this open caucus process New Canaan Republicans allow our incumbents to be challenged, there is no committee picking candidates behind closed doors. There’s often disappointment and sometimes hurt feelings – but this messy old New England exercise in self-government works – and New Canaan Republicans should be proud of it.
The result is a record of excellent local governance – for years New Canaan’s responsive and pro-active Republican leadership has defended local control, given residents affordable taxes, top-rated schools, kept our town vibrant and the envy of our neighbors. These are the reasons we all moved here. Let’s keep it that way.
Our four caucus-endorsed candidates for Town Council and three Board of Education candidates are dedicated to continuing this legacy of good governance: local control of zoning and education; strong schools paired with fiscal restraint; protecting and preserving our neighborhoods, parks and roads through disciplined capital planning; stewardship of existing town infrastructure paired with transparent budgets; safeguarding essential services and ensuring continued public safety.
For Town Council, the July Republican caucus endorsed four outstanding candidates. Arvind Bajaj served four years as Secretary of the New Canaan Ethics Board and his experience in commercial real estate finance will prove invaluable defending New Canaan from Hartford’s continued attack on local zoning. New Canaan native, Scott Gress has a long record of service to our town, including as Chairman of Parks and Rec, two terms on the Board of Education, three years as vice chairman. Penny Young’s decades of service on multiple boards, commissions, charities and her distinguished service and institutional knowledge on Town Council is well known throughout the state. Pavla Levin is a true American success story. Born in Russia, she’s a thirteen-year New Canaan resident, has served on Board of Assessment Appeals, and is currently Secretary of the Utilities Commission.
Our three caucus-endorsed Board of Education candidates are equally impressive. A top ranked financial planner, Hugo Alves has served as BOE Chairman the past two years and looks forward to keeping New Canaan ranked best school district in the state. Phil Hogan, the current Vice Chair of the Board, is laser-focused on repairing Covid era learning loss as well as curtailing the distraction of unnecessary technology in our schools. A past President of the New Canaan Newcomers Club in town, Julie Toal is running for her second term on the BOE to continue advocating for academic excellence, healthier screen habits for students and parents’ rights.
The Republican caucus-endorsed Town Council and Board of Education Republican candidates, offer a mix of experience, fresh energy, and a strong commitment to local control. Let’s not forget, the pernicious hand of one-party rule in Hartford. New Canaan residents have every reason to be afraid for their schools, homes, and neighborhoods. Every legislative session, and now possibly a special session, the government in Hartford has invented new attacks on local governance: HB5002 – the recent attempt to take over local zoning; Regionalization – the takeover of school districts; in the recent past, even school start times and local traffic patterns have been targets of Hartford’s meddling. Our candidates will prioritize resident taxpayers and students, fight for New Canaan, defend local governance and preserve our wonderful town.
I encourage every voter to go to newcanaangop2025.com and get to know each of our caucus-endorsed candidates further and support them on election day this November 4th.
Respectfully,
Patrick F. Donovan, former Chairman New Canaan Republican Town Committee
Tom good to see you at the coffee
I see you are endorsing the slate of 4 — this is how I see it
I respect you we have disagreed on thing but know with service comes knowledge. I really don’t want to start all over again with newbies
without a valid reason
That being said if you were running for reelections which you decided not too
I would back you over the new guys —But and a big but how would you feel
if Power to be decided to run 4 candidates as a grouping against you for no apparent reason (Noth School the real reason 300-million-dollar scram)
which will be the number one issue in this election
I would be in your corner 100% — because it’s just wrong
and no matter what you or Pat says will change that
Vote incumbents Kim Penny (who was ask not to run) and Hilary
The so-called “open caucus” process that Pat Donovan lauds drew only 311 voters—out of more than 5,000 registered Republicans in New Canaan—to select candidates in the middle of July. That turnout is hardly representative of the broader Republican electorate, let alone the more than 14,000 registered voters in town. During that caucus, the four endorsed Town Council candidates teamed up to block Kim Norton from being endorsed, and even with a four-against-one effort, they edged her out by just nine votes.
Fortunately, Kim Norton remains on the ballot. Connecticut law provides alternative paths to the November ballot for candidates when party insiders try to limit voter choice. In just a few days in late July and early August, she collected 306 signatures from registered Republicans—more than any of the caucus-endorsed candidates received in votes—to secure her spot.
An experienced Town Council member, Kim Norton has consistently focused on helping residents and addressing real local concerns rather than playing party politics. She has earned—and deserves—reelection.