I turn on the TV or read an article and if it is something related to Washington, D.C. I quickly become disgusted.
Hyper partisanship and everything that ensues from it is a destructive force, whether it is in Washington or the halls of the capital in Hartford. In this increasingly divisive environment, I hope that most will still consider the individual and not just the party affiliation.
It is in this context that I support Craig Donovan. Craig has a balanced view of New Canaan. He recognizes there are many things great about our town—the charming downtown and open spaces, the parents who are highly invested in their kids’ education and a core group of generally excellent teachers and administrators, the friendliness of most people, among other factors—and there a number of things that need to be improved. Namely, transportation, budget transparency, strategic planning, and fiscal spending. Regarding the latter, something is fundamentally wrong when New Canaan has the second highest town spending and highest town indebtedness per resident in a spendthrift state; when our homes are down 21% in median value over the last 10 years (the second worst drop in Fairfield County), compared to a 0% change in Darien and 9% drop in Westport (Source: Hartford Courant, Oct. 2019); when even in the one year that we had a flat budget — partly due to one-time benefits — our property tax rate went up by 7.5%, greatly exceeding our peers. Craig Donovan is the best candidate to enhance the parts of our town that are great and change those that are not.
As you get to know Craig it becomes readily apparent that he is a person of high integrity with a common sense, open minded, and thoughtful approach to specific issues. He is a centrist that will come to a reasonable middle ground rather than making ad hoc conclusions. He is a pragmatist that fully recognizes not everyone in New Canaan is so wealthy that we can continue to overspend without consequence for many in our community. He is a forward thinker who has spent his 30+ year professional career researching best practices in towns/municipalities that will be applicable to New Canaan.
Most importantly, he is a teacher that wants you to understand his thought process rather than dictating “what is right” to you. Craig talks about having the best schools and the best spending efficiency in the State. That’s a worthy goal. Please spread the word and vote for him in November.