Letter to the editor - A few facts

NOTE FROM ME - This letter to the editor was submitted by current Town Councilor Rosemary Rascati and was published in the Record Journal on Saturday October 8. 

Political letters to the editor after Labor Day are supposed to be limited to 100 words or less. By the paper’s own admission, an error was made allowing Rosemary’s piece to run at the 300 word standard limit.

I wrote a full reply to this submission that the paper will not publish; they admit the error and take full responsibility but they are going to continue to re-enforce the standard of 100 words or less for political letters and letters from candidates.

While I think an equal response is fair and warranted given the fact that an error was made on one side of the argument, I understand the paper’s position on trying to maintain the original intent of the directive of limiting political letters to 100 words or less.

I am going to work on my 100 word response but in the meantime my full response to this will be posted on my Jason Zandri for Wallingford Town Council blog and an expanded version will be online at The Post-Chronicle as they allow for 500 word submission.

 

Editor: I would like to make public a few facts about the parking lot behind Simpson Court that may not be common knowledge: The same group of nay-sayers now forcing a referendum is the same group that has been asking Wallingford’s mayor and Town Council about the status of this same parking lot and “why is it taking so long to repair?”

This same group forced a referendum on the Wooding/Caplan property and, as a consequence, the Town has lost many thousands of dollars in potential property tax payments. Now they advocate that Wooding/Caplan be used for parking. Isn’t this a bit short-sighted since we may be needing it for a new police station? Or perhaps they will then suggest that the Town buy another lot.

This same group also forced a referendum on the purchase of the Parks and Rec building some years back. This was defeated and now we enjoy a beautiful and busy recreation facility. Every time we have a referendum, it costs the town at least $30,000. Parking is valuable and essential to a vibrant downtown. If the various owners of the subject properties decide that their lots will be private, it will be a loss to the general public.

The owners will have no control over these properties for the next 30 years. In its present condition, should someone fall and be hurt in this lot, the Town of Wallingford could be held liable. Funds for this project come from the Electric Division and can only be used for capital improvements. It cannot be used for salaries, paramedics, etc. And this expenditure will not affect the mill rate. It is critical that the public is made aware of the facts. The future of our downtown depends on it.

ROSEMARY RASCATI, WALLINGFORD