Trumbull FS candidate Mary Beth Thornton’s full speech

Here is the full text of Democratic first selectman candidate Mary Beth Thornton’s speech that she delivered at the Demcratic Town Committee’s nominating convention Monday.

Two years ago my house was struck by lightning, and burned to the ground. My home was gone, but I was still standing – like a lightning rod that absorbs the strike, yet survives. Two nights later I was in my usual seat at a Council meeting. There was work to be done for the town of Trumbull. Now, there is even more work to be done. There is a critical need to change the direction this town has taken in the last 18 months. In my wildest dreams, I never would have imagined Trumbull to be in the shape it’s in today. I saw a bumper sticker the other day that sums up how I feel perfectly, “Where are we going, and why am I in this handbasket?”  For this reason, I am proud and honored to accept the nomination as your candidate for FS, so that I can lead the way in correcting the course for our town.

Many people have asked me why I am running for this office.

I have a strong commitment to this town. I’ve served on the town council since 2003, been reelected 3 times and served as majority leader, chairman of the finance committee, and now as minority leader. For me this is not about personal gain or ambition. This is not just another rung on the ladder for me. My ambition begins and ends in serving Trumbull.

1. I want to restore bipartisan government to Trumbull, government that benefits our residents, not a political party. My priority is, and always has been, the people of Trumbull, not politics.

2. I am committed to restoring government that is transparent, open. I will govern with common sense that comes from my experience and my respect for the skills and duties of those around me – no subterfuge, no illegal meetings, no self-serving legal maneuvering.

3. I believe the FS represents all of the residents, not just his or her political base. My record shows that my community activism has not been tied to a political agenda. I don’t choose my issues based on how many votes it will get me.

The second question I am usually asked is: “What qualifies you to be FS?”

I have been a professional and businesswoman for over 30 years.

I have 8 years of town council experience

My leadership roles as a community activist in town – working on controversial issues such as the UI substation, the power plant in Nichols and the cell tower currently being considered at the police station.

I’ve also served the Nichols Improvement Association as President and am currently Chairman of the NIA Trustees.

This will be a contentious campaign, and I have the tenacity and strength to fight for what I believe is in the best interest of this town. In fact, I look forward to it.

I am willing to stand up for what I believe is right, as evidenced by my leading the walkout of an illegal council meeting, which, I am happy to say, included participants from both sides of the aisle.

My administration will be characterized by honesty, openness, and transparency. And here’s a refreshing change: I will govern in accordance with existing laws and the town charter. I will advocate for and represent ALL residents, regardless of party affiliation, listening to every voice, giving the public every opportunity to be involved in their government.

These are challenging times for governments everywhere, at all levels. There are, however, four primary issues that I view as priorities for this town: public safety, fiscal responsibility, education and charter revision.

Public Safety

Public safety is a priority that touches every facet of our town. We are very fortunate to have an excellent police force, volunteer fire departments and emergency medical services that are the essential to our quality of life. We cannot overlook the importance of these dedicated individuals and their commitment to Trumbull.

Fiscal Responsibility

Stabilizing residential taxes during this economic downturn demands a significant and steady increase in our grand list.

That can be accomplished with a close partnership of our Economic Development Commission, our Planning and Zoning Commission and my administration, aggressively working together to increase our commercial tax base which is a top priority for our town.

Our location, at the intersection of three major arteries, our proximity to universities, hospitals, our education system, all create a potential for this essential growth.

We will advocate for mixed-use districts while preserving their historic significance. We will continue to expand commercial development in the industrial zones, including Lindeman Drive.

Education

We all understand that Trumbull’s education system sustains our community and yet currently makes up more than 60% of our tax dollars. We have rapidly grown as a community that prioritizes education: building Frenchtown School, our Special Needs Preschool and adding 13 classrooms, 3 language labs and a new cafeteria to our high school, as well as the current renovation, all in the past eight years.

Trumbull property values have increased as the reputation and quality of our school system has grown, attracting even more families to town.

We have trusted our school administrators and teachers to deliver a quality education and they have delivered. We have asked them to deal with increased State mandates and less Education Cost Sharing funds; they have persevered. We have asked them to maintain the services and ancillary programs that make our system great; they have delivered. Now we must work with them to enhance efficiency and ensure a future that preserves what we have built. This requires trust and cooperation, not ultimatums and divisive rhetoric.

Charter Revision

We are in the process of revising our Charter, a process that has been unbalanced from the start, with a commission as partisan as possible by state statute, made up of four Republicans and two Democrats. A Charter should not be a partisan document created to strengthen a single party, but to serve the town as a whole. This 66 page revision was not petitioned by our residents, was not presented with the rationale for the proposed changes as required by State statute, and has been pushed along at a rate that leaves many involved in the process wondering – why the changes were proposed and how they will affect the Town. This will be our third Charter in eight years, a radical change from our current form of government and the public will be asked to weigh in on election day. I ask that this process be slowed to a pace that allows the public a true understanding of the proposed changes, and enables them to make a well-informed decision at the polls.

There are several controversial issues affecting our community that many residents are unaware of. Residents most affected by these issues are not being fully supported by the administration. These issues are:

• Magnet School

• Cell Tower

• Nature Center

• Sewer Regionalization

• Pensions

There are lost opportunities, lost revenues and a lack of transparency that have resulted in a breakdown of trust, cooperation, and fair compromise. Political posturing is overshadowing the rights of residents.

The current political climate of extreme partisanship at the national, state and local levels has produced an unwillingness to compromise – at the expense of constituents – and is alienating people from their supposed representatives. Too many politicians are putting their own careers and political gamesmanship ahead of the needs of the people.

This is a clear distinction between my opponent and me. My priority, at this most challenging economic time, is serving the residents of Trumbull, not serving my own ambition. It’s about people, not politics.

My priority is restoring bipartisanship to Trumbull government. I intend to rise above partisan politics, and can more easily accomplish this thanks to the support of a growing number of my Republican colleagues – people who are committed to the town but are fed up with the way business is currently conducted at Town Hall. The work of government can, and should be, accomplished without rancor, vitriol and personal attacks. Leaders don’t force people to follow them, they invite them on a journey.

My priority is to re-build bridges with our surrounding towns and with the state. These relationships have been severely compromised over the past 18 months. We are not the neighborhood bully, and I will work to reverse the attitudes and behaviors that have alienated our neighbors and cost us valuable resources.

CONCLUSION

We are standing at a crossroad. Each and every one of you has a crucial role to play in this campaign and I welcome your support in whatever way you can give it – be it time, money, or both. I need you to be more than involved; I need you to be committed.

We’ve only experienced a little over 18 months of the current administration. If we lose this election, the hole we are in now will be twice as deep and even more difficult to climb out of. Our current leader will move on to the next rung of his political ladder, and we’ll be left holding the bag – or should I say, bonds.

My opponent has “overpromised and under-delivered.” I intend to deliver, because my priorities are clear – this is about people, not politics.

They say that lightning never strikes twice. But the upcoming campaign will be contentious and hard fought. So I expect lightning to strike repeatedly and often. That’s what lightning rods are for. Bring it on!

Vinti Singh