Letters

Yes. Most of us want to see the long delayed West Haven High School project finally begin. I have been dedicated to the youth of our city for over 35 years and understand the need to create the best schools possible. But bonding $133 million for this project before understanding the impact that the state’s failure to pass a budget will have on West Haven is irresponsible.

If the State and Ed O’Brien can finally balance a budget without another large tax increase, then I will be first in line to applaud the start of our High School “renovate-as-new” project.

Many questions remain unanswered but what we do know, as cited in the governor’s “Resource Allocation Plan” is that he will “sharply reduce municipal aid, zero-out discretionary grants, and cut education grants (ECS) by hundreds of millions.” If not corrected, this will force a major tax increase on West Haven taxpayers. How high are Ed O’Brien and his supporters on the City Council willing to let taxes get?

Ed O’Brien has not balanced one budget since being elected in 2013. Spending is out of control when POLITICAL CRONIES GET RAISES WHILE TAXPAYERS PONEY UP MORE DOLLARS. Once again we have been put in a position that forces us to borrow more money to pay for another deficit increase.

As things stand now we don’t even know if the state will be shifting $4.5 million of teacher pension payments onto West Haven taxpayers. That’s $4.5 million and growing each and every year. The Democrats who control our state legislature can’t seem to agree with Governor Malloy or even with each other on a path forward to a State Budget.

We continue to place a larger and larger burden on the backs of future generations. West Haven already has the second worst bond rating of any of the 169 municipalities in Connecticut. This money isn’t free and these kinds of decision only make things worse.

The path to success for West Haven is not election-year showboating, but sustained efficient management. Wasteful spending must end. We must consolidate city government to make it more efficient and less costly for taxpayers and we must find a way to grow our local economy.

David Riccio

Republican City Councilman

Candidate for Mayor

 

My name is Richard Williams. On July 10, I was at the church luncheon at West Haven Green. I was choking on some chicken and could not breathe. A man named Jim Dixon came to my rescue and gave me the Heimlich maneuver and saved my life.

I would like to give him my sincere thanks and appreciation by way of this letter. I have incredible gratitude for his swift action in saving me that day. I’m crying now thinking of how incredible it was he was there at that time to save me. I would love for the mayor to give him some sort of medal or key to the city. He was very smart and fast in his knowledge of the situation. I was dying and he saved me. My sincerest thanks to Jim Dixon. God Bless you.

Richard Williams