Category Archives: Newsletter

Danbury’s superintendent makes $20 per student. Sherman’s makes $887 per student. Here’s why

June 12, 2021Debate, Hot Topics, Newsletter, Press Clipping, Published Article

June 12, 2021 Updated: June 12, 2021 9:58 p.m.

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Experience, performance and their community’s affluence are among the factors local school boards consider as they set their superintendents’ salaries.

Superintendent average compensation in Fairfield County is higher than in other parts of the state, a Hearst Connecticut Media analysis found. The highest salaries are in southwestern Connecticut.

“But we also have to realize that property is much more expensive in that end of the state, so it costs more for living expenses, etc,” said Fran Rabinowitz, executive director of the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents.

“It is also a municipality’s ability to pay, which goes into property taxes and all of that,” she added. “It really is dependent on the wealth of the community.”

School board chairs and other officials said they thought the superintendent salaries in their communities were fair.

“It’s fairly compensated,” said Peggy Katkocin, New Fairfield’s school board chair. “I know we walk a delicate line because it’s taxpayer money.”

Superintendents sometimes get various perks. For example, in Bethel, Superintendent Christine Carver received a $10,000 stipend upon the completion of the renovations to Rockwell and Johnson elementary schools.

Rabinowitz said she’s seen that in other districts.

“A superintendent spends an incredible amount of time outside of the normal duties of a superintendent working on a renovation project,” she said.

To become a superintendent, educators must complete a certification program approved by the Connecticut Board of Education. A doctorate degree is not required, but many districts pay more if the superintendent has a Ph.D.

“There is high demand for top quality superintendents, so the wages clearly reflect that,” Redding First Selectwoman Julia Pemberton said. “For a school district like Redding, we want in a superintendent one of the best educators in the state and even the nation.”

Superintendents in Danbury, Brookfield, Bethel, Ridgefield, New Fairfield, Newtown, Sherman, and Easton, Redding and Region 9 have doctorate degrees.

“You need to get really qualified people who are not only good educators, but good administrators and incredibly good communicators to do these jobs,” Brookfield First Selectman Steve Dunn said.

Pay per student

The pay per student varies greatly in the Danbury area, with Sherman’s Superintendent-Principal Jeff Melendez earning about $887 per student, compared to the around $20 per student that Danbury Superintendent Sal Pascarella gets.

More Information

Superintendent pay per student

Sherman: $887.42

Region 12: $298.59

New Fairfield: $107.94

Brookfield: $93.73

Region 9: $90.04

Bethel: $75.26

Region 15: $67.03

Ridgefield: $57.95

Newtown: $54.45

New Milford: $52.08*

Danbury: $20.10

Per a Hearst Connecticut Media analysis of 153 superintendent contracts in the state

*This figure reflects the superintendent’s salary when she was the interim leader

Danbury area superintendent salaries

Ridgefield Susie Da Silva: $264,000 (No. 11 in the state)

Brookfield John Barile: $240,240 (No. 21 in the state)

Danbury Sal Pasarella: $237,874 (No. 23 in state)

Region 15 Josh Smith: $235,487 (No. 27 in state)

Bethel Christine Carver: $232,492 (No. 29 in state)

New Fairfield Pat Cosentino: $230,125 (No. 31 in state)

Easton, Redding, Region 9 Rydell Harrison: $225,000 (No. 34 in state)

Sherman Jeffrey Melendez: $223,631 (No. 35 in state)

Newtown Lorrie Rodrigue: $220,692 (No. 39 in state)

Region 12 Megan Bennett: $205,428 (No. 55 in the state)

New Milford Alisha DiCorpo: $194,400* (No. 85 in the state)

Per a Hearst Connecticut Media analysis of 153 superintendent contracts in the state

*This figure reflects the superintendent’s salary when she was the interim leader

The salary for Danbury’s superintendent appears “quite low given the number of students that there are and the number of challenges,” Rabinowitz said.

Superintendents still have many of the same responsibilities, regardless of district size, Rabinowitz said. Most superintendents work at least 60 hours a week, she said.

“The work is the work,” said Christine Carver, superintendent in Bethel who makes about $232,000 and runs a district of around 3,000 students. “It doesn’t matter if you have 18,000 students or 3,100 students.”

But she noted urban districts have a “tremendous amount of increased needs.”

Dunn said he was initially surprised superintendents in bigger districts like Bridgeport or Hartford didn’t earn two to three times Brookfield’s superintendent. John Barile earns about $240,000, which is almost $94 per student.

But Dunn said he realized smaller towns “have the capability to attract really qualified people.”

“To do that, you’ve got to pay more money,” he said.

He said Barile’s salary is fair.

“I don’t think we should be paying ours less,” Dunn said. “I think Hartford should be paying more.”

Barile has done a “superb” job in Brookfield and recently signed another three-year contract, Dunn said.

“I don’t see these as out of place,” Dunn said. “These salaries are what they should be.”

Superintendent Pat Cosentino earns about $230,000 to run the about 2,000-student New Fairfield school system, while Rydell Harrison gets $225,000 from the 2,500-student district of Easton, Redding and Region 9.

Newtown’s Lorrie Rodrigue makes less than $221,000 in the around 4,000-student district.

Megan Bennett earns about $205,000 running the 688-student Region 12, which serves Bridgewater, Roxbury and Washington. She said she has a smaller office staff than larger districts.

“You’re doing more roles in a smaller district,” she said.

Alisha DiCorpo, who became New Milford’s superintendent in February, earned about $194,000 running the about 3,700-student district when she was interim superintendent. A contract signed in March put her salary at $202,000, with an additional $2,000 annuity.

“You really cant compare one superintendency to another,” said Greg Cava, chair of the Region 12 school board. “No. 1, they are different levels of experience. No 2, they are different levels of taxation expectations. No. 3, they have different jobs. Superintendents in Connecticut do different things from town to town.”

School budgets in Region 12 have stayed fairly consistent over the years, Cava said.

“I don’t think anyone is saying we can’t pay the superintendent X dollars because the taxpayers won’t stand for it,” he said.

Factors in pay

New Fairfield looks at the superintendent’s ability to lead and engage with the community, as well as how she has met her goals and how students rank academically against other schools in the state, among other factors in setting the salary, Katkocin said.

“Unfortunately, I think sometime people think you should only evaluate superintendents on whether they make everyone happy,” she said. “That’s impossible for any leader anywhere.”

In Newtown, the board considers the superintendent’s performance and local and general economic factors, said Michelle Ku, school board chair.

“It’s also what the community supported in terms of a budget increase when they came out and voted,” she said.

Typically, the Newtown school board does not have information about what other districts pay, she said.

When Region 12 hires a new superintendent, the school board examines the candidate’s experience, market factors and what the board is trying to accomplish, Cava said. Raises for existing superintendents are based on how he or she fulfilled previously set goals.

“This is not something where you sit down and check off a box and do an evaluation,” he said. “It’s a little bit more subjective than that.”

Student achievement may be one of those goals in districts, but it doesn’t play a large role in the superintendent’s compensation, he said.

“I don’t think people pay a superintendent because they achieve a certain level of testing, unless there were some huge deficiency you were trying to correct,” Cava said. “That’s not a factor here.”

District size and the superintendent’s background is considered in New Fairfield, too, Katkocin said.

“You certainly wouldn’t pay a brand new superintendent what you would with a superintendent with more experience,” she said.

The way superintendents managed the coronavirus pandemic is likely to be another factor, Katkocin said.

“I’m sure every Board of Education is looking at how their superintendents functioned in this very difficult year,” she said.

Attracting strong candidates to tough job

The average tenure of a superintendent in Connecticut is four years, Rabinowitz has said.

That’s not good because the “quality of education suffers” when there is superintendent turnover, said First Selectwoman Julia Pemberton, a former member of the Region 9 school board.

“I’m not concerned about super salaries per se,” she said. “What I am concerned about is that our superintendents are being put in positions that lead to them leaving their jobs and going elsewhere. I think we see that around Fairfield County, it is like musical chairs.”

Social media has made superintendents’ jobs harder, and parents expect to have constant access to the superintendent, Pemberton said.

“You’re doing the job of public relations and you’re also the educator in chief of the community,” she said. “Those barriers have fallen. That’s a good thing, but I think our superintendents in many districts become overworked.”

Superintendents are responsible for everything in their district and are always on call, officials said.

“Any time there is an incident in their school, any time a fire alarm goes off, everything falls on the superintendent’s desk,” Katkocin said. “They need to answer to everything.”

Superintendents have advanced degrees, are experts in their fields and manage a “complex system,” Carver said.

“There are some people who still think I don’t work during the summer,” she said. “When I tell you it’s 24-hour, seven-day-a-week job, you can just talk to my husband. I rarely take a vacation where I don’t have to be constantly responding to things.”

Julia Perkins has been a reporter with The News-Times since June 2016 and covers the towns of Bethel and Brookfield. She also has covered breaking news for Hearst Connecticut on weekend mornings. Graduating from Quinnipiac University in 2016, she served as the editor-in-chief of The Quinnipiac Chronicle, the weekly, student-run newspaper. She is a huge “Harry Potter” fan.

Sherman Democratic Town Committee Newsletter 07/23/2019

July 23, 2019Hot Topics, Newsletter

Welcome to the newsletter of the Sherman Democratic Town Committee, particularly to our new subscribers. Our goal is to share with local Democrats news and resources to help us stay involved for positive change on a state and local level. We are committed to working for and with the citizens of Sherman to promote issues, initiatives, and candidates that will make Sherman a better place to live and work.

Upcoming Event:
2019 Sherman House and Garden Tour

URGENT: Need for tour destinations.

Please send any ideas and suggestions for homes or gardens that might be added to our tour, to shermandems@gmail.com

Saturday September 21, 10 am – 1 pm

This self-guided tour affords one-day-only access to several of the region’s most magnificent private residences and their gardens. Ticket holders will receive a program that describes what to expect at each home, along with addresses. In past years, the Sherman House & Garden Tour has featured lakeside estates, historically significant homes, working farms and horse properties, and Sherman’s most architecturally stunning abodes.

A party with refreshments will take place after the tour.

The Sherman House & Garden Tour is sponsored by the Sherman Democratic Town Committee. A portion of the proceeds are donated to the Guido Tino Scholarship Fund.

Tickets will be available at local retailers later this summer.

From Our First Selectman to our Readers

Whew….where has the time gone! These first 18 months blew by and it will already be election time in 4 months. I will be running again and there’s a lot of good stuff to run on. This second year of being First Selectman has been particularly busy and a lot has been accomplished.

I promised all through my campaign to lead a fiscally responsible effort and that’s been accomplished. This year we actually lowered taxes by 2.5% without cutting services and still added extra dollars to our capital fund. (The previous year we kept the budget flat.)

In response to the high salts and chlorides that’s been in the town’s well water, we continue to make progress on putting potable water from Town wells into Town buildings. Through research and action we are going to achieve it this year.

Just this last week we installed an air monitor to measure baseline air quality in preparation of the Cricket Valley Power Plant starting up. After the plant opens for business, we will continue measuring and make a comparison to see if our Sherman air quality is adversely affected.

Throughout my term I have tried as hard as I possibly can to be responsive to the day-to-day needs of our citizens. Along the way, I have directed traffic, weed whacked grass for better sight-lines, hauled dead animals out of yards and driveways, and even chased cows a couple of times. Our Town entities are better coordinated now, our Town employees are working well together, and it all makes for more efficient and effective services for our citizens. In addition, many people have remarked to me that they appreciate the town having a less “political” feel to it. If I helped in any of that good vibe, then I am pleased. Through NIXLE and social media I have done my best to communicate emergencies and other sudden public announcements concerning the health and well-being of Sherman residents. Not only has our Housing Commission been reinvigorated, but other boards and commissions are robust with wonderful volunteers who donate their valuable time to make Sherman the wonderful place it is to live.

I have continued to try and find ways to better serve the Sherman Senior citizens by increasing the budget for them and also by trying to find a new space for the Senior Center. But this remains a challenge. Another challenge will be to re-imagine Happy Acres Farm. I have already put the wheels into action on that and by the fall there should be a tangible plan on how to go forward. In the meantime, we are painting both the house and barn, and making essential repairs on the barn.

All of the accomplishments that I have listed are the result of teamwork with Sherman citizens of all parties, ages, and social structures involved. If there’s one thing that I can truly lay claim to is that I am pretty good at getting folks to work together for the good of the Town. This job has been the honor of my life!

The Newsletter Interviews State Senator Kushner

Just one year ago, the Newsletter pointed out the significance of the November 2018 election. The deadlock in the State Senate had blocked significant action on many important issues and our then-State Senator, Michael McLaughlin, had voted against such initiatives as the Family Leave Bill and an increase in the State minimum wage.

How times have changed!

Just after the close of the 2020 legislative session, the Newsletter interviewed our new State Senator, Democrat Julie Kushner. Kushner told us of her experiences in the new Democratic-majority State Senate.

Much was Accomplished.

“We got so much done,” Julie exulted. For starters, the Legislature passed and the Governor signed her signature issue, the nation’s most generous family leave policy. As Chair of the Senate’s Labor & Public Employees Committee, Julie took the lead in shepherding the bill through the legislature and getting the Governor’s approval. The act gives workers twelve weeks of paid leave (at 95 percent of their pay, up to $900 a week) to care for a newborn or a newly adopted baby or to deal with an illness in a loved one.

Julie also played a central role in passing an increase in the Minimum Wage. The new law increases the minimum wage in Connecticut from its current $10.10 per hour to $15.00 per hour. This fall the rate will go to $11.00 per hour. Then, in a series of steps, it will rise to $15.00 in June 2023. Thereafter, the state minimum wage will be pegged to the U.S. Department of Labor’s employment cost index to take future inflation into account. The Connecticut Department of Labor estimates that these increases will raise wages for approximately 130,000 Connecticut workers this year and more than half a million by 2024.

Julie also expressed pride in two other sets of laws. The “Trust Act” prohibits Connecticut law enforcement from turning over undocumented immigrants to federal immigration officials unless Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has obtained a warrant signed by a judge, the person is guilty of a serious felony, or the person is on a terrorist watch list. And the legislature passed three new gun laws: “Ethan’s Law” requires both loaded and unloaded firearms to be safely stored in homes where there are minors under age 18. Another law prohibits storing a pistol in an unattended vehicle unless it is in a locked glove box, or a locked safe. A third prohibits the manufacture of “ghost guns,” guns created (sometimes using 3-D printers) without a serial number and plastic guns that can pass through security measures.

But…

Despite the legislative session being remarkably successful, Julie lamented the failure to act on health care issues. The “Connecticut Option” would have created a public health insurance option for small businesses and non-profits, provided for additional subsidies for low- and middle-income residents, beyond those authorized by the Affordable Care Act. It collapsed in the face of heavy opposition from the private health insurance companies, including CIGNA, who reportedly threatened to leave the state if the bill was passed, costing thousands of jobs. This, despite the fact that CIGNA has received millions of dollars in State of Connecticut grants and state and local tax credits for creating jobs, while continuing to shrink the size of its Connecticut workforce, and despite the fact that CIGNA has stopped selling coverage directly to individuals and families in the state, while earning $21.5 billion in profits over the last ten years. “We shouldn’t have to choose between helping hundreds of thousands of Connecticut citizens and protecting jobs,” said Julie.

Julie was also disappointed by the lack of progress on moving towards a more progressive tax structure. “There is not enough revenue to address the big issues Connecticut faces,” said Julie. “We need a focus on shifting taxes to the super wealthy, going forward.”

Many Constituencies Shape a Bill.

At a more personal level, Julie told us that she hadn’t anticipated how complicated it is to pass legislation. Her familiarity with contracts and negotiations and with labor conditions, gained through long years as a UAW official, helped her see her way through the complex process. But in labor negotiations, she noted, there are just two parties – the workers and the management. In passing a bill, there are many. A bill has to be formulated; details must be worked out with many individual members and caucuses in the legislature. The support of advocates has to be ensured; push-back from Republicans and hesitancy on the part of the Governor has to be resisted. Finally, the bill must be brought to the Senate. But “I like puzzles and challenges,” said Julie. “It’s exciting to be able to keep the pieces in place until it becomes a law.”

Her experience confirmed “what I have said for years,” Julie told us. “It’s not drafting the legislation that’s the big challenge, but having people advocating and building movements over many years. Large coalitions worked for years on family leave and on increasing the minimum wage. The passage of the bills would not have been possible without that.”

Looking towards 2021

Julie is already thinking about the next session of the legislature, which convenes in February 2020. The even-year sessions of the legislature can only consider non-budget items, but she is already thinking about how to work on health care and taxation. For instance, she hopes that a commission on progressive taxation can be formed, so as to lay the groundwork for action in 2021. Identifying coalitions to support action and finding potential allies are key.

Meanwhile, her schedule of events were filled through June. And then a long-awaited vacation!

To contact Julie,visit her site by clicking here. Or call her legislative assistant, Javier Smith, at 860-240-0509, or 1-800-842-1420. To sign up for Julie’s e-newsletter, click here.

Days above 90 degrees: from 10 to 40?

Heat Buckled Highway

Increases in potentially lethal heat driven by climate change will affect every state, including Connecticut, in the decades ahead, according to a July 16, 2019 report by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

The report found that historically, Connecticut has averaged about 10 days per year with a heat index above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. That would increase to 40 days per year on average by 2050 if no action is taken to reduce heat-trapping emissions. The days with a heat index above 100 degrees Fahrenheit would increase to 13 per year on average and CT’s larger cities would experience the highest frequency of these days.The heat index is what we feel the temperature to be when we factor in relative humidity.

Heat cramps, caused by the loss of body salts and fluids during sweating, can be painful. Heat exhaustion is how the body responds to loss of water and fluids from heavy sweating. Symptoms include headaches, nausea, dizziness, weakness, thirst, and heavy sweating. The most serious is heat stroke, which happens when the body gets so hot it cannot regulate its core temperature. People going into a heat stroke stop sweating, so their bodies cannot get rid of the excess heat, Chart below is from *1 and indicates four heat index ranges with their corresponding physiological problems.

On Saturday, July 20th, Danbury reported a record high heat index of 105 degrees.

Tracy Babbidge, who works in the air control division of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), said the study serves as a “good reminder for us to review that we are doing everything we can and should be doing to deal with the issues of climate change and reducing emissions.” Current climate change is mostly caused by the fossil fuel emissions that increase atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide. Note that “Climate is what you expect. Weather is what you get.”

Babbidge said that Connecticut is enrolled in the Global Warming Solutions Act, which many refer to as Connecticut’s central climate commitment. It requires the state to reduce its total greenhouse gas emissions to at least 10% below 1990 levels by 2020, and to at least 80% below 2001 levels by 2050.

The number of high heat-index days was calculated by averaging projections from 18 high-resolution climate models between April and October. The report looked at these conditions for three possible futures.

The “no action scenario” assumes carbon emissions continue to rise and the global average temperature increases nearly 8 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial levels by century’s end.

The “slow action scenario” assumes carbon emissions start declining at mid century and the global average temperature rises 4.3 degrees Fahrenheit by century’s end. In the “rapid action scenario,” global average warming is limited to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit — in line with the Paris Agreement.

The report states if the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement is met and future global average warming is limited to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, by late century the United States would see half the number of days per year, on average, with a heat index above 105 degrees Fahrenheit, and almost 115 million fewer people would experience the equivalent of a week or more of “off-the-charts” heat days.

Connecticut is a member of the U.S. Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of governors committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.

On June 1, 2017, President Donald Trump declared his intention to pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement. The U.S. can’t exit the agreement until Nov. 2020, the day after the next presidential election.

Editor’s note: Sections of this article were from a scientific blog and an article in the CT News Junkie.
*1 – Click here to see additional weather bio-indices.

Upcoming Sherman Events

Sherman Dems Monthly Meeting
Wednesday, July 24th, 2019, 7:30 pm
Sherman Senior Center
8 CT-37, Sherman

Sherman Board of Selectman Meeting
Thursday, July 25th, 2019, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Mallory Town Hall Meeting Room
9 Rt 39 North, Sherman
To see the town calendar, click here

2019 Sherman House and Garden Tour
Saturday September 21, 2019 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Details forthcoming

Important Links

Donate to the SDTC http://www.shermandems.org/donate/

Sherman Democratic Town Committee Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ShermanDTC/

About Us

We are an organization of inclusion, not exclusion. We have a longstanding history of attracting both Democratic and unaffiliated voters and endorsing both Democratic and unaffiliated candidates. We work to represent the wide variety of Sherman citizens who hold many different viewpoints and opinions.

Paid for by the Sherman Democratic Town Committee, Bob Gamper Treasurer

Sherman Democratic Town Committee Newsletter 03/11/2019

March 11, 2019Hot Topics, Newsletter

Upcoming Event: The Second Community Conversation

Sherman Firehouse’s Charter Hall
Saturday March 16, 1:00 – 3:00 pm

Meet with our newly elected State Senator Julie Kushner to learn about pending State Senate action on paid family leave, raising the minimum wage, tax reform, supporting quality schools, protecting the lake and Sherman’s air quality, and other issues. Continue the discussion began in January at the Senator’s First Sherman Conversation..

Shermanites with all political viewpoints are welcome.

Bring your questions and concerns.

The First Community Conversation with State Senator Kushner—Highlights

On Jan 26th, our new State Senator Julie Kushner held her first “Community Conversation” with Sherman area residents at Charter Hall. Chaired by long-time SDTC member Barbara Ireland, all Shermanites, regardless of their politics, were invited to dialog with Julie.

If you missed the conversation or just want to experience it again, then click here to see the video.

Julie’s Committees

Senator Kushner began by describing her first days in the State Senate. She will Co-Chair the Labor Committee, serve as Vice-Chair of the Committee on the Environment, and will be a member of the Housing, Transportation,Education, Appropriations, and Executive and Legislative NominationsCommittees. . .

Life of a Bill

Julie described how bills are introduced, discussed, and acted upon. After a bill is introduced, committees may hold public hearings during which residents may appear or send in written comments. For more information, click here to find a bill of interest and whom to contact. Or ask Julie..Julie has already co-sponsored about 50 bills!

Bills of Note

Senator Julie talked about bills of special concern to her. First and foremost is her signature issue which she introduced,.the paid family leave bill (SB1), To read the bill, click here. It allocates 12 weeks leave at full pay for a new child and for illness in family members. Funded through a payroll tax, most Connecticut workers (also potentially self-employed workers) are covered. Elections matter! Our Republican State Representative, Richard Smith, voted against the bill.

She also co-sponsored the Minimum Wage Bill (SB2) which would raise the minimum from $10.10/hour to $15 over the next few years. To read the bill, click here. Our neighboring states, New York and Massachusetts, have minimum wages much higher than Connecticut’s. Again, Representative Smith voted against the increase.. An audience member then expressed concern about this legislation on small businesses and, went on to describe other needs of small businesses.

Of special interest to Sherman, Senator Kushner introduced SB585, which requires an air quality study in towns that may be impacted by the nearby, soon-to-open, Cricket Valley gas burning power plant.. To read the bill, click here. An air quality monitoring station is now operating at Kent School,The bill adds state support for using the data for longitudinal studies. An audience member wanted the Connecticut Attorney General, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and the Department of Health to also address this issue.

Julie: More State Revenue, Not Less Spending

Sherman First Selectman Don Lowe raised concerns about proposals to consolidate auto and property tax collections by the state. To read the bill, click here. He felt they would negatively impact small towns such as Sherman.

Julie commented, “We don’t have a spending problem in CT, we have a revenue problem. We have to ask our super-wealthy people to put more in.” We need an equitable way to bring in revenue, she elaborated, balancing the resources and needs of small and big towns, of richer and poorer people. One source of potential revenue is from currently un-taxed property owned by not-for-profit organizations such as hospitals. Reform of tax laws, she added, must be addressed in a holistic way, not piecemeal..

Schools

Several audience members raised concerns about the impact of the proposed regionalization of small school districts. How do we ensure that the needs of students take precedence over cost efficiency, while still making the system more efficient through regionalizing services such as special education, supervision, and high level management? Other speakers voiced support for UConn, asked about the proposed consolidation of community colleges and state university branches, wanted more development of trade schools, apprenticeship programs, and adult programs at schools such as Abbott Tech. Some were concerned with the statewide issue of funding teachers’ retirement plans. “We need to address this issue,” said Julie, “without threatening them.”

The Six Underfunded State Sponsored Post-Employment Benefit Plans

Another discussion focused on the problem of funding these plans. Julie said that Connecticut is in the middle of U.S. states with respect to what it offers new retirees, yet it has the third worst funding ratio for its biggest fund. Because the problem was long in the making (almost 100 years), it will be long in the fixing. State payments into the system will rise until 2023 then drop; by about 2032, the State will be in “a strong position,” and by about 2045 pensions will be fully funded. It’s a balance between becoming solvent without being too hard on state employees, who have already “given up more than $17,000 in wages and benefits”. One audience member observed, “People focus on how much we are spending on ‘state workers,’ forgetting they are really talking about spending on the services that the state delivers.”

Supplementing the above, a fresh approach is being undertaken that has other states interested. In lieu of cash, the state may donate some of its real assets as an in-kind contribution to its pension funds.

Audience Concerns

The “conversation” with the audience continued. While many attendees asked questions or raised concerns to Julie, more often the questions served as a springboard for discussions within the audience. In several instances, audience members made plans for longer term interactions and joint projects among themselves.

Other issues raised by participants included:
•   Invasive species in Candlewood Lake
•   A proposed program for universal testing of children for dyslexia
• The impact of road salting on water quality
•   Investing in infrastructure, and in particular, in developing east-west public transportation in Connecticut
•   The problem of wage theft
•   Addressing the impact of the then-ongoing shutdown of the federal government in Connecticut.

To contact Julie,visit her site by clicking here. Or call her legislative assistant, Javier Smith, at 860-240-0509, or 1-800-842-1420. To sign up for Julie’s e-newsletter, click here.

With these issues warmed-up, the next conversation with Julie, this Saturday, March 16th at 1 pm, should be a lively one!

Time to Make the Sausage & Lots of It!

Since the Connecticut General Assembly convened for its 2019 session on January 9^th, 3,629 bills have been introduced!.It’s the same number as in 2017 of which 265 became law. Brought on by the nation’s “Blue Wave” 2018 election, the new Democrat trifecta—Governor, House and Senate: all Democrat-controlled—has issued a crop of bills that reflect their mandate in content and perhaps will have their likelihood of success.

With the Governor’s budget just released in February, fiscal realities are soon to meet up with social ideals in the ugly grind of lawmaking that is traditionally likened to watching sausage being made. Yet, we can already report real legislative progress. .

Five new Democratic Senators, creating a majority of 23-13 in the Senate, and 12 new Democrat State Representatives, creating a majority of 92-59 in the House,.have brought new enthusiasm and commitment to creating laws favoring social and economic equality and opportunity, For example, Senate Bill 2 would raise the minimum wage to $15. Senate Bill 1 would allow people paid time off and job security in the event of a new child or family illness. Co-sponsored by our Senator Kushner, it is already on the calendar for a vote by the entire Senate. Stymied for years in a Republican-controlled General Assembly, this bill is expected to become law providing a compassionate, practical means towards saving families from spiraling into homelessness and poverty from job loss caused by illness.

Julie Kushner has wasted no time in learning about local issues that affect her constituents and responding to them with proposed bills, all while signing on to dozens of bills that affect the state’s government and it’s citizens. As noted in the previous article, Julie Kushner has sponsored two bills that are very important to Sherman: one addressing Candlewood Lake’s potential infestation of mussels, and another establishing an air quality study in CT towns that may be affected by the Cricket Valley Power Plant.

To follow Julie’s actions as State Senator or to contact her, click here.

Most of the bills facing the General Assembly address the overarching issue of CT’s fiscal deficit. Governor Lamont campaigned on fixing it and his newly released budget addresses it. Highway tolls (see the article below), legalizing marijuana, school regionalization, and expanding gambling are proposals, among others, aiming to save or earn money for the state. Their fates are less certain because some measures are controversial (marijuana and gambling) and others challenge Connecticut residents to weigh the benefit of the whole population against individual disadvantage (school regionalization, tolls, and certain taxation proposals). However, with a newly enlarged and emboldened Democrat majority in power, these bills may succeed, albeit with much grumbling.

These are only a few of the major issues you are likely to hear about over the next year. On just about any subject, “there’s a bill for that”—and often more than one. Bears in your backyard? You can support a bill for hunting them or a bill for researching nonlethal methods of bear control.

To learn more about whatever issues you are passionate about, or maybe if you are just in the mood to see if anything is being done about your pet peeves, check out legiscan.com. It’s a robust resource, easy to navigate, and even kind of funny. The “Legislation 101” piece describes how a bill makes it through the legislature in Connecticut, and to realize that as ugly as it gets here, it’s worse in Tennessee and Nebraska (according to the author). By the way, as measured by public interest and activity over the last 72 hours until now, March 10, the number one trending CT bill requires immunizations against the meningococcal virus and human papillomavirus.(HB07199 ).

Highway Tolls in Connecticut?

On February 27th, the Sherman Board of Selectman approved a resolution to oppose the establishment of tolls in CT. First Selectman Lowe said tolls::

Financially penalize low-income individuals
Are among the least efficient taxation devices
Will increase local traffic as drivers circumvent the toll-roads

Currently, two bills in the House (HB’s) one in the Senate (SB) have been introduced to address highway tolls:

To (1) require the Commissioner of Transportation to submit a tolling proposal to the General Assembly; and (2) create the Connecticut Transportation Finance Authority (HB07280). This bill requires a vote in both houses within 15-days of the Committee hearing, if not, the bill is automatically approved by the General Assembly.
To exempt low-income residents from paying tolls in the event electronic tolling is implemented in the state (HB06968)
To establish electronic tolls on major highways and raise revenue for transportation infrastructure projects.(SB00102)

Also click here to read the 500-page report submitted to the then Governor-Elect Lamont by his transportation advisory panel.

The map below is from that report according to www.notollsct.org which shows 83 possible toll locations in red dots.The report itself does not recommend implementing that many.

Last Wednesday, March 6th, hundreds of proponents and opponents descended on the state Capitol for the hearing on electronic highway tolls.

“We’ve got to bring our infrastructure into the 21st century, and we’ve got to do it now,” said Governor Lamont, who was joined by scores of toll supporters at the Legislative Office Building. “This is about jobs…This is so key to economic growth and opportunity in this state.. ”, as reported in the Hartford Courant. It also said “Lamont’s budget calls for tolling all vehicles on I-95, I-91, I-84 and Route 15….The precise locations of the gantries and the tolling rates have not been determined. State residents with an E-ZPass would receive a discount of at least 30 percent, according to Lamont’s budget.” Lamont ran on a plan for tolls only on tractor-trailer trucks but now says that would not raise enough to fix Connecticut’s roads and bridges.

Almost all Republican legislators are against it and propose an alternative, a 30-year, $65 billion plan that would rely on state bonding to fix CT infrastructure. In his budget proposal, Some legislators want to wait to see how much funding Connecticut receives from the federal government for infrastructure improvements before making any moves on tolls. The Federal Highway Administration has already said Connecticut is in “new territory,” because no other state has undertaken tolling existing highways – and certainly not all the existing highways.

Clearly, this issue challenges Connecticut residents to weigh the benefit of the whole population against individual disadvantage.

Upcoming Sherman Events

Budget Workshop
Mallory Town Hall
Wednesday, March 13th, 2019 7pm
To see the town calendar, click here

A Community Conversation
with State Senator Kushner
Emergency Services Facility – Firehouse- Upper Level
1 Rte. 39
Sherman, CT 06784
Saturday, March 16, 2019 1 -3 pm

Important Links

Donate to the SDTC http://www.shermandems.org/donate/

Sherman Democratic Town Committee Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ShermanDTC/

About Us

Paid for by the Sherman Democratic Town Committee, Bob Gamper Treasurer

Sherman Democratic Town Committee Newsletter 01/17/2019

January 17, 2019Hot Topics, Newsletter

Upcoming Event: A Community Conversation

Sherman Firehouse’s Charter Hall
Saturday January 26, 1:00 – 3:00 pm

Bring your questions and concerns.

Interview with State Senator Kushner

Connecticut Democrats won big in November, reelecting Chris Murphy to the U.S. Senate, Jahana Hayes to the U.S. House of Representatives, Ned Lamont to the Governorship and Julie Kushner to the State Senate.

The State Senate, which had been split 19-19 in the last session, now has 23 Democrats to 13 Republicans. The new Senate has a record 13 women, all but one of them Democrats.

On January 9th, Julie took the Senate seat held by Republicans since 1992 and on which Mike McLachlan sat for the past decade. Julie’s large victory over her fellow Danbarian is due to a big Danbury margin. In Sherman, she fell 26 votes (49.3%) short of winning, a better result than the same Democratic effort two years ago. Kushner’s campaign focused on expanding health care access, pay equity and paid family leave to attract and retain more people in the state and to stabilize Connecticut’s financial future. Whereas McLachlan, one of the Legislature’s most conservative members, campaigned on sharp cuts to the state budget and more limited government.

Now Julie faces the real work of turning election hopes into ongoing policy. Early in January, just before the legislative session began, the SDTC Newsletter talked with our new State Senator (and her knowledgeable husband, Larry) about her early impressions and intentions for the job.
Julie Kushner (right) is sharing her experiences and plans with SDTC Newsletter staff (counterclockwise) Alexis Mace, John Ehrenreich and Jeff Ginsburg

Julie is appointed Chair of the Labor and Public Employees Committee(leveraging her long labor union career) and Vice Chair of the Committee on the Environment whose.chair is another newly-elected Senator, Christine Cohen, from CT’s eastern coast. Although the General Assembly is supposedly a part-time job and the full Senate meets only once a week during the early months of the five-month session, committee meetings are scheduled for up to five days per week, so Julie plans to commute daily between Hartford and her Danbury home.

Julie’s new legislative aide, Javier Smith,.is bilingual and will manage her office, constituent services, the flow of communications, and assist with legislative matters. Several bipartisan State Senate offices and the Democratic caucus provide help with legal research, policy analysis, and communications.

Julie’s intention is “to be bold and make noticeable changes for Connecticut.” In a short period of time, she intends to enact a “not watered down” paid family leave program and to increase the minimum wage .

All of Connecticut’s neighboring states (see chart below) have enacted paidfamily leave laws; only CT does not pay for a leave to care for a loved one at home, even for a new or sick child.. Last year, the Connecticut State Senate turned down a paid leave proposal, with our own former Senator McLachlan voting “no”.

The most generous in the nation, Massachusetts, will provide up to 80% of pay for 12 weeks to care for a family member, Rhode Island’s “Temporary Caregiver Insurance” program is limited but provides up to 4 weeks partial wage replacement.

Also shown above, Connecticut’s minimum wage, at $10.10 per hour, lags behind all its neighbors. Then-Senator McLachlan voted against last year’s bill to increase it to $15 per hour. Rhode Island Democratic Governor Gina Raimondo has said she’d like to see the minimum wage increase from $10.50 to $15 per hour.

Julie also wants to work to create a fair taxation system for Connecticut. “Paying taxes is difficult for people and they need to feel confident that taxes are fair.” She notes that proposals have been floated to end the estate and gift taxes in the state, which would only benefit wealthier citizens. She is not necessarily opposed to these proposals, but they should also reform other taxes on income, property, sales, gasoline, and others.

Julie worries that throughout the state “we are falling behind” in creating a more equitable system of educational opportunities at all levels: from universal pre-K, post-secondary vocational training programs and on through college.

As Vice Chair of the Committee on the Environment, she plans to address environmental issues such as the DEEP’s refusal to monitor the air qualityimpact of the Cricket Valley electric plant currently under construction in nearby Dover, NY. She will also work to protect Candlewood Lake in a way that meets the needs of diverse interest groups, including the power company, lakefront homeowners, and recreational users. She wants wants Connecticut to become a greener state.

Julie stresses her desire to remain close to the needs of her constituents and her district. She will meet in a variety of venues with constituents. Her websiteand Facebook pages are being reformulated to provide easy ways for communicating with her, and she can be reached by email at Julie.kushner@cga.ct.gov.

Meet her at Sherman Firehouse’s Charter Hall, Saturday January 26, 1:00 – 3:00 pm

Message from First Selectman Don Lowe

The SDTC Newsletter invited our First Selectman to review his first year’s achievements and to provide a glimpse of what’s in his sights for 2019.

This first year of my being First Selectman certainly whizzed by! Among last year’s highlights for me was the budget, which came in at a 0% increase. Tight budgeting was a campaign promise and with the help of my fellow selectmen and others, we did just that. And we’ll do it again this year!

Another campaign promise I was proud to make good on was the bathrooms at Veterans Field. My goal was to have them fixed, functional, and clean by Memorial Day weekend. We accomplished that with about 12 hours to spare! They had been left unusable for the last six years, replaced by unsightly port-a-potties that are now history.

I was also happy to get T-Mobile’s transmitting equipment up at Happy Acres Farm. This arrangement, which took a great deal of negotiating, brings $26,000 of yearly revenue into the Town general fund.

We have also made significant progress on the high level of chlorides found in our Town wells. Soon, we embark on the next phase: remediation.

In response to the Cricket Valley Power plant installation, Sherman will be monitoring its air – both as a baseline measurement now before the plant opens and after it opens. I was the first area CEO to support this endeavor by sending a letter to all surrounding town/city CEO’s and asking for regional air monitoring. I am pleased that the Kent Conservation Commission responded by acquiring, installing, and monitoring our town’s air and that of several others.

Along the way, I bolstered many of our boards and commissions with smart people who have infused new energy into many of our efforts. One of those is Senior Housing and another is an effort to create a new Senior Center.

I have also focused on our emergency management team. Now all aspects from response to communication have been improved. To achieve that, one of my earliest actions was to form an emergency response committee comprising stakeholders throughout town and have them meet regularly.

One immediate change I made in our Town government is a more inclusive Board of Selectman meeting wherein the public has greater opportunity for questions and comments. For the most part, this approach has worked to the Town’s advantage and I will persist with this style of meeting.

One other improvement, although it is somewhat intangible, is stronger communication among Town entities and smoother relationships among groups that need to work together to accomplish their goals.

As we go into my second year, aside from the budget which is always first, there will be extra attention paid to finding a new Sherman Senior Center, finding more efficient and effective ways to handle general Town maintenance, and continued attention to the air that we breathe and the precious water that we drink.

–First Selectman Don Lowe

Notice of Democratic Caucus

To the enrolled members of the Democratic Party of the Town of Sherman

Pursuant to the Rules of the Democratic Party and the State election laws, you are hereby notified that a caucus will be held on Monday, January 21^st, 2019 at 7:30 pm, at the Sherman Old Town Hall, located at 8 Route 37 Center in Sherman, to endorse candidates for the Democratic Town Committee and to transact other business as may be proper to come before said caucus.

Dated at Sherman, Connecticut, on the 7^th day of January, 2019.

Democratic Town Committee of Sherman

Joel Bruzinski
Chairman

Upcoming Sherman Events

Democratic Caucus
Sherman Old Town Hall,
8 Route 37 Center
Sherman, CT 06784
Monday, January 21^st, 2019 at 7:30 pm, at the

A Community Conversation
with State Senator Kushner
Emergency Services Facility – Firehouse- Upper Level
1 Rte. 39
Sherman, CT 06784
Saturday, January 26, 2019 1 -3 pm

Important Links

Donate to the SDTC http://www.shermandems.org/donate/

Sherman Democratic Town Committee Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ShermanDTC/

About Us

Paid for by the Sherman Democratic Town Committee, Thomas Conley Treasurers

Sherman Democratic Town Committee Newsletter 11/5/2018

November 5, 2018Hot Topics, Newsletter

A Vibrant Event for Jahana and Julie

Did you miss it? Well over one hundred people – mainly from Sherman but with a sprinkling from neighboring towns – assembled at the Jewish Community Center in Sherman on Sunday night, October 28th, to meet our candidate for U.S. Congress, Jahana Hayes, and our candidate for State Senate, Julie Kushner.

Each of the candidates spoke, answered questions, and then mingled with the crowd. Lots of good food and drinks were consumed. The event was sponsored by the Sherman Democratic Town Committee.
If you missed it, or just want to hear the candidates again, click here and you’ll see the formal presentations and Q&A. (Sorry! We can’t provide you with a rerun of the food, congenial company, and chance to talk directly with the candidates!)

Don’t Blow off the Mid-terms!

This election will determine the next:

Governor, considered a toss-up and could shift the Governors’ balance country-wide
Lieutenant Governor,
Treasurer,
Attorney General,
U.S. Senator
U.S. Representative.
Senator to Hartford
Representative to Hartford

Also, it will determine two measures affecting our roads and public lands..

Sherman’s Registered Democrats on the Rise

Our traditionally solid red town seems to be reflecting a dwindling Republican makeup and an increased Democrat presence. The number of registered Sherman Democrats over the years was about 610 to 625 and went up by 10-15%.during the last twelve months. During this time period, the Republicans are down from their usual by about 10%. The Independent’s are also down by about 46 to 1074, but remain the largest group

To keep the momentum going on this trend right up to election day, DO reach out to those who may be apolitical or turned off to politics in general with a positive, future-oriented message. DON’T waste time arguing with those in the opposite camp—your opposition to their viewpoint may actually fire them up, and you want them to stay home. Finally, let those persuadables know that they can register on November 6^th, no problem. Just go to town hall and register and then walk over to vote.

It’s Not Just Who We Vote For, It’s What …

Amidst all the personalities vying for your vote, two measures on this midterm Connecticut ballot also deserve your informed attention. The are presented on the right side of the ballot.

The Connecticut Chapter of the Sierra Club recommends voting “Yes” on both proposed amendments. Here’s why…

The first is called the Connecticut Transportation Revenue Lockbox Amendment, which would prohibit lawmakers from using the state transportation fund for anything other than transportation purposes.

This guarantees funding for improvements to CT’s transportation infrastructure and transition to “green” transportation while preventing misuse and raiding of this designated money. We have already seen the General Assembly take $155 million from the Clean Energy fund and put it into the General Fund.

The second is the Connecticut Legislative Requirements to Transfer State Properties Amendment which would require a public hearing and a two-thirds majority vote of the Connecticut General Assembly to authorize the transfer, sale, or disposal of state-owned properties (state parks, forests, and conserved lands) to non-state entities.

Currently, no such requirements exist and our public land is often swapped for political favors with no oversight, any advance notice or public comment. Unlike public laws, which can quietly be reversed later, this change in our Constitution could not be easily undone. It will also finally allow Connecticut to catch up with our neighbors in New York and Massachusetts, and in Maine, who already have similar Constitutional requirements for transparency. For additional reasons, click here.

Feel like being inspired?

Well, read on…There are many hours between now and November 6^th for all of us receiving this email to help turn out voters.During this last push, our focus needs to be on finding every last likely Democrat voter and energizing them to get to the polls.Here are a few ways to do this:
- Rack your brain to think of anyone who might be Democrat-leaning, but you are not sure of their interest in this (or any) election. Ask them if they plan to vote, and remind them about the historic importance of this midterm election…and that voting is the exercise of their personal power.
- Convey the positive vision that Jahana Hayes and Julie Kushner offer… that it IS possible to create a safe, healthy, sane, free, just and equal world for CT residents and for all Americans. Help is on the way. Good people with good ideas are here. We just need to vote for them.
- Come from a place of feeling good about what you believe. Having “the courage of your convictions” anchored in a positive, forward-looking outlook will give you the power of influence that may surprise you.
- Contact/connect to people in any way you can. Please forward this email to friends and family so they may get a chance to participate as well.
- There are postcards to fill out, lawn signs to put up, doors to knock on and phone calls you can make.
Contact Julie’s campaign by clicking here

Nuts and Bolts on Registering to Vote

The time frame to register to vote online for the November 06, 2018 election has expired.

You have the remaining options left to register to vote:

For those applicants who become 18 years old, a US Citizen, or have moved into town between October 31, 2018 and November 5, 2018, you can obtain, complete and submit an application for voter registration at Sherman Town Hall no later 5 p.m. on Monday, November 05, 2018. You’d then vote on Tuesday at Charter Hall (in the EMS building) or
On Election Day, you can appear at Sherman Town Hall where you can register and vote .

Forms of Identification Accepted:

A birth certificate, driver’s license, or social security card
Current and valid photo identification, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, pay check, or government document showing the name and address of the voter, confirming your address in the town in which you are registering to vote.

Sherman Registrars Office

Sherman Town Hall, 9 Rt 39 North, Sherman, Connecticut 06784

Website: Sherman Registrars Office Phone: (860) 350-4694

Sample Ballots

To view the Sherman Sample ballot, click here

To view the New Milford Sample ballot, click here

To view the New Fairfield Sample ballot, click here

What to Bring When You Vote

At the polling place, you’ll be asked for an ID. If you do not have any, then in most cases, you may sign an affidavit in lieu of one.

There are several options for identification and a driver’s license or have a photo are not needed..
Specifically,

Social Security card; or any other pre-printed form of ID that shows your name and address, signature, or photograph.
If you’re a first-time voter who registered by mail, you will need to show a proof of residence as well. Acceptable forms include: a current and valid photo ID that shows your name and address; or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or government document that shows your name and address.
If you’re a first-time voter without ID, you may vote a provisional ballot.

Needed: Election Volunteers

The Registrar’s office is seeking volunteers to assist at the various elections and referendums held throughout the year. There are a variety of positions, some for the entire day and some for a half day.

Any registered Democrat interested in volunteering or seeking more information should contact either Bill Perkanis, Registrar, wmpetkanis@gmail.com, or Carol Muska, Assistant Registrar, auli7@sbcglobal.net.

If you know someone who might need a ride to the polls, or if you are willing to volunteer to drive people to the polls on Election Day, go to https://www.jahanahayes.com/polls

Any lawyers amongst you? A lot of people were turned away from the Primary Election polls on August 14th for not having ID and other illegal reasons. To prevent this on November 6th, the campaign is trying to organize attorneys to poll stand in Waterbury on Election night. If you are able to do this or know of other lawyers who might be interested, contact Kayla Briere, the campaign’s Field Director, at kayla@jahanahayes.com.

Some political rhymes

THE SIXTH OF NOVEMBER
by Larry Beinhart
Excerpts referring to the Republicans from his column in CHRONOGRAM

There are many things we need to fix,

so please don’t forget, November Six.

Don’t fear the Russians or dirty tricks

or that someone’s turning it, into a fix.

Their promises are just bait’n’switch,

they’re only cutting taxes for the rich.

They say they love us and they care,

but they’re against clean water and clean air.

Praising democracy with every expression

while they’re working at voter suppression,

it is neither libel nor slander

to say they are doing the gerrymander.

It’s in our hands, it’s not about fate. Even call people who are out of state.

Make your votes count, make them shout,

remind the world what democracy’s about.

Move away from exclusion, racism, and hate…

that’s what makes America great.

Don’t say it doesn’t matter or you don’t care.

Do what you must, you must be there.

Upcoming Sherman Events

Election Day Voting
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Emergency Services Facility – Firehouse- Upper Level
1 Rte. 39
Sherman, CT 06784
6 am – 8 pm

Important Links

http://www.shermandems.org/
Donate to the SDTC
http://www.shermandems.org/donate/
Register to Vote
http://www.shermandems.org/how-to-register-to-vote-2/
Vote with an Absentee Ballot
http://www.shermandems.org/how-to-register-to-vote-and-get-an-absentee-ballot/

About Us

Paid for by the Sherman Democratic Town Committee, Thomas Conley Treasurers

Sherman Democratic Town Committee Newsletter 10/23/2018

October 23, 2018Hot Topics, Newsletter

Welcome to the newsletter of the Sherman Democratic Town Committee. Our goal is to share with local Democrats news and resources to help us stay involved for positive change on a state and local level. We are committed to working for and with the citizens of Sherman to promote issues, initiatives, and candidates that will make Sherman a better place to live and work.

These Mid-Terms Will Be Impactful

This newsletter will focus on the races that will be on the ballot in Sherman on Tuesday, November 6th.

Don’t Blow Off The Mid-Terms!

This election will determine the next Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Treasurer, Attorney General and Representative in the U.S. Congress. You will also be voting for our next Senator and Representative in Hartford.

Remember:

CT’s Governor’s race could shift the Governors’ balance country wide
The CT Governor’s race is close, considered a toss-up by 2 predictors
This election we have an amazing slate combining experience, diversity & talent

What’s the Issue Driving Mid-Terms?

Nationally and even in Connecticut, the underlying issue that is driving the midterm elections is…transmuting!

Broadly speaking, we’ve moved from “It’s the Economy, Pal” to “It’s The Women, Pal” to “It’s The Turnout,Pal” in just a few weeks. So here’s a recap of that transmutation.

In these last weeks and days before the election, making ends meet in Hartford may matter less to many people than the far more emotional issue: the reprise of white male establishment entitlement vs. women’s rights.

“It’s The Women, Pal.”

This issue is looking like a trend that is just going to intensify in CT and across the country. A Vox article posted on October 8^th cites a new poll (conducted by the Washington Post and Schar School of Policy and Government) indicating Democrats have a narrow advantage in 69 competitive House races with seats mostly held by Republicans. And, the article points out, “The new results are being propelled by women voters tending to prefer Democrats, the common theme of 2018. Fifty-four percent of women voters in these districts said they preferred Democratic candidates, and 40 percent preferred Republicans. Men, on the other hand, favored Republicans by 51 percent, compared to 46 percent favoring Democrats.”

The Kavanaugh hearing and appointment threw gasoline on the already burning fires of the #MeToo movement and seemed to give new energy to Democrat candidates here and across the country. However, Republicans were then able to “close the enthusiasm gap” by stoking voters’ rage about how “the Democrats” perpetrated a “hoax” of which, apparently, Dr. Christine Ford was an unwitting pawn. The discussion of white male entitlement vs. women’s rights was quickly absorbed into a partisan political strategy in which Republicans are successfully leveraging rage, first by using it as the energy that will turn out their base, and second by turning it against Democrats, whose anger is now being characterized as turning them into a fearsome “mob.”

These national tides of voter emotion will likely determine the results of the midterm elections, across the country and here in Connecticut as well. Any discussion of real issues has been eclipsed by an all-encompassing focus on voter turnout.

“It’s the Turnout, Pal”

Whatever twists and turns occur between now and November 6^th, “It’s the Turnout, Pal”—getting voters registered and committed to showing up at the polls—is the name of the game

The Governor’s Race: Talking to the Undecided’s and Politically Apathetic

The CT Governor’s race began and continues to be a fairly subdued affair, due to the candidates’ personalities which range from bland to blander. Both Lamont’s and Stefanowski’s inclinations are to stick to issues rather than flame-throwing. Connecticut’s fiscal crisis (“It’s the Economy, Pal”) remains the focus of their debate and the candidates’ solutions continue to embody familiar party lines.

Ned Lamont wants to boost workers, students, and families. He is particularly focusing on those who spend 6.5% beyond 12% of their income on property taxes for home and car. Lamont wants to reduce those taxes in the form of a state credit. He also wants new funding to cover 25,000 senior renters.

To raise the funds for those ambitions, Lamont wants to :

toll CT highways
develop new taxable cannabis market,
reduce costs at the Department of Correction
improve tax collections
audit, enforcement and close the “tax gap”
tax under-the-table sports gambling
hold accountable companies that receive public support
ask municipal and nonprofit leaders to do more with less.

Additional benefits Lamont wants to provide are:

cutting business taxes
pruning regulations
streamlining permitting and job training
cuting capital stock tax
creating a Business Recruitment Board

Bob Stefanowski has offered two Republican bumper stickers—“Let’s Get Rid of Big Government!” and “Honk If You Hate Taxes!” Like the jailed Gov Rowland in 1994, he is promising to eliminate state income taxes. During the latest debate, Stefanowski was unable to provide any details for his plan to close the deficit, which is projected to be $1.9 billion for fiscal year 2020 and rising to $2.5 billion in 2021. Critics of Stefanowski’s economic plan say it will gut municipal aid, education funding and the state’s social safety net and still increase the state debt.

The much-maligned Malloy was actually the first Governor to try to address any of this debt by cutting state jobs, but overall spending was not affected because of those rising pension, health and debt payment bills.

Stefanowski’s big assumption has never been proven. It is the idea that lower taxes will lead to higher revenues. This idea was pushed by Reagon’s economic advisor whom Stefanowski says endorses his plan.

Stefanowski will raise funds by:

contracting out public services to the private sector, starting with the DMV
rewarding and protecting whistle-blowers
reducing SEBAC* by lowering staff via attrition
using zero-based budgeting
lowering taxes for the rich so they’ll stay in the state
tolling out-of-state heavy trucks

*SEBAC is the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition, made up of 15 public sector employee unions representing roughly 46,000 Connecticut state employees. SEBAC was recognized in 1986 under Conn. Acts 86-411 to negotiate with the State on healthcare and pension benefits for its individual unions’ active members, as well as retirees.

Copied from the issues sections of both Lamont’s website and Stefanowski’s websites, the entries below list issues as posted. Those on the same row approximately overlap, though their framing of the problem and their solutions may be dramatically different.

Ned Lamont	Bob Stefanowski
Creating Jobs	Help Small Businesses
Property Tax Relief for the Middle Class
Quality, Affordable Health Care	Health and Human Services
Investing in Education	Education
Women’s Agenda
Building a Fair Economy	Rebuild our Economy, Fiscal Framework
Solving the Housing Crisis	Protecting Municipalities
Fixing the DMV
Addressing Climate Change & Expanding Renewable Energy, Protecting the Environment	Preserving Nature
Fighting for the LGBTQ Community
Investing in Infrastructure	Modernize our Infrastructure, Transportation
Supporting Our Veterans	Veterans
Combating the Opioid Epidemic
Preventing Gun Violence	Public Safety
Investing in Arts and Culture
	Government Accountability, Controlling State Costs
	Keep Our Retirees
	Keep our Graduates

“It’s the Woman, Pal”

Even before the Brett Kavanaugh hearing, the #MeToo Movement had quietly infiltrated Connecticut politics, as shown in a Sacred Heart University/Hearst CT Media Group survey released September 20. Compared to a late August poll, there was an overall uptick for Lamont of a 6.2 lead over Stefanowski (from 36.9 to 43.1). This gain is despite the same poll showing men and Independents leaning toward Stefanowski (43% of men support him; Independents are newly swaying from 26.5 to 29.8 toward him). More than 50% of women are for Lamont, versus 36.5 % for Stefanowski, showing that it is women who are solely responsible for Lamont’s gain in the polls.

“It’s the Economy, Pal ”

As you seek to influence “undecided” friends or acquaintances, especially those with an aversion to politics and drama, “It’s the Economy, Pal ” may be your best bet to get them to the polls.

Candidates for the U.S. House Connecticut District 5

Democrat Jahana Hayes, Republican Manny Santos (R) and “Independent Conservative” “John Pistone are running in the general election for U.S. House Connecticut District 5 on November 6, 2018.

The contrast between Hayes and her two opponents could not be clearer:

Santos, the former Mayor of Meriden, is a strong Trump supporter.

Among other things he advocates:

arming teachers
taking a hard line on immigration (including supporting Trump’s wall and opposing a path to citizenship for Dreamers)
repealing the Affordable Care Act
imposing work requirements on those receiving Food Stamps, and
supporting the Trump tax cuts

Pistone, who describes himself as “too conservative for the Connecticut Republican Party,” believes that “President Trump is the best president we have ever had outside of President Reagan.”

To Santos’ positions, he adds, among other things support for:

a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution
school vouchers
abolition of constitutional protections for people accused, but not convicted of, “terrorism.”

Jahana Hayes, the former National Teacher of the Year, strongly supports public education, of course. She supports:

expanded gun controls including a ban on assault weapons
a path to citizenship for Dreamers
single payer health care, and
combating climate change

Perhaps nowhere is the difference between Hayes and her opponents more clear than in her commitment to social justice:

As your representative, I will be committed to addressing the equity gap that exists in our district. I will work to address any inequities that exist in our communities and ensure that the language of our legislation protects the human and civil rights of all people. All people have value and should be treated with dignity. I will fight against racism, xenophobia, classism, economic discrimination, housing discrimination, sexism, homophobia, religious and political persecution and the abuse of any civil liberties that threaten our democratic society.

Supporting Jahana Hayes…

Canvassing is held regularly from the Litchfield campaign office (7 West Street, 2nd Floor), Saturdays and Sundays, 11-6. Canvasing is also being organized out of the Danbury Office.
Phone banking is held regularly also from the Litchfield office, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.
If you or anyone you know wants to canvass around Sherman or phone bank from home, contact Emily Armstrong, the northwest corner field organizer for the campaign, at Emily@jahanahayes.com.
To help with data entry, go to https://www.jahanahayes.com/dataentry
To request a lawn sign, go to https://www.jahanahayes.com/lawnsigns

Check out her website at https://www.jahanahayes.com/ for other ideas.

Supporting Julie Kushner…

Julie Kushner is the Democratic candidate for our Connecticut State Senator, running against the incumbent, Michael McLachlan. Visit Julie’s website.

To recap the site’s introduction to Julie:

Julie Kushner will bring four decades of experience and passion shaped through activism with her into Connecticut’s state senate. From her first organizing wins among secretaries at Columbia University (where they won a higher minimum wage, pay equity, and protections against sexual harassment) to her recent experiences advocating for UAW members in Puerto Rico after the 2017 hurricanes, Julie’s tenacity and dedication bring people together to achieve real change.

Needed: Election Volunteers

Upcoming Sherman Events

Sherman Democratic Town Committee Regular Monthly Meeting
Wednesday, October 24th, 7:30pm
Old Town Hall (Senior Center)
All registered Democrats from the town of Sherman are welcomed and encouraged to attend our monthly meetings.

Board of Selectmen Monthly Meetiing
Thursday, October 25th, 7 PM
Mallory Town Hall

Meet & Greet with BOTH Jahana Hayes AND Julie Kushner
Sunday, October 28th, 7 PM
Jewish Community Center
9 CT-39, Sherman, CT 06784

Contact Your Representatives

Sherman is lucky to be represented by two Democratic senators and a Democratic representative in Congress–but don’t think that your phone calls in support of their votes and actions do not matter. Senator Chris Murphy, speaking recently at a campaign-training event, made it clear that tallying up those supportive calls from his constituents helps him maintain a strong case for his positions. Sherman’s state-level representatives are both Republicans.

Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (D)
(860) 223-8412 (202) 225-4476

Senator Chris Murphy (D)
(860) 549-8463 (202) 224-4041

Senator Richard Blumenthal (D)
(860) 258-6940 (203) 330-0598 (202) 224-2823

State Senator Michael McLachlan (R) Senate District 24
(860) 240-0068

State Representative Richard Smith (R) House District 108
(860) 240-8700

Join our Mailing List!

Please contact us at:
shermandems@gmail.com to join our mailing list

Important Links

Sherman Democratic Town Committee
http://www.shermandems.org/
Donate to the SDTC
http://www.shermandems.org/donate/
Register to Vote
http://www.shermandems.org/how-to-register-to-vote-2/
Vote with an Absentee Ballot
http://www.shermandems.org/how-to-register-to-vote-and-get-an-absentee-ballot/

About Us

Paid for by the Sherman Democratic Town Committee, Thomas Conley Treasurers

Sherman Democratic Town Committee Newsletter 8/6/2018

August 6, 2018Hot Topics, Newsletter

2018 Election Updates

As the mid-term election season heats up, the newsletter will focus on the races that will be on the ballot in Sherman in November, and on the August 14th Democratic primary races.

Don’t Blow Off the Primary!

This primary will determine the Democratic candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Treasurer, Attorney General and Representative in U.S. Congress. For those of you who normally only vote in general elections, here’s why not to NOT sit out this primary:

CT has one of the Governor’s races that could shift the Governors’ balance country wide
The CT Governor’s race is close, considered a toss-up by 2 predictors
This election we have an amazing overall slate combining experience, diversity & talent

The Endorsed Candidates

On July 23, 2018, the Sherman DTC endorsed the candidates that won at the May 2018 CT Dems convention with two exceptions:

Ned Lamont for Governor
Eva Bermudez Zimmerman for Lieutenant Governor (the CT Dems convention endorsed Susan Bysiewicz)
Jahana Hayes for Representative in Congress 5^thDistrict (the CT Dems convention endorsed Mary Glassman)
Shawn Wooden for Treasurer
William Tong for Attorney General

Here’s why the DTC endorses them enthusiastically:
Ned Lamont (Governor) is a strong progressive Democrat with the skills and drive to continue the hard work of rebuilding Connecticut’s finances, infrastructure and work force. His entrepreneurial experience will bring a fresh perspective to the challenges our state faces. His name is very familiar state-wide and has the experience of running a CT-campaign.

Eva Bermudez Zimmerman (Lt. Governor) will bring a vibrant diversity to the statehouse in Hartford. She has demonstrated a firm commitment to fighting for families, workers and our communities. Her youthful energy is what Hartford and the Democratic Party needs.

Jahana Hayes’ (U.S. Congress) inspiring personal story, working her way up from a Waterbury housing project to being named National Teacher of the Year in 2016, is what caused her to come forward to serve as advocate for children and disenfranchised communities. Besides heart, she’s shown to have the smarts and stomach for politics, joining late in the game, learning quickly on the campaign trail, and gaining a significant following. If she wins, she won’t just survive, but do amazing things in Washington. See below for more details on Ms. Hayes.

Shawn Wooden is an attorney specializing in advising public pension plans. His strong financial background, deep experience in public policy and high ethical standards will make him a very effective Treasurer.

William Tong has been a State Representative for more than a decade and serves as Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. He has a long record of fighting and winning for Connecticut’s citizens. He will be a pillar of strength protecting the hard-won rights of everyone in Connecticut.

U.S. Congress: our Fifth District

Mary Glassman and Jahana Hayes are competing in the primary election to be the Democratic Party nominee for Congress from the Fifth Congressional District (Sherman, its surrounding towns, New Britain, Waterbury and Torrington).

The 5th C.D. is historically Republican, but has been trending Democratic since 2004. It has an unusually high percentage of voters registered as independents. The seat became vacant when Democratic incumbent Elizabeth Esty decided not to seek reelection after being criticized for her handling of sexual harassment allegations against her former chief of staff. Control of the entire House could turn on the outcome of this race.

Glassman very narrowly won the Party’s nomination at a tempestuous convention in May, but Hayes decided to take the decision to the voters. The winner will run in the November general election against a Republican candidate who will also be selected in August.

Mary Glassman
Mary Glassman was born and raised in the 5^thCongressional District. “I am a public servant. I don’t sit behind a desk, I build relationships,” she told a Washington, CT audience. “That is what we do every day. We are the ones that plow the roads, pick up the garbage.”

Glassman is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and UConn School of Law. She was First Selectwoman of Simsbury from 1991-99 and 2007-14, Special Counsel to the Speaker of the CT House, and Counsel to the Senate President. She has twice run for Lieutenant Governor. She currently works for the Capital Region Education Council. She is married, and has three children.

Jahana Hayes
Jahana Hayes grew up in the Berkeley Heights housing project in Waterbury. Her family struggled with addiction and relied on public assistance. Hayes got pregnant as a teenager. Despite no means for any upward mobility, she enrolled at Naugatuck Valley Community College and eventually got her four year degree at Southern Connecticut State University and her masters and advanced degrees at the University of Saint Joseph and University of Bridgeport, all the while working to support her young family.“My experience is boots on the ground,” Hayes told one audience. “No job teaches you that experience. Life teaches you that experience.”

A former high school history teacher, Hayes currently serves as the Talent and Professional Development Supervisor for Waterbury Public Schools. She was the 2016 National Teacher of the Year. She is married and has four children.

The Interviews

The SDTCNewsletter interviewed both candidates, Glassman in person on July 2nd, Hayes by telephone on July18.

The interviews explored three inter-related questions:

Why would you be a strong candidate in the general election?
What are your positions on a variety of issues?
Why and how you would be effective in Congress?

A detailed representation of their responses can be found at
Click here.

Impressions of each candidate’s interviews and publications

Which candidate would be more effective in the fall election? Glassman is an extremely strong candidate–in conventional terms. She brings experience, both in government and in running for office. But these are not conventional times. Many might find Hayes, an outsider to politics as usual, compelling. She could especially appeal to young people and people of color.
If elected to Congress, Glassman’s experience would let her “hit the ground running.” Hayes would have a steeper learning curve.
On most issues, Glassman and Hayes have very similar positions. They differ in their ACA position: In Hayes’ written statements, though not in the interview, she supports preserving and improving the ACA while “moving towards” a single payer system. Glassman is more focused on simply improving and extending the ACA.
The two candidates bring very different experiences to the race. Glassman brings the perspectives and knowledge from her extensive experience as a public official, a former newspaper reporter, lawyer and child advocate. She believes these experiences, along with her government and private sector connections would make her effective.
Hayes brings a very different perspective: rising from poverty, hardship and her direct experiences as a teacher, woman of color and working from within a struggling community. She believes that policy making would benefit from her broader set of perspectives than are conventionally called upon.
The two candidates have very different approaches towards the issues. Glassman focuses less on the “big picture” of each issue and more on their details and on how to bring people together to get things done. Hayes sees issues as interconnected, and focuses on the need for a comprehensive approach, linking, for instance, education to housing and health care, and job opportunities with housing.
To give a somewhat forced metaphor, if there is a grove of trees in a larger forest, Gassman may focus on the trees more than the grove, while Hayes focuses more on the whole eco system than the grove.

Voting in the Primary

With this unprecedented slate, we hope you are inspired to vote in the Primary!

Every state has different rules for primary voting. CT’s rules stipulate that only registered Democrats and Republicans may vote in the Primary. Therefore, no Unaffiliated’s will be able to weigh in. It’s up to registered Dems to pick our November candidates. Those candidates must have appeal to the Unaffiliated’s in the general election.

Or you can help an Unaffiliated make their voice heard and register as a Dem—they can do so up to noon on August 13. A strong August turnout bodes well for a good outcome in November.

Along the same lines of feeling your influence, consider that your vote counts much more in the Primary than it does in the general election because of fewer overall voters. Statewide, CT has 705,403 registered Democrats and 401,374 registered Republicans. It will be interesting to see how many in each party turn out for the primary, indicating their level of engagement.

On a practical note, Primaries are held in the same place as regular elections in Sherman: in the Fire House. (August 14^th, 6 am – 8 pm at Charter Hall in the Firehouse, enter on the side not facing the road).

Once we are past the primaries and charging forward with the amazing slate that the Sherman DTC has endorsed, please stay tuned to what our candidates will face from the Republicans. Note the ridiculous claim from Mark Boughton that he can save CT’s economy by eliminating the income tax and making up the difference by using “nonprofits” and “cutting government.” Stay tuned to future SDTC newsletters as we comb through this kind of detritus.

Please commit to voting on August 14th and forward this newsletter along to anyone who may be interested.

Needed: Election Volunteers

Upcoming Sherman Events

Democrat & Republican Primary
Tuesday, August 14th, 6am-8pm
Firehouse/Charter Hall (enter on either side from Route 39)
1 CT-39, Sherman, CT 06784

Sherman Democratic Town Committee Regular Monthly Meeting
Wednesday, August 22nd, 7:30pm
Old Town Hall (Senior Center)
All registered Democrats from the town of Sherman are welcomed and encouraged to attend our monthly meetings.

Board of Selectmen Monthly Meetiing
Thursday, August 23rd, 7 PM
Mallory Town Hall

Contact Your Representatives

Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (D)
(860) 223-8412 (202) 225-4476

Senator Chris Murphy (D)
(860) 549-8463 (202) 224-4041

Senator Richard Blumenthal (D)
(860) 258-6940 (203) 330-0598 (202) 224-2823

State Senator Michael McLachlan (R) Senate District 24
(860) 240-0068

State Representative Richard Smith (R) House District 108
(860) 240-8700

Join our Mailing List!

Please contact us at:
shermandems@gmail.com to join our mailing list

Important Links

About Us

Paid for by the Sherman Democratic Town Committee, Thomas Conley Treasurer

Sherman Democratic Town Committee Newsletter 5/23/2018

May 23, 2018Hot Topics, Newsletter

2018 Election Updates

As the mid-term election season heats up along with the summer weather, the newsletter will focus on the races that will be on the ballot in Sherman in November, and on the Democratic primary races.

State House District Five: Who wants to take the fifth?

On August 14^th,we will take to a Democratic primary to see who will challenge the Republican candidate for the 5^thDistrict Congressional seat being vacated by Elizabeth Esty. At this point, Mary Glassman has earned the Democratic endorsement, but barely. Jahana Hayes is committed to what is expected to be a competitive primary challenge. About the candidates:

Mary Glassman: On May 14, Mary Glassman narrowly won the Democratic endorsement, barely squeaking by newcomer Jahana Hayes. Glassman announced her candidacy in early April. She has twice served as the First Selectman in Simsbury and unsuccessfully attempted statewide office twice (Lieutenant Governor). She is currently the Director of the Office of Regional Efficiencies at the Capitol Region Education Council. She grew up in New Britain and has been a reporter for the Herald and is a UConn Law graduate.
Jahana Hayes: A newcomer to politics from Waterbury, Hayes is a community activist and National Teacher of the Year for 2016. Her story is classic political gold, from teen single mom in public housing to national notoriety. She is currently the talent and professional development supervisor for Waterbury Public Schools. Her focus in on jobs and the economy.

Who the Democratic candidate will face in November will also run on a primary. Republican Manny Santos received the nomination and may be primaried by Ruby Corby O’Neill, Craig Diangelo, Liz Peterson, or John Pistone.

State Senate: A Tie-Breaking Election

Sherman voters have the chance to play a key role in determining control of the Connecticut State Senate this fall.

Republicans gained three seats in the chamber in 2016, creating an 18-18 tie. Democrats retain control only because Democratic Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman can cast tie-breaking votes.

A gain of one seat by either party would give that party outright control of the chamber. If the chamber remains evenly divided after the election, control of the chamber will depend on the outcome of the 2018 gubernatorial election (since governors and lieutenant governors run on the same ticket). The gubernatorial vote is generally considered to be a tossup.

Both parties have opportunities to pick up seats and gain control of the Senate. One of the swing districts is our own 24^thSenate District, which embraces Sherman, Danbury, New Fairfield, and part of Bethel.

Democratic Party candidate Julie Kushner, a long time United Auto Workers organizer and official, has a long record of fighting for the rights and needs of working people and for extending democracy.

Our incumbent Senator, Michael McLachlan, is very different: So far this year he has voted

Against legislation to increase the Connecticut minimum wage to $15.00/hour over a three-year period
Against legislation to provide for Family and Medical Leave for workers in the State
Against a constitutional amendment to permit early voting (enabling people to vote more easily)
Against a proposed law entering Connecticut into the “Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote”

McLachlan can be defeated. He won the 2016 election by less than five percentage points in a district that Hillary Clinton carried by more than seven percent and Barack Obama carried (in 2012) by almost ten percent.

* * *

In early April, Julie Kushner attended the forum in Sherman regarding the Cricket Valley Power Plant that is already under construction just a few miles across the border in New York. Her reaction:
“The presenters made a very good case that when the power plant opens, it will expose the people of Sherman to a very unhealthy level of pollution. I found it particularly concerning that New York State is suing Pennsylvania over a similar situation impacting New Yorkers. I certainly believe this is an issue that deserves attention and quick action from our elected officials here in CT. I was impressed with the large turnout from Sherman. Breathing clean air isn’t a Democratic or Republican issue, this is clearly a problem that everyone needs to see fixed. I’ve already begun asking questions about this in Hartford. Hopefully, we will get some better answers than in the past. This is exactly why I’ve decided to run for our State Senate.”For more information on Julie’s campaign, including upcoming events and how to campaign for her, go to her Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/JulieKushner2018/.

The Connecticut Governor’s Race

Unfortunately, Democratic Governor Dan Malloy has the lowest governor approval rating in the country and will not be running for re-election.

According to a Jan 26, 2018 Boston Globe staff article, “Connecticut provides the best chance in the country for Republicans to flip a governorship from blue to red. Doing so would bring not just bragging rights, but the ability to influence legislative redistricting…

‘Being governor of Connecticut next year has to be one of the hardest or worst jobs in America,’ said Roy Occhiogrosso, who served as Malloy’s chief strategist during his previous two runs. ‘The first thing all of these candidates have to do is present a major plan as to how they will turn things around. All will find there are no easy answers.”

So who’s running for governor?

Most outside observers regard the 2018 governor’s race a tossup. Fifteen Republicans, ten Democrats and one viable independent originally tossed their hats in the ring.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Susan Bysiewicz dropped out of the race to run for lieutenant governor with leading Democratic candidate Ned Lamont. Both Lamont and Bysiewicz earned the party’s endorsement at the convention, but Eva Berumdez Zimmerman, a candidate for lieutenant governor and a political newcomer from Newtown, stunned the convention by pulling in almost 40 percent of the vote. She is expected to present a significant primary challenge to Bysiewicz.

Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim also remains in the running for the gubernatorial race. Although failed to get the required 15 percent of the votes at the convention to trigger an automatic primary, he is likely to collect the required 15,000 signatures to force one.

On the Republican side, the Connecticut GOP endorsed Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton at the their recent convention. Trumball First Selectman Tim Herbst and Westport executive Steve Obstinik won enough delegate votes to enable a primary election on August 14.

Who is most viable? In the next newsletter, we will develop key questions for these candidates and see how they would respond. Going forward with a strong candidate for the general election and beyond will have important ramifications for our community, state, our party and even our nation.

SHERMAN’S BOARDS & COMMISSIONS:
THE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

This month, the Sherman Democratic Town Committee’s newsletter introduces an exploration of Sherman’s Boards and Commissions—a look into the dozen-or-so volunteer groups that guide practically every aspect of life here in Sherman and help make our town the vibrant, unique community that it is. We will learn about the history, mission and ongoing projects of each group, and meet the volunteers (your friends and neighbors) who serve on them. We hope that you will be inspired to lend your talent, time and energy to a local mission that speaks to you!

This issue features Sherman’s Conservation Commission:

You would never know it, from the genial, easygoing tone of their meetings and their often invisible work to preserve our local ecology, that the Sherman Conservation Commissioners are fierce protectors of our town’s natural beauty, unique character and healthy future. But these residents, of all ages, backgrounds, and years of service on the Commission, may rightfully be considered local superheroes…especially since they are now taking on two monster projects that are vital for Sherman’s wellbeing: First, to expose the threat to our air quality posed by the Cricket Valley Energy plant in Dover, NY; and second, to publish an updated Natural Resource Inventory (NRI) that makes new scientific and environmental information and research available to our town.

Meanwhile, the Commission continues to sponsor popular existing programs such as “Weed Warriors,” and is developing a host of new projects in line with their mission statement to “protect the natural environment of Sherman and all of its resources.” If you are interested in supporting or joining the Conservation Commission, please attend a monthly meeting, held the 2^ndWednesday of each month at Mallory Town Hall, or contact Conservation Commission Chairman Bill McCann at liam57@charter.net.

Upcoming Sherman Events

Day of Activism for Julie Kushner
Saturday, June 2, 10AM-2PM
112 Deer Hill Avenue, Danbury

*Julie needs our help to continue her fight for justice in Connecticut’s state senate! Join a Day of Activism for her campaign to knock on doors and make sure voters know they’ll have a great choice to vote for in November.
*Just a few hours on a Saturday will make a difference for issues we all care about, like paid family and medical leave, a fair economy, raising our wages, healthcare that we can afford, and a safe environment for our children. No experience is necessary – we’ll provide a training session at 10 a.m. and you’ll get to knock doors with an experienced partner if you’re nervous. Everyone is welcome!
*Please RSVP to juliekushner2018@gmail.com and invite a friend.

Sherman Democratic Town Committee Regular Monthly Meeting
Wednesday, June 27, 7:30pm
Old Town Hall (Senior Center)
All registered Democrats from the town of Sherman are welcomed and encouraged to attend our monthly meetings.

Board of Selectmen Monthly Meetiing
Thursday, June 28, 7 PM
Mallory Town Hall.

Contact Your Representatives

Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (D)
(860) 223-8412 (202) 225-4476

Senator Chris Murphy (D)
(860) 549-8463 (202) 224-4041

Senator Richard Blumenthal (D)
(860) 258-6940 (203) 330-0598 (202) 224-2823

State Senator Michael McLachlan (R) Senate District 24
(860) 240-0068

State Representative Richard Smith (R) House District 108
(860) 240-8700

Join our Mailing List!

Please contact us at:
shermandems@gmail.com to join our mailing list

Important Links

Sherman Democratic Town Committee
http://www.shermandems.org

Donate to the SDTC
http://www.shermandems.org/donate/

Register to Vote
http://www.shermandems.org/how-to-register-to-vote-2/

About Us

Paid for by the Sherman Democratic Town Committee, Thomas Conley Treasurer