Politics & Government

Daniel Amaral: The Patch Voter Guide

Party: Democrat
Office: Legislative Council, District 3
Status: Incumbent
Pitch: As a lifelong resident of Newtown, I care about Newtown and want what is best for all of its residents, and that is why I am running for re-election to the Legislative Council, District 3. I have seen Newtown evolve from a more rural “small town” into more of a “bedroom” community, with many residents commuting to other areas to work. This residential growth has increased enrollment in our schools and intensified the demand on town services, resulting in an ever-increasing property tax burden on residents. Given the economy and declining school enrollment projections, now is the time for the town to hold the line on taxes, especially on the town budget. If elected, I will work for the taxpayers of Newtown to be sure that we are not spending on items that are “wants” and not “needs.”

As a small-business owner in town, I often hear directly from residents about the things they want and do not want to see happen in our town. I am proud to give their thoughts and opinions a voice in our town government.

Often, we compare ourselves to towns of similar size—and use that as justification for pay scale or projects people perceive as “need” to be done. While this is one measure for comparison, we are not asking what the comparable tax burden is of those same towns, what tax revenue they get from their commercial base, or other questions that may influence what other towns do or provide. The only question we should be asking ourselves is how can we improve as a town: For example, now that we have the Fairfield Hills Planning Authority document, we should look to the future to try to develop the property according to the wishes of the residents, but only as far as our means allow, so that our grandchildren are not burdened with massive debt they will have to repay. I also hope to look at better use of technology to increase the productivity of our town employees if re-elected as a member of the Legislative Council.

I am running as a Democrat because I believe in a “Return to Reason.” We need to work together with other political parties to deal with issues upcoming issues, such as the possibility of closing a school as enrollment declines, or developing Fairfield Hills in an affordable way to benefit the entire community. I will work hard to look at all the factors that Newtown has to work with, and make decisions that best meet the needs of our town while still staying within the means of our community. (Courtesy of Newtown Democrats.)

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