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.

Upcoming Events!

Sherman Democratic Town Committee Events:
Sherman Democratic Town Committee Regular Monthly Meeting
All registered Democrats from the town of Sherman are invited to attend our monthly meetings.

Sherman Town Government Events:
Democracy depends on citizens getting involved: Please support your community by attending meetings, particularly Town Meetings and Board of Selectmen Meetings, to learn more about the many issues that are important in Sherman:

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
(860) 223-8412  (202) 225-4476

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

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

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

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

Sherman Alerts!

SHERMAN DEMOCRATS WANT YOU!
There is nothing more important to the quality of life in our town than the
participation of its citizens. The Sherman Democratic Town Committee seeks
interested townspeople to serve on our town Boards and Commissions. Looking
forward to this fall’s municipal election, civic-minded residents are
encouraged to consider running for elected positions including Board of
Selectmen, Planning and Zoning Commission, Board of Education, Zoning Board
of Appeals, Board of Assessment Appeals and Constable.

As the party of inclusion we encourage any Sherman Democrat to consider
running for an elected position but we also will support unaffiliated
citizens who might want to serve. We believe that a wide variety of talent
is present in our town and hope to recruit the best folks available.

Your knowledge, drive and skills are needed, and an array of duties and
responsibilities are available to citizens interested in local government.
Any registered Democrat or Unaffiliated voter with a desire to make a
positive difference in Sherman’s town government should contact Joel
Bruzinski at shermandems@gmail.com or 203-313-9056 . For more information, visit other areas of this website or find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Please step up and help get Sherman back on track.

Hartford Alerts!

Two bills affecting families and especially women have been introduced into
the General Assembly. One would protect pregnant women from job
discrimination. The other provides for paid family and medical leave. *We
urge you to call Representative Smith and Senator McLachlan to urge them to
support both bills.*

House Bill 6668 expands the employment protections provided to pregnant
women under the state’s anti-discrimination law. It requires employers to
provide reasonable workplace accommodations for pregnant employee unless
the employer demonstrates that the accommodation would be an undue
hardship. The bill also prohibits employers from actions that would deprive
a pregnant employee of employment opportunities due to her pregnancy or
force a pregnant employee or applicant to accept a reasonable accommodation
if she does not need one.

House Bill 6212/Senate Bill 1 Sets would requires employers to provide up
to 12 weeks leave over a one-year period at full pay (up to $1000/week).
Connecticut was the first state to enact a family and medical leave bill
(nearly 30 years ago), but it does not call for paid leave and leaves many
employees uncovered. By one estimate, without paid leave more than 40% of
new others either quit their job or are let go after having a new child,
and one in seven of these women end up on public assistance. The leave
would be financed by employee payments into a trust fund. (For a similar
bill proposed last year, estimates were than the cost would be 0.54% of
earnings, or about $4/week for someone earning $40,000/year). There is no
cost to employers. The law would cover most full time workers, many part
time workers. Self employed people if they elect to make contributions into
the fund. Leaves to care for siblings, parents and children, grandparents
and grandchildren of the employee are covered.

Washington Alerts!

Like air and water pollution and global warming? The Trump Administration and the Republican-controlled Congress have made clear their determination to weaken environmental protections. The President’s budget calls for dramatic cuts in the Environmental Protection Agency, and proposed or actual executive orders would gut the Clean Power Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Clean Air Act, and would eliminate American efforts to realize international goals with respect to climate change.

The “HONEST ACT” (the Honest and Open New EPA Science Treatment Act of 2017) passed the House in late March and is now before the Senate. *We urge you to call Senators Blumenthal and Murphy and urge them to oppose this bill*.

Superficially, the proposed law demands more transparency, balance, and scientific integrity from the EPA. It would prevent the EPA from developing rules unless all the information it used was “publicly available online in a manner that is sufficient for independent analysis and substantial reproduction of research results.” That means that the agency can only rely on studies whose methods, materials, software code, and data are open and accessible.

Sounds good, but the proposed rules would actually bar the EPA from using many kinds of important scientific evidence. For example, it would stop the EPA from crafting public health protections based on studies that use medical records, which are confidential and cannot be legally released. The law does permit the EPA to edit studies to protect personally identifiable information, trade secrets, and other confidential information, but this would be a huge job. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that a version of the HONEST Act introduced in the past would have cost the EPA $250 million a year to enforce, but the new version only allocates an extra $1 million to pay for this —all while Trump is planning to cut the EPA’s budget  cut the EPA’s budget.
Tasked with doing more with less, the agency would be paralyzed.

Despite its name, the “HONEST ACT” is actually an effort to hamstring the
Environmental Protection Agency and strangle it in costly bureaucracy.

Ways to Take Action!

This is a rotating selection of a handful of the many resources available to Sherman Democrats who wish to work for our shared values to make state and local communities better.

*March For Science*
On Earth Day, April 22, thousands of concerned citizens will march in Washington DC and around the country “to acknowledge and voice the critical role that science plays in each of our lives.” At a time when science, scientists, and evidence-based policy making have come under attack, it is imperative that we take a public stand and be counted. There will be
marches in New Haven and in Hartford. Information at www.MarchForScience.com.

*Peoples Climate March*
The Peoples Climate Movement organizes the Peoples Climate March each year
on April 29 – the 100th day of the new administration. Not be confused with the March for Science, which is focused on the funding accessibility of science, the Peoples Climate March is focused on standing up for social, economic, and climate justice. The Western Connecticut Civic Action group is holding a sister Peoples Climate March on the April 29 on the southern end of the New Milford Green, from noon – 2 PM. More information can be
found at www.peoplesclimate.org.

*GovTrack.US*
An effective advocate is a well-informed advocate: If you haven’t checked out GovTrack, you’re missing out an excellent resource. This website is an easily searchable database of all the legislation being debated in the U.S. Congress, and a deep record of where every federal legislator stands. Concerned about the condition of recreational water bodies in Connecticut, for example? Search by issue “Environmental Policy” and then choose “Water Quality.” There, among other bills, you will find S.675, the Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Act. You can read the entire bill, and you can research the voting record of NY Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who sponsored it. You can even find out that, unfortunately, this bill has a 23% chance.

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.

Copyright © 2017 Sherman Democratic Town Committee, All rights reserved.

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

Editor: Some of the original newsletter has been edited to fit properly.

Welcome to our first newsletter! 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 Events!

Sherman Democratic Town Committee Events:
Sherman Democratic Town Committee Regular Monthly Meeting
All registered Democrats from the town of Sherman are invited to attend our monthly meetings.

Sherman Town Government Events:
Democracy depends on citizens getting involved: Please support your community by attending meetings, particularly Town Meetings and Board of Selectmen Meetings, to learn more about the many issues that are important in Sherman:

Sherman Board of Selectmen Meeting
Thursday, March 23, 7 PM
Mallory Town Hall

BOS Hearing on Proposed Budget
Tuesday, April 4, 7 PM
Mallory Town Hall

Sherman Board of Education
Wednesday, April 5, 7 PM
Library Media Room, Sherman School

Candlewood Lake Authority
Wednesday, April 12, 7:30 PM
Mallory Town Hall

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
(860) 223-8412  (202) 225-4476

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

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

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

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

Sherman Alerts!

SHERMAN GOVERNMENT WATCH
On February 23, Sherman BOS held a special meeting to vote on a wide variety of items, from refurbishing the town tennis courts and providing new Trex docks on the high-cost end, to instilling a new dog leash ordinance and armchairs for the senior center on the free- to low-cost side. In unusually large attendance, Sherman residents, across all party and demographic lines, demonstrated their basic unity by voting, practically unanimously, and within an hour, in favor of all the proposed items.

The regularly scheduled Sherman BOS meeting wasn’t outwardly combative, as in January when Selectman Don Lowe challenged Clay Cope’s rush-through appointment of the Republican Committee’s head George Linkletter to the CLA. Video of the exchange concerning this appointment takes place at about 10:30 on the video of the meeting:
Click here to see page of videos

As the summer months approach, attention from residents of Sherman and surrounding communities remains focused on the issue of our most essential local resource, Candlewood Lake.

During the BOS meeting, First Selectman Clay Cope promised there would be a special meeting, to be held “soon,” “on a Saturday during a budget meeting,” concerning Sherman’s specific concerns about Candlewood Lake. Coming on the heels of the overwhelming rejection of chemical treatment of the lake, demonstrated on March 3^rd at New Fairfield’s special meeting on the subject, this promised meeting would be an essential step forward in defining Sherman’s current and ongoing position on the managing the lake’s ecological issues.

As of this mailing, no meeting has been scheduled. Here’s what you can do: Learn about the issues. Attend meetings of the Candlewood Lake Authority. Contact the Sherman BOS office and ask when the Sherman meeting on the lake is going to happen.

Look Left. Look Right. (No…Not THAT Right.)
Among your friends, neighbors, and acquaintances in Sherman, who do you think would make a great Selectperson…Board of Education member…Defender of Sherman’s environment…Advocate for Sherman’s Seniors?

The Sherman Democratic Town Committee is seeking your suggestions for town positions ranging from Selectperson to Board of Education to Zoning, all of which are crucially important in ensuring our town’s wellbeing and shaping our future. We welcome unaffiliated residents as well as registered democrats, and we are aiming to give your choices the best support possible to succeed in November.

This is an exciting opportunity for Sherman residents to participate in selecting our town leadership, way beyond simply voting.

Please consider your friends and neighbors (and yourself!) as you are looking around for the people you want as your “servants”—the people who are smart, caring, informed, and committed to working for Sherman as a whole. Email us at: ShermanDems@gmail.com with your personal nomination.

Hartford Alerts!

Two bills affecting undocumented immigrants have been introduced into the General Assembly. One would help undocumented immigrants, the other harm them. We urge you to call Representative Smith and voice your opinion about these bills.

Support Proposed House Resolution 6709, which would make Connecticut a “sanctuary” state. The proposed law would bar the State Police from demanding information regarding citizenship from individuals with whom they interact. The Malloy administration has advised Connecticut police chiefs not to take any special action against undocumented immigrants, but the proposed law would put teeth into the policy with respect to State Police.

Oppose Proposed House Resolution 6709, which would repeal the current statue that allows the Department of Motor Vehicles to provide drivers license to people who cannot provide proof of legal United States Residency or a Social Security number. The existing law promotes public safety by ensuring that everyone behind the wheel is a good enough driver to pass the licensing test. It also makes it possible for undocumented Connecticut residents to seek and hold jobs and to be more actively involved in their children’s schooling (e.g., attend school events).

Washington Alerts!

The school reforms pushed by the new Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, are no longer merely worries. House Bill 610, combining the “Choices in Education Act” and the “No Hungry Kids Act,” would repeal the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). It also repeals regulations requiring that school breakfast and lunch programs meet basic nutritional standards. We urge you to call Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty and voice your opposition to this bill.

ESEA provides over $14 billion a year to schools and school districts having large numbers of students from low-income families. The bill replaces these grants with a voucher program, paying for children to attend a public or private school of their choice. Voucher programs drain money from public schools. Recent research on statewide voucher programs in Louisiana and Indiana found that public school students who received vouchers to attend private schools subsequently scored much lower on reading and math tests that those who stayed in public school. Other research has also found either no or negative effects of vouchers on children’s education. The real goal of the bill is not to improve public education but to destroy public education.

Ways to Take Action!

This is a rotating selection of a handful of the many resources available to Sherman Democrats who wish to work for our shared values to make state and local communities better.

People Power
People Power is the ACLU’s new effort to engage grassroots volunteers across the country and take the fight against Donald Trump’s policies not just into the courts, but into the streets. Sign up for information on grassroots events and watch the People Power resistance training video on their website.

Connecticut Chapter of the National Organization For Women
The CT NOW chapter is looking for members willing to take action on several bills proposed in the Connecticut House and Senate, several of which are endorsed by Sherman’s state senator, Michael McLachlan.
See their website

CT Democrats Run for Office
Are you interested in running for local office? It could be anything from planning and zoning committees, the Board of Education, or even selectman. The Connecticut Democratic Committee wants to support and empower you every step of the way.

Swing Left
Control of the house in 2018 will be decided by a handful of swing districts. In the interest of consolidating efforts on these important areas, Swing Left locates the closest vulnerable district and educates activists about actionable opportunities to support progressives and defeat republicans in that district. Sherman’s closest swing district is NY-19, which runs right along the border of CT from New Fairfield up to Vermont. Republican John Faso won the district by only 26,000 votes. Sign up to get involved.

CREDO Action
CREDO makes it very easy to work for progressive change. The website links users to multiple petitions and scripted phone call campaigns. Millions of CREDO activists are lobbying decision-makers at all levels of government on issues ranging from demanding the resignation of Jeff Sessions to fighting fracking.

Copyright © 2017 Sherman Democratic Town Committee, All rights reserved.

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

Editor: Some of the original newsletter has been edited to fit properly. Click here to see the original newsletter